On Might 22, 1992, America bid goodnight for a closing time to the person who made a must-do out of staying up late. Johnny Carson, the “King of Late Night time,” wrapped up his time as host of NBC’s The Tonight Present with Johnny Carson after a 33-year run that set the usual, and the format, for late-night TV. Carson introduced his departure a full 12 months earlier than he supplied his closing farewell, and to his dismay — although he refused to point out it publicly — a battle ensued over who would take over as The Tonight Present host. Carson was a giant fan of David Letterman, who helmed Late Night time with David Letterman, which aired after The Tonight Present. Letterman additionally shared Carson’s professionalism and sport, however not fawning, method to dialog together with his friends. NBC wished Jay Leno, who was a daily Tonight Present cohost.
The drama performed out within the press, and Leno and Letterman’s friendship disintegrated, ensuing within the controversial 1994 ebook The Late Shift by longtime tv journalist Invoice Carter. HBO later tailored the ebook right into a scripted TV film. However Carson pointedly stayed out of the fray, avoiding sentimentality and selecting to focus his closing 12 months spotlighting favourite friends and highlights from his three-plus a long time behind the Tonight Present desk. “Thirty years is sufficient,” he reportedly advised his crew. “It’s time to get out whilst you’re nonetheless engaged on prime of your sport, whilst you’re nonetheless working effectively.”