Johnny Carson's Last (Massive!) Generous Act

[babylonsister]

http://newsfeed.time.com/2010/08/09/johnny-carsons-last-massive-generous-act/

Johnny Carson's Last (Massive!) Generous Act
By: Dan Fletcher (32 mins ago)


New documents uncovered by The Smoking Gun show the legendary Tonight Show host earmarked a whopping $156 million for philanthropy shortly before his death in 2005.

The donation made the John W. Carson Foundation the largest philanthropy in Hollywood. Carson made the donation without any public notification; The Smoking Gun only found the figure by digging into the foundation's tax return, filed in May of this year. Carson gave generously to his foundation in the years prior to his death, but in million-dollar chunks -- not the massive figure given shortly before his death.

The foundation's work benefits hospitals, children's groups and foundations in Carson's home state of Nebraska. (via The Smoking Gun)

[Tuesday Afternoon]

Johnny

:loveya:

[Vickers]

1. Wow! Yet another reason to admire him. n/t

[malaise]

2. I loved him

This is very cool.

[Subdivisions]

3. K&R for Johnny! n/t

[asdjrocky]

4. I always knew he was the Man.

Carson, more than anyone else in the world, is the most responsible for my chosen field.

An original American treasure.

[rufus dog]

5. Good Job Johnny!

As a side note, up to about a year ago Costco used to sell a JC video and would have it playing on a TV. I was always amazed that someone always would be stopped watching 20 year old clips. Usually males over forty, sometimes 50+ year old females. I noticed this only after the first time, when I watched for over five minutes and then realized a few of us were blocking the aisle. After that I would just park myself down an aisle and watch the others stop, watch, and smile, sometimes laugh heartily, oblivious to their surroundings.

[BrklynLiberal]

10. They are without exception HILARIOUS!!!

[Chulanowa]

6. Another reason to love the guy n/t

[RandomThoughts]

7. That brings up a really important point about not judging.

It is possible people with much money give most of it away, and just don't mention that, so when judging the rich, you can be in a trap of not also knowing their modesty.

[BrklynLiberal]

9. except in cases like Donald Trump

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

I cannot imagine that man giving away anything....

[Jackpine Radical]

14. Gonorrhea?

[BrklynLiberal]

15. lolololol

[Ken Burch]

34. NO...Trump would charge for giving you THAT!

n/t.

[skyounkin]

30. Uhm, while Donald hasn't done things as excessive

as Johnny Carson- he has done some good things, you should look things up before passing judgement.

[Boojatta]

42. "excessive" ... Did you mean "generous"? n/t

[Kelvin Mace]

13. ways saw Carson as a decent and rational human being

That view was greatly enhanced in how he dealt with renowned charlatan Uri Geller. He managed (with some prep work with James Randi) to utterly discredit Geller while remaining perfectly personable and polite.

He would have been a formidable newsman on par with Murrow in a different reality.

[aquart]

19. Johnny Carson went to work every day and earned his money.

Meanwhile making a fortune for his network.

However, he clearly made more than anyone could spend in a lifetime. I'm thrilled he decided good should be done with that, although the good any foundation does is at the mercy of its directors, and one bad apple could still waste it all, but I'd rather we had a tax structure that made individual men less rich and the country more so. That would make all of us less dependent on the charity of rich men.

[izquierdista]

27. And he would have regardless of the tax rate

If I remember correctly, during his time on TV, the top tax rate varied from as high as 70% and as low as 28%.

[liberation]

61. You can't be modest and rich at the same time...

I don't know if that level of logical dissonance is due to that protestant attitude that the lord dotes wealth on his "preferred" customers, or vestiges from the house negro attitude that the massahs is actually doing the slaves a favor somehow...

[ChadwickHenryWard]

65. Johnny Carson was an amazing man.

He was actually known for his generosity in life, as well as his boundless curiosity. He wasn't your average rich cocksucker. A couple weeks ago, forty US billionaires pledged half (or more) of their wealth, upon their deaths, to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Of course, they all made a big to-do about it, but I think if it encourages others to give, we can entertain their vanity.

[BrklynLiberal]

8. That was the kind of man he was. After he retired..HE RETIRED!!!

Always enjoyed him..and now I have have even more reason to admire him.

[rufus dog]

11. and if the rumors are true ... preferred Letterman over Leno, nt

[BrklynLiberal]

16. Yes. I heard that as well..and in fact, I think the only appearance he made

after his retirement was on the Letterman show after he moved to CBS May 13, 1994

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvHxH7fgrRE

first of multi-part tribute by Letterman to Carson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BiHLK5lFvQ&feature=related

[tularetom]

20. Actually he refused to appear on the show as long as Leno was there

That appearance on Letterman in 1994 was the last time Johnny was on TV.

