Letterman Pays Tribute to Johnny Carson

Written by: Jovie Baclayon http://thecelebritycafe.com

David Letterman honors the man who helped start his career

In his first television show since Johnny Carson's death last week, David Letterman paid a touching tribute to the man who inspired generations of comics and talk show hosts.

Letterman's opening monologue on Monday night contained jokes Carson had sent him in recent months. He was joined onstage by Carson's “Tonight Show” bandleader, Doc Severinsen, who led Letterman's band in playing one of Johnny's favorite tunes, "Here's That Rainy Day."

Letterman said everyone in the talk show business has modeled their show after the “Tonight Show.”

"The reason we're all doing Johnny's 'Tonight Show' is because you think, 'Well, if I do Johnny's "Tonight Show," maybe I'll be a little like Johnny and people will like me more,' " he said.

Letterman got his own talk show on NBC after appearing on the “Tonight Show.” He left for CBS when NBC chose Jay Leno to replace Carson when he retired in 1992.

"I owe everything in my professional career, whatever success attained, to Johnny Carson," Letterman said.

Carson died last week at his home in Malibu, California, at the age of 79 from emphysema.