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CNN Live At Daybreak

Ask CNN: What is Johnny Carson Doing Now?

Aired August 22, 2001 - 07:54   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KRIS CARTER, LAKEWOOD, COLORADO: Hi, I'm Kris Carter. I'm from Lakewood, Colorado. And I'd like to know what is Johnny Carson doing now?

ED MCMAHON, FORMER "TONIGHT SHOW" CO-HOST: What is he doing now? What is Johnny Carson doing now? I said he's doing nothing and he's doing it extremely well in the tradition of Johnny Carson.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNNY CARSON, FORMER "TONIGHT SHOW" HOST: A lot of people who work together on television are not -- don't necessarily like each other. This hasn't been true. We've known each other 34 years, we have dinner together.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCMAHON: It was 34 years we worked together, 30 years on the "Tonight Show." What a joy that was to wake up and know that before the day was out I would sit down in a conversation with one of the brightest, funniest, best read person I ever met.

He does not really relish the limelight. It's not a demanding thing for him. He had a job to do. He liked to do his job and he wanted to do it well. He worked very hard at it. But when he's not doing the job, then he doesn't want to have any part of it. So people say, well, he's like a hermit. He's not a hermit, he just doing what he wants to do in his style and his style is very low key, very private. I'll do my stuff. I have my friends, I have my family, I've got my boat, I've got my tennis court, I'm having a good time. He earned it, and that's what his life is like.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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