WHEN JOHNNY CARSON ASKED, RODNEY DELIVERED
There was something special about watching Rodney Dangerfield sit beside Johnny Carson.
Carson could ask a completely ordinary question.
Rodney would answer it.
Then suddenly the answer would become another joke.
Then another joke would follow.
Before Carson could even move to the next topic, Rodney had already turned the conversation into a rapid-fire comedy routine.
That unusual rhythm became one of the reasons their Tonight Show appearances remain so entertaining.
RODNEY DID NOT NEED A BIG SETUP
Most comedians need time to establish a story.
Rodney often needed only a few seconds.
A simple question from Carson was enough to give him a direction.
Once he found the subject, the jokes started coming.
Health.
Family.
Marriage.
Work.
Money.
Embarrassment.
Almost anything could become material.
The genius was not simply finding something funny to say.
It was finding the punchline quickly enough to keep the audience laughing without losing momentum.
JOHNNY CARSON WAS THE PERFECT PARTNER
Carson was an extraordinary late-night host because he knew when to talk and when to let a comedian take over.
With Rodney, that instinct was especially important....