[onehandle]

21. Johnny on Letterman in 1985:

Part one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gehruIvKoXs

Part two:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4l9obhEBBc

[progressoid]

24. That tribute was a great episode.

:thumbsup:

[onehandle]

18. Yep. Johnny, kept his word. Leno, the dinosaur, did not. nt

[lpbk2713]

23. Ah but Leno gave donuts to striking writers on picket lines.

Set him back at least twenty bucks.




:sarcasm:

[alfredo]

39. But they were really good donuts.

Actually he does give to charity.

Bailey's Cafe - a cultural and educational center for children.
Keep Memory Alive - Alzheimer's
Lance Armstrong Foundation - Cancer
Neurofibromatosis, Inc.
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital


Read more: http://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/442-jay-leno#ixzz0wAEIe2ao


He's still a jerk.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

58. I've always admired him for that....

All those years in the spotlight, and he walked away with grace and class.

[Ikonoklast]

12. Still a class act, even years after he's been gone.

No hoopla, no "Hey, look at what I'm doing", no self congratulations, just...here's some money, do some good with it and don't tell them I gave it to you.

[RKP5637]

17. Here's Johnny!

:yourock: :yourock: :yourock:

[Maru Kitteh]

22. I still miss the REAL Tonight Show. Nothing like it.

[whathehell]

25. Me too....He was the VERY best at what he did. n/t

[K8-EEE]

50. +1

[autorank]

26. Wel always knew that Johnny was "cool"

He was a decent guy from the Midewest who made it big but never forgot who he was.

This is no surprise and the secrecy wasn't any form of false modesty. He just did the right thing.

[donquijoterocket]

68. University

Carson has also been very generous to Bugeater University. Their film department is almost entirely his doing.Altogether a talented and admirable man who never forgot where he was from.

[ljm2002]

28. I always liked Johnny Carson...

...but never had a clue that he had the philanthropy gene.

I still think he was the best night-time talk show host ever.

[Bluenorthwest]

29. Carson was in a class by himself

And this does not surprise me, not the amount nor the silent hand that gave.

[Wolf Frankula]

31. I haven't watched the Tonight Show since Johnny retired.

A true class act. We miss you, Johnny.

Wolf

[Dem2theMax]

32. Carnac the Magnificent did yet another magnificent thing.

I have loved this man for most of my life. I will miss him to my dying day.

How long has he been gone? Five years. Five years after his death, his generous spirit has again made me laugh, smile and cry a few tears.

Johnny, you were, and always will be, the best.

To you sir. :toast:

[Ken Burch]

33. "HOW...MASSIVE... WAS...IT????"

n/t.

[underpants]

35. It was soooo massive that Don Deluise couldn't eat it

[Elwood P Dowd]

36. Carson does Reagan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdmULsIEyEI

[Amerigo Vespucci]

37. "...without any public notification..."

That's how he lived his life, too. When he decided that he'd had enough of show business, the public wanted more. The mind reels at the people who have been helped by the "million-dollar chunks" and his final "massive figure," people who never knew...and may never know...that the help came from the "King of Late Night TV."

It's funny, this reminds me of a conversation I had just a few days with one of my clients, who is reasonably affluent. I mentioned that in the church, there is always constant pressure to tithe...to give 10% of what you earn, regardless of your circumstances. He replied "I know a LOT of guys who are RICH and don't give ANYTHING...EVER...and they also never go to church."

So Johnny gave freely, and regularly, and in virtual anonymity. If he were alive today, he probably wouldn't want the recognition any more than when he was making those regular million dollar donations. There's a lesson for us in all of this about Johnny Carson, the man. There's also a lesson we can learn and apply in our own lives, if we're paying attention.

[mckara]

38. I Miss Johnny Carson!

:cry: :cry:

[Honeycombe8]

40. Yeah, well...everyone knows those "rich people" caused the recession

and are responsible for all the country's problems.

:sarcasm:

[Botany]

41. He was the best.

I could still watch him.

[pengillian101]

43. This is my all-time hilarious Johnny Carson show:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNR0V8qjhIY

I still laugh my ass off. Burt Reynolds, Dom Delouise and a can of whipped cream.

SNORT!

[lpbk2713]

45. Seems like every anniversary show ...

had the "Copper Clappers" skit with Johnny and Jack Webb.

I know I couldn't have gotten through it without cracking up.

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpVjW30I-YU

[MrsBrady]

47. thank you...

I laughed so hard.

[LiberalFighter]

44. The current night talk shows don't match up to JC.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

59. I feel sorry for my kids....

Jimmy Kimmel?

Sure, he can be funny. But think even Kimmel would agree that he's not Carson.

