Jay Leno, Johnny Carson, Giraldo Rivera, these names have been the bread and butter of television throughout daytime and primetime. We all have memories around them, whether it’s the crazy antics of Giraldo Rivera, or the tragic side of humanity that was the bread and butter of Dr. Phil, we’ve all gasped, laughed, and hid our faces in shame as these figures paraded across our screen. Some of them stood as testaments to charity and hope, with Oprah coming out far ahead as an icon of the philanthropic talk show host trying to make a difference in everyones lives. TV Talk Show Host Day is for celebrating these iconic figures from yesteryear to present.
History of TV Talk Show Host Day
Talk Show Host Day is celebrated on Johnny Carson’s birthday, commemorating one of the most iconic figures of TV Talk Show history. His career started in 1950 when he first found a place on the Tonight Show, and was the beginning of a legacy that would carry on for another 42 years, when he finally retired in a tear jerking finale that was the passing of an age. Whether he was being heralded onto stage with “Hooray for Hollywood” as Art Fern, the “Tea Time Movie” announcer, or divining the contents of envelopes as Carnac the Magnificent, Johnny Carson set the standard for Talk Show excellence.
His show was definitely a variety show, and he played many roles during his years entertaining young and old alike. The call of “Here’s Johnny” found millions of viewers sitting in front of their TV, ready to have another hard day washed away by the master of the Talk Show airwaves. If there were ever an icon for what a Talk Show Host can bring to the viewers they serve, it was this man, and Talk Show Host Day was set on his birthday to honor him.
How to Celebrate TV Talk Show Host Day
In this wonderful age of on-demand entertainment, many of the old talk shows and their episodes are archived on the internet in places like Hulu and Netflix. So what better way to celebrate Talk Show Host Day than with a marathon of the antics of some of TV’s best entertainers. Introduce your friends that have avoided Talk Shows their whole lives to exactly what they were missing out on, and pass on the torch to your children of the comedians of yesteryear.
Get togethers are a great way to celebrate this, but you could also show up at work dressed as ‘Carnac the Magnificent’ or even have a Talk Show Host themed party where everyone dresses up as their favorite. Call up some of your mothers old recipes, the ones you spent nights eating in front of the TV while your favorite Talk Show Host galavanted across the screen, and spend the evening in the warm embrace of nostalgia!
