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Key Points
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Onenof the America’s favorite TV talk shows has been The Tonight Show,nwhich has been on as long as I’ve been alive. (Translation: anloooooong time!) It is the longest currently running regularlynscheduled entertainment program in the U.S. and the thirdnlongest-running show of any sort on NBC. And it owes a lot of itsnsuccess to Johnny Carson, who headed the show for THIRTY years!n
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| One of Carson’s repeating characters was a funny “psychic” named Carnak the Magnificent. |
nJohnnynCarson was so many things, which is why he was such a good host: henwas a comedian, writer, actor, musician, and an amateur magician. Andnhe was a skeptic who hated religious fundamentalism and superstition.nHis background in magic helped him to be aware of the fact that somenpeople who claim to have paranormal abilities are really just doingnmagic tricks. Magicians remind their audiences that they are creatingnillusions – but psychics do similar sorts of tricks AND THEN LIEnABOUT IT! Way not cool!
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Carsonnactually helped show up some of these psychics as fakes on his show. n
nFor example, Carson and magician James Randi showed that Israelinso-called psychic Uri Geller was a fake; Geller was unable tondo his famous spoon-bending trick because Carson supplied the spoons.
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nCarson and Randi teamed up again to prove that the faith healer PeternPopoff was a charlatan. Carson also helped to support Randi’s effortsnto debunk junk pseudoscience and promote skepticism by donating tonthe James Randi Foundation and The Amazing Meetings.
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nCarsonnalso helped the field of science by sometimes inviting scientistsnonto the show. He invited astronomer Carl Sagan onto the show 26ntimes! n
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nThenfact that he helped encourage both skepticism and the popularnunderstanding of science are my two favorite things about JohnnynCarson!
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nAnd now that he is gone, I appreciate the efforts of JonnStewart and Stephen Colbert as well. Hooray for comedians as talknshow hosts!
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nAnniversary of the Peace Agreement on Cambodia
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nPlannahead:
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- Historicaln anniversaries in October
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nAndnhere are my Pinterest boards for:
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- Novembern holidays
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nNovembern birthdays
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nHistoricaln anniversaries in November
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