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The Tonight Show
October 7, 1971
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GUESTS
Buddy Rich, George Carlin, Bette
Midler,
Richard Crenna
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PROGRAM TIME
11:30 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.
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INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT
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The footage from this
appearance apparently no longer exists. However, thanks to a very clever
fan back in the early days, an audio recording made from the television
broadcast does remain. Although that recording can not be
shared here on this website, below you will find a written transcript from this
appearance documenting what
was said and performed during this show.
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Johnny Carson
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She is uh, she's causing quite a bit of commotion over at the Downstairs at the Upstairs where she will be appearing, I understand, for another two
weeks. She's been held over. She is an original. She is
delightful. She is uh . . . strange is not the word, she's
unique. And she does sing. Would you welcome please, Bette Midler.
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Bette Midler
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Friends
(Moogy Klingman,
Buzzy Linhart)
I am all alone
There is no one here beside me
And my problems have all gone
There is no one to deride me
Ah, but you got to have friends
The feeling's oh so strong
You got to have friend
To make that day last long
I had some friends but they're gone
Something came and took them away
And from the dusk to the dawn
Here is where I'll stay.
Standing at the end of the road, boys
Waiting for my new friends to come
I don't care if I'm hungry or poor
I'm gonna get me some
Because you got to have friends
Yeah, you got to have friends
Yeah, you got to have friends
That's right, that's right
You, ya got to have friends
I had some friends but they're gone
Something came and took them away
And from the dusk to the dawn
Here is where I'll stay
Ohh, standing at the end of the road, boys
Waiting for my new friends to come
I don't care if I'm hungry or cold
I got to get me some
Because you got to have friends
You got to have friends
You, you got to have friends
Ffriends, friends, friends
Oh, I got me my, I got me my
I got me my friends
Superstar
(Leon Russell, Bonnie Bramlett)
Long ago and so far away
I fell in love with you
Before the second show
Your guitar just sounds
So sweet and clear
But you're not really here
It's just the radio
Don't you remember
You told me you loved me, baby
Said you'd be coming
Back this way again, baby
Baby, baby, baby, baby, oh, baby
I love you
Loneliness is such a sad affair
I can hardly wait, oh
To sleep with you again
What can I say
To make you come again
Come back, come back and play
Whoa, play your sad guitar
Don't you remember
You told me you loved me, baby
Oh, said you'd be coming
Back this way again, baby
Mmmmm baby, baby, baby, baby, oh, um baby
I love you
Loneliness is such a sad affair
And I can hardly wait
To sleep with you again
What can I say
To make you come again
Come back and play
Play your sad guitar
Don't you remember
You told me you loved me
Said you'd be coming
Back this way again, baby
Baby, baby, whoa baby
I loved you, I really do
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Oh, I think that was the most fun I've had on this show in a long
time. That was so much fun.
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Johnny Carson |
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You do that great.
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Bette Midler |
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Thank you.
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Johnny Carson |
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We saw you the other night over at the Downstairs at the Upstairs and you are killing them over there.
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Bette Midler |
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We're having a good time, we really are. Um, we had an interesting group in last night. The place was packed and the owner, umm, he was like in a state of shock, because at the end of the program I do a thing where everybody sort of claps and waves, you know, and they were standing on the tables, and he kept turning around to people saying, "they're standing on my tables, they're standing on my tables."
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Johnny Carson |
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That's an honor.
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Bette Midler |
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Oh, it was wonderful.
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Johnny Carson |
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Have to take another break for a second.
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Bette Midler |
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Okay.
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[commercial break]
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Johnny Carson |
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We're talking with Bette Midler. The critics, a lot of them like you, and a lot of them say things that are not so complimentary. What are some of the things they've said that you don't like?
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Bette Midler |
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That I don't like? Well, let's see. The gentleman who writes for Variety said that I was less elegant than Phillis Diller.
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Johnny Carson |
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Sweet.
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Bette Midler |
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He was going along very nicely and then all of a sudden the whole review took on an entirely different colour.
He said, "her hair and clothing are a nightmare, and her hair looks like her hairdresser was afraid to put his hands in it."
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Johnny Carson |
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Does that stuff bother you?
