TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON, THE {MUHAMMAD ALI, HARRY CHAPIN, MIKE PREMINGER, JOHN LINDSAY, TEDDY KOLLEK} (TV)
Summary
One in this series of late-night talk/variety programs hosted by Johnny Carson. Carson's guests for this program, recorded in New York, are New York mayor John Lindsay, Jerusalem mayor Teddy Kollek, boxing champion Muhammad Ali, comedian Mike Preminger and singer-songwriter Harry Chapin.
In his opening monologue, Carson touches on the following topics, among others: the show's short-term return to New York, its original home; Lindsay's famed disinterested in visiting Queens; co-host Ed McMahon's "upcoming" appearance at the St. Regis Hotel; the ongoing waiters' strike; the questionable nature of the Park Sheraton hotel, where Carson and the others are staying; and his challenging experience renting a car in the city. Carson then ventures in the audience for a round of "Stump the Band," and McMahon and bandleader Doc Severinsen are, as usual, confounded by the guests' funny song requests.
The first guest, Lindsay, takes the stage and comments on the recent flood in New York; his attempts to improve Times Square; construction of a new convention center and ship terminal on the Hudson River; the city's unfairly exaggerated crime statistics, thanks to excessive media scrutiny; the positive elements of the New York public school system; his "re-education" program for a number of important bond-holders; and a brief history of Gracie Mansion, the official residence of the city mayor since 1942.
Next, Kollek joins Carson and Lindsay onstage and discusses his dislike of the honorific "your honor"; common urban problems between New York and the much smaller Jerusalem; his residence in a private apartment with a publicly-listed phone number; tourists' interest in the Western Wall and other sites; Jerusalem's lack of a significant drug problem; and whether he intends to run for office again.
Ali then takes the stage and discusses Carson's own boxing career in the Navy; his upcoming Utah bout against Bob Foster, who memorably defeated him once in the past; the dangers of Lake Tahoe's high altitude and thin atmosphere; his previous comments about "rough fighter" Joe Frazier; his customized necklace from Aruba; his fastidious financial habits and views on rich athletes who later go broke because of unscrupulous managers and a lack of personal education; his current college tour and construction of a training camp in Pennsylvania; his interest in using his influence as a celebrity to help the black community; and his prediction that he will defeat Foster in the eighth round of their upcoming fight (which did indeed come to pass).
Preminger performs a stand-up routine about the experience of losing one's job and heading to the unpleasant unemployment office; his role in the Air Force reserves; why "the enemy" is unlikely to attack their New Jersey base, given the perils of flying into New York and traveling through Secaucus; and New York's dubious social improvements. Finally, Chapin performs "Greyhound." Includes commercials and promos.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: November 13, 1972 11:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:16:02
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:73284
- GENRE: Talk/Interview
- SUBJECT HEADING: Talk/Interview; Comedy/Variety
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1962-1992
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - Armour Golden Star turkey
- TV - Commercials - Contac cold medication
- TV - Commercials - Exide Willard car batteries
- TV - Commercials - Fritos jalapeño bean dip
- TV - Commercials - Lavoris mouthwash
- TV - Commercials - Lipton Cup-a-Soup
- TV - Commercials - Marantz sound systems
- TV - Commercials - Max-Pax coffee filter rings
- TV - Commercials - Prime dog food
- TV - Commercials - Revlon Natural Wonder Big Lash mascara
- TV - Commercials - Sinex nasal spray
- TV - Commercials - United Airlines
- TV - Commercials - Vanquish headache medicine
CREDITS
- The NBC Orchestra … Music by
- Doc Severinsen … Conductor
- Johnny Carson … Host
- Ed McMahon … Co-Host
- Mike Preminger … Guest, Performer
- Muhammad Ali … Guest
- Harry Chapin … Guest
- John Lindsay … Guest
- Teddy Kollek … Guest
- Bob Foster
- Joe Frazier