In 1983, ‘The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson’ invited comedy veteran Red Skelton to the stage. Red’s old-fashioned sense of humor shone through as he and Johnny exchanged jabs.
In 1983, ‘The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson’ invited comedy veteran Red Skelton to the stage. Red’s old-fashioned sense of humor shone through as he and Johnny exchanged jabs.
Johnny introduces Red, and the first thing Johnny notices is how tall he is. Johnny inquires whether he is 6’3″. Red responds that he is most likely 6’2 owing to old age shrinking!
Red informs Johnny that his age does not disturb or limit him. ‘You know how I start the day?’ he says. I open my eyes and get up if I don’t see candles or smell flowers.’ The studio crowd erupts in laughter.
Even Red chuckles and tries to keep it together long enough to complete the joke. ‘Then I flick away through Playboy to get my heart started,’ Red explains. Johnny and the crowd both burst out laughing. Johnny asks Red if he exercises, like many other elderly people do. Red claims that he doesn’t workout because he doesn’t care.
Johnny inquires about Red’s use of his middle name, while his given name is Richard. Red said that when his instructor inquired about his middle name, he informed her. Red’s middle name was a nickname, according to the instructor, and she recommended he seek his genuine middle name from his parents that night.
His mother instructed him to make up anything, so he checked the papers and found a shop named ‘Bernard’s Clothery.’ Bernard was his middle name, as he informed his instructor. Years later, when he visited Washington, D.C., J. Edgar Hoover asked him, ‘Well, how are you, Bernard?’ ‘Bernard, where’d you get that?’ asked Red. ‘It’s right here in your dossier,’ Hoover replied. ‘So you set up a bogus name, and they had it!’ Johnny exclaims.
‘I’m not a terrific chef, but even I know you don’t open grapefruit with a can opener!’ Red laughs about his wife’s cuisine. Everyone chuckles, and Red adds, ‘I’ll offer one pleasant thing about my wife’s cuisine. She crushed the dog because he was begging at the table!’ Carson and the audience enjoyed Red’s hilarious interview.