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Bette Midler |
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I was very upset, but I had a laugh, I really did, because . . . well because I do my own hair, you
know. [laughs] No hairdresser touches my hair.
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Johnny Carson |
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You do that all yourself?
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Bette Midler |
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I do this all myself. Yes.
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Johnny Carson |
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So it's going well?
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Bette Midler |
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Yes it is. You know, reviews are a very funny thing. I get some good ones and I get some bad ones, but I try to concentrate on the good ones, you know, because if you make yourself sick, then, what fun is it, right?
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Johnny Carson |
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And things start to get to you personally and you get upset and it's not worth it.
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Bette Midler |
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That's very true.
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Johnny Carson |
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Just read the nice ones and forget the ones that are bad.
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Bette Midler |
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I'm learning, I'm learning.
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Johnny Carson |
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Somebody said, the reporter said, this is a quote, "you like to throw the vibrations out to an audience and put them through the changes."
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Bette Midler |
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Yes.
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Johnny Carson |
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Do you play the mood? The mood you're in?
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Bette Midler |
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Yep, play the mood that I'm in, and throw out the way I'm feeling to an audience, so that they don't have to guess how you're feeling.
Like when I'm feeling good I throw out good vibes, and when I'm feeling bad I throw out bad vibes.
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George Carlin
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May I comment on that, because you and I worked about a year ago at the
Playboy Club.
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Bette Midler |
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Oh, yes. [laughs]
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George Carlin
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When I was right in the middle of my trying to change over, and the thing I'm going for that I found really works is to experience the thing with the audience, rather than this tradition of, "I'm coming out here to do something to you." It's a case of, "I'm going to come out and we're going to be together, and I'll get most of the lines, but you'll be there." You know, do what you like, but it's really a nicer feeling, it works fine.
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Bette Midler |
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Yeah.
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Johnny Carson |
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So rather than say I'm going to perform, I'm lucky to be here.
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George Carlin
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Yeah, instead of this wall between you.
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Johnny Carson |
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Yean, a lot of performers never get passed that point. They work great on a stage, but the audience is never really there.
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George Carlin
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Right. It's more fun to share it all, I think.
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Bette Midler |
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Yeah. But I'm easy, it's very easy to know where I'm at, you know, because if I'm feeling good I'm like . . .
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Johnny Carson |
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Do you feel good most of the time?
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Bette Midler |
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You know, I didn't use to feel good much at all, but lately I've just been feeling so
good. I don't know what it is but I tell you!
It must be the air.
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Johnny Carson |
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Maybe it's that nine cups of coffee a day.
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Bette Midler |
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No. No.
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Johnny Carson |
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HI! Hi! Hi! It's Showtime at the Nogahyde
Room!
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Bette Midler |
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[laughing] Hi! Hi! Hi!
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Johnny Carson |
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Ed . . . you're going to go do a commercial, or else you're mad at us and
you're leaving, one of the two . . . I assume it's a commercial.
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INTERESTING FACTS
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According to the Tonight
Show paperwork, Bette was suffering from laryngitis when she did this
show.
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THE TONIGHT SHOW
PAPERWORK
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It was with great amazement
when it was discovered that the Library Of Congress in Washington, D.C. had papers in their archives for most of the Tonight
Show episodes starting from October 17, 1970. Upon learning this, the paperwork for all of the early episodes featuring Bette Midler
were acquired. Since the Johnny Carson people claim these early episodes no longer
exist, this paperwork may well be the only record of what took place.
Not only that, but this paperwork also gives insights and extra details into the existing episodes.
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Broadcast Standards
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Episode Run Sheet
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Pre-Interview Page 01
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Question Sheet
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Johnny's Cue Card
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The Carson Papers document each night's show and the production material pertaining to guest interviews. Typed index cards contain introductory comments for use by Johnny Carson or a substitute host related to each guest. Linked to these cue cards are typed commentaries prepared by researchers from preliminary interviews with a guest outlining areas of interest to be discussed. Also with the file for each show is a listing of commercials, skits, guests, and network pauses in the sequence they occurred. A "Broadcast Standards Acceptability" report includes the names of guests, the host, sponsors, personalities and commercial products mentioned, and references which were censored and edited.
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