On This Date - Assignment 7 James Apo

It was over 53 years ago, on October 1, 1961. HERE'S JOHNNY! Who is Johnny you ask? Well my friends, he was just a newbie on that date, as the first time that two word slogan resonated in people's minds was on the debut of his late night talk show "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson." Let us get a historical perspective to give us context of the time. For starters, the popularity of late night TV did not come into existence until this show began. The popularity of late night television BEGAN with Johnny Carson. Another thing to note is how long he remained on air, remaining the host for close to 30 years until 1992. Others tried to compete with his show, but there was no competition to Johnny. A final thing to recognize was that there were only 3 networks at the time, but only one Johnny Carson. With all this being said, it is clear that it had a resounding impact on the cultural norm of the United States, from changing bedtimes to changing lifestyles. Personally, I am indifferent to this show, as I was not around to witness its significance. However, from what I understand from my mom and various other sources that lived during that time, his success speaks for itself.