Ep 1. The Best Of Carnac (2/20/79)

The Johnny Carson Show aired its second season, premiering with episode 1 titled The Best of Carnac on February 20, 1979. The show celebrated Johnny Carson's 13th anniversary in hosting the 'Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson' by showing highlights from the popular comedic skit 'Carnac the Magnificent.' The episode featured clips from some of the most iconic moments of Carnac, compiled from over 25 years of the character's appearances on the show.

For those unfamiliar with 'Carnac the Magnificent,' Carson played the role of a psychic who would divine the answers to silly questions hidden in sealed envelopes. The character would put the envelope to his forehead and, after a few moments of concentration, read out the answer to the audience's delight. The skits often featured celebrities who would read the questions, adding a hilarious twist to the performance.

The episode began with an introduction by Ed McMahon, Carson's long-time sidekick, where he explained to the audience the longevity and popularity of the "Carnac the Magnificent" character. He noted that the character was always a crowd-pleaser and that they had received so many fan letters that they thought it might be worth doing a Best of Carnac episode. They chose some of the best and funniest performances over the years, and the result was an entertaining and nostalgic trip down memory lane.

Next, Johnny Carson appeared on the stage to a thunderous applause from the studio audience. He introduced the episode and invited Ed McMahon to prepare him for the first envelope. The crowd went wild as the city of the answer on the first envelope was revealed, and the segment was on its way. The first few skits were hilarious, and the audience was in splits.

The episode then featured a segment where celebrities came out to help with the skits. Some of the guests that got involved in the silly antics were Don Rickles, Diahann Carroll, and Tony Randall. Don Rickles was his usual funny self, and his interaction with Carson was a standout moment of the episode.

The episode also featured footage from some of the most iconic moments of Carnac, including when the envelope's answer was "Sis, Boom, Bah," and the question - "What is the sound made when a sheep explodes." Carson also read out the following question from an envelope - "What do you get if you cross a camel with a jelly doughnut," to which the answer was "Humpf!"

One of the funniest moments of the show was when Carnac was given an envelope containing a Monopoly card from McMahon, and to everyone's surprise, the envelope actually had a card in it. The card was revealed to be from the "Get Out of Jail Free" deck, and Carson made a hilarious quip about the fact that even the "Get Out of Jail Free" card was not working in the current political climate.

The last segment of the show featured a question and answer session with the audience. One brave audience member asked Carnac the question, "What is the best way to avoid pregnancy?" To which the comedian replied, "Stay out of sight," in classic Johnny Carson-style.

In conclusion, The Best of Carnac has fans of Johnny Carson and the sketch comedy on the floor with laughter. The episode brought back the memories of the iconic character and reminded audiences why Johnny Carson is still known as one of the best late-night hosts of all time. No doubt, the episode continues to be an audience favorite all these years later, proving that the magic of Carnac and Johnny Carson are still alive and well.