EP 226: Paul Reiser & Jeff Sotzing on Bringing Johnny Carson Back to Television

Paul Reiser and Jeff Sotzing discuss their new show There's...Johnny!, a funny and heartwarming coming of age series set amid the backstage antics on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. They talk about bringing Carson to a new generation of TV viewers, meticulously recreating the look of The Tonight Show for There's...Johnny!, and building each episode around some of Johnny Carson's most iconic television moments. Paul recalls his first appearance on Carson, Johnny’s impeccable sense of comedic timing, and his generosity to young comics like himself. Jeff shares memories of his uncle Johnny and his time working on The Tonight Show including being there for Carson’s final episode. Plus the antics of the legendary Pat McCormick, the time Johnny Carson foiled an extortion plot, and Tony Danza as the oh so cool Tonight Show producer Freddie deCordova.

Season 1 of There’s...Johnny! is available on Hulu beginning November 16. Keep up with Paul at www.paulreiser.com or on Twitter at @PaulReiser, and visit www.johnnycarson.com for memorable clips and other fun stuff from The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Today’s episode is sponsored by Nadex and Grasshopper. Please take our new listener survey at www.podcastlistener.com/KICK.