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Leno plans tribute to Carson tonight
NBC and "Tonight" host Jay Leno planned a tribute to Carson on Monday's show, with McMahon, who remains active in entertainment, among the guests.
McMahon, who introduced Carson with the trademark "Heeeeere's Johnny!" and serving as erstwhile foil for three decades, said he was shocked when his wife, Pam, took the sad call Sunday morning.
"I saw the blood leave her face. It was the same look you get when a relative dies," said McMahon, who said Carson was "like a brother to me."
The rest of Sunday swung from "tears to laughter," he said.
"Every time I saw something (on TV) we did and remembered how good it was and how much better it looks now," McMahon said, he felt proud.
He treasures memories of meeting Carson's high standards for "Tonight," the show which became the focus of all Carson's energies and talents from 1962 to 1992.
McMahon painted a picture of one such moment: Carson is doing his monologue and it isn't going over with the audience. For the first and only time in the show's history, McMahon says, he walks over to interrupt.
"I give him a spin like I'm a coach and say, 'You're better than this. Don't let the audience get to you,'" McMahon said — followed by a slap that parodied a popular commercial.
"Thanks, I needed that," Carson replied, in perfect synch with McMahon for the unrehearsed moment.
The joy was doing "something that helped the show," which was what mattered to Carson, McMahon said.
He seemed fine when they last spoke, a phone call about three weeks ago, McMahon said.
"I thought they were treating the emphysema problem with medication. It was a total shock and surprise to me," he said.
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