[CLANG]

46. Johnny was the father I never had.

[Orrex]

48. Even today he's still funnier than Leno

[applegrove]

49. Johnny was the best!

[Triana]

51. Awesome!

And, no disrespect intended to Johnny Carson, but...


http://www.blackstarnews.com/news/135/ARTICLE/5811/2009-06-28.html <- Funny you never hear about THIS from the lame$tream media, eh? They like to NOT mention it much in favor of talking about lies. Too bad people are so ignorant thanks to them. And not just about politics.

[earcandle]

52. Here's Johnny! Thanks Mr. Carson, for everything!

[4lbs]

53. Joan Kroc, wife of the owner of the San Diego Padres and founder of McDonald's, did the same thing

in her will.

She earmarked about two billion dollars for various charities and non-profit organizations.

It's always a good thing when those like Johnny Carson and Joan Kroc leave sizable amounts of their remaining estates to charities and non-profits.

[Dinger]

54. K & R For Johnny:)

[scheming daemons]

55. Added benefit: He kept the money away from his parasitic ex-wives!

Way to go, Johnny.

[Submariner]

56. JC: The Tomahawk incident

The longest audience laugh in TV history at the time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gD0DV2vPNEQ

[NikRik]

57. Even as a young boy I watched Carson !

My Father would watch Jonny every night and even thou I was suppose to be in bed I use to sit at the top of the stairs which you could the TV from and watch the tonight show.He was and most likley will be the best host ever for a show like the tonight show.Even when his jokes where bombing out he had a way to make it all to funny. I wish they would show reruns of the great Jonny Carson !!!
NikRik

[rurallib]

64. He started with a quiz show called "Who do you trust?"

his comedy genius was his self efacement and making others look good.
Many of the greatest comedians were like that - Benny, Burns etc.

[saltpoint]

60. Carson was a class act.

This revelation makes him even more of one.

In the history of television's Mount Rushmore his should be the first face.

[Claire Beth]

62. I miss Johnny....

he was a good soul.

[1776Forever]

63. Some might not like me to say this but I am so glad he left it in Nebraska!

I bet he gave to overseas charities too but it was so nice to see someone make their home State a better place and I admire him for that! There are so many Millionaires and Billionaires that seem to forget our poor in the US - I wish they would give half of what they do here!

[Ian David]

66. ...

"I hold in my hand the last envelope.... The answer is, $156 million dollars."

http://newsfeed.time.com/2010/08/09/johnny-carsons-last-massive-generous-act



See also:

Nice try, Novak. Johnny was NOT a Republican. Check the facts.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1524834

A good Friend has left us: A tribute to Johnny Carson by James Randi
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x2495717

Johnny Carson on Democracy
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2999667

The Inevitable Johnny Carson Post
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2998666

Johnny Carson Esquire Interview – The Man Who Retired (2002)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x100617

Most memorable Johnny Carson moments.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x2496558

[Beacool]

67. Nice story!!

Johnny Carson was the best nighttime host in my lifetime. I'm glad to hear that he was also a generous person. May he always be remembered for his charitable spirit, not just for his TV fame.

;)

[MicaelS]

69. When I was a kid, I used to beg to watch Carson

My parents only relented during the summer when there was no school. When I became and adult, and could watch at will, I really cherished his work.

[Scurrilous]

70. K & R

:thumbsup:

[ooglymoogly]

71. Johny Carson was a class act and a "flaming liberal"

which is the main ingredient in a class act; And that inherent, non judgmental, goodness was why he was so loved. I miss him lulling me to sleep, trying to hold my eyes open, to hear one more hilarity; falling asleep with a smile on my face for a wonderful nights sleep.

Nothing else could even come close to that, till the Golden girls took over late night television and like many Carson junkies, switched to The Golden Girls that will run into eternity; God bless Johnny and The Golden Girls; Good folks all and and ALL class acts; And now, thanx to the gods, the followup class act; Will and Grace, to grace that, oh so important, late night spot with the funniest snark and comedy, following in their gentile acceptance of all, footsteps; All putting a genuine loving smile on our faces; And all flaming liberals. So name me one who wasn't and still was beloved; Except, maybe somewhat, for Frazier who's entire being is an ambivalent oddity, who's following comes from playing a, all be it, curmudgeonly, flaming liberal.

There is a profound message in there, someplace.

[Evasporque]

72. "I have the check in my hand..."

"...He has the check in his hand ladies and gentleman..."

[The_Casual_Observer]

73. I recall that his last notable public statement had to do with bush's denial of

knowing Ken Lay.

"Give me a break Of course George Bush didn't know Ken Lay. They wrote 350 letters to each other. I haven't written 350 letters in my life!"

[Kurovski]

74. K&R

Who wouldn't love Mr. Carson?

Funny, generous,intelligent, he was something special.

[Deep13]

75. Class act to the end.

:applause:

He was one of those cold, unfeeling, amoral skeptics we keep hearing about.

[blondeatlast]

76. Amazong. The man defined class. Thank you, Mr. Carson. nt