What a great thing your grandfather did by putting his fear aside and appearing on the show . I’ve watched this clip at least five times and apparently I’m not the only one .

Treasure those memories and share them with your grandchildren and their children. Show this video to them♥️♥️♥️

He was delightful. You had a solid background! 😉

Yes you can see the respect from Johnny

Class and respect... you're right. Today so much humour is built on "pranks" and ridicule, it felt so good to just see honest mutual respect and genuine laughter. Your GG seems like he was one hell of a guy! ps it's hilarious that he'd never seen the show given the way he fudged his answer to that question - very honourable.

Hard to believe but his grandkids have started to pass away recently. I wonder if the family still runs the farm.

@@spuwho I wonder if every now and then some tonight show fan just shows up on the front porch asking for the Heaton's.

I got a question for you, what happened to his farm?

YOUR COMMENT SHOULD BE PINNED BY THIS CHANNEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And now Betty White too. The old cliche is true - they don't make 'em like they used to!

Everything these days is so political Really refreshing watching Johnny Class act Love the farmer!

@@stevekauffman1866 I was going to say “class act” too but the word “act” I concluded wasn’t accurate. It wasn’t an act…he was real.

Totally agree.

Carson always made it about the guests, never about himself. Carson was and always will be the greatest.

He surely did. Todays late night hosts are empty suits compared to Johnny.

That’s so great!! My great grandfather was a quiet man. I loved him so much.

OMG! I know he’s gone to his great reward, but what a delight he was!

When I was 30, I was absolutely enamored by a 80 year old woman named grace. She was everything her name entailed, gorgeous, and could sing like an Angel. ❤️

Julie, do not lose connection to your nurse sisters. Some of those you know are like thirty years younger than you, so they could be taking care of you later.

Okĺo

I miss the era when people were shown respect by being addressed by Mr., Mrs., Miss, even Ms. Too much familiarity these days.

@@YA-qj8fx I miss those times as well. Now we have kids referring to their teachers by their first name. Kids calling their Aunts and Uncles by their first name, in some cases calling their parents by their first name. Now everything is about the "shock value" embarrassing people etc.

That’s so true as my parents were older(Mom 41-Dad 39) when I was born as I was the youngest of 4 children. I was raised to respect elders as I never raised my voice or used profanity in the presence of my parents. Respect was a way of life!

A lot said in those two lines. Sure hope there are more buffing ladies and gentlemen out there waiting to help turn the tide. Class has just disappeared. Sure doesn't come with money.

That would have been Dave Letterman that would have embarrassed the man had he been on the Late Show. No Johnny.

Absolutely true!

Unfortunately the world gets what it wants. Otherwise, we would all be like that. I have not basically changed in years. I'm old school, no nonsense etc. It sounds cliche but be the change you want.

Took people like this for granted, now that the greatest generation is gone, country is not so great anymore

@Phillip Banes I hope you are right

So true, sometimes I think it would have been better to have been born in different times. That guy is a real gem.

We went and saw it taped one night. As funny in between taping as during the taping. He was one of a kind.

I still miss him too. No One else comes close.

He was the greatest, all of the so called late night hosts combined don't possess a 1/4 of Johnny's talent and charm.

Really? You should have spoken to joan rivers

Better than today's Woke political crap!

The best!

Definitely 🎉

Hands down.

I liked Letterman, but he's no Johnny

Check out the old Dick Cavet show, similar class and wit with great guests.

I agree all BS aside the best entertainer of our lifetime. Johnny was incredible.

My brother & I'd stay up to watch the late night greats. From Johnny to Dave, from SNL to Benny.

This segment featured Johnny at his best-respectful, interesting, etc. I think Johnny was kinda aloof but he was very friendly toward that gentleman's girlfriend. It makes me respect him even more.

Jimmy Fallon is way better than Johnny Carson.

How I miss these days! I never missed a show. RIP to all of them ❤

He was 97 in 1988. He was born in 1891. He was dead ass serious. Crazy to think about.

Your so right❤️

I have not watched late night since Steve Allen and Johnny Carson - they were so funny and great interviewers - the people on late night now are just not funny! Also, way too political. 😔

Yeah i saw that and i'm surprised she wasn't on her back!!! lol

I noticed her too!

Unappreciated in their own time!

@Tippin The Scales Being a little prissy, aren't you?

@Tippin The Scales She was and she was all the better for it! 💗

You said it!✌

Well, feel free to hop into your time machine and go back to 1988, when Johnny Carson had no late night competition. Of course, you'll have to give up your cell phone, GPS, Playstation, and flatscreen TV. Your computer will only have 16 colors. Also, you could only download at 1200 bits per second on the internet, so you really didn't want a lot of colors anyway. And, you'd have to deal with the Morris Worm. Yeah, I guess I'd go back too, if I could.

@@ClayLoomis1958 omg…No Facebook…or the idiots who live for social media…it sounds heavenly

@@ClayLoomis1958 sounds wonderful. Smartass

Me too. Clinton was President and Republicans worked with him, we had a budget surplus.

Born in 1890 or so! Amazing.

​.r@@womandela7225

Hi Debby

How are you doing ?

Our elderly now are being slammed to the sidewalks of NYC by cowardly trash.

Honky Tonkinson Today they don't say sir out of reverence. It sounds like a put down. All in the inflection.

Great reply sir....we all gonna get old if your lucky no guarantees

Agree! xoxo

Exactly right. Now we have a Texas Lt. Governor suggesting we let the elderly die of COVID-19 to protect the economy. Money over human beings. Isn't Capitalism great?

I couldn't agree more with you. To this day, Johnny is the only celebrity that brought a tear to my eye when I heard of his death. He seemed like such an integral part of my weekly routine what I was growing up.

I agree with yu 100%. Todays show is garbage

He called them citizen guests

@@skykingusa Great to read your comments. Johnny was part of life back then. What a privilege to have been around during the Johnny Carson show days.

Letterman did too, especially early on. It makes sense since Johnny's production company produced both. I think they we're pretty similar in some ways. Affable on camera, a little distant off it. I think they are both great though.

I agree, I am so tired of the political BS that is spun.

Space shuttle

Space shuttle launch

I totally agree. Late nite TV was fun then.

@@archieolmstead6688 It sure was. Everything is scripted now and they don't have fun guests like this anymore.

Including everyone in the conversation is definitely something I have noticed many people overlook. It is very important and I find myself trying to do it all the time. Never realized it until reading this Comment. Very well said. I couldn't agree more.

I noted this as well. That’s the way he was brought up. To respect others.

@@JustinRayeYates good

Happy

think that is so cool, that you noticed that about mr. heaton interview, and also the consideration and respect he showed his lady friend, peggy taylor. much respect to you also for teaching your children and grandchildren, good basic manners, and respect, and consideration of others. respect to you. chivalry is not dead. may God bless you and your family.

3.3m in 2024

I don't think things were simpler, people just displayed more dignity..

Things were not simpler. People were far more complex, literate, and were far more family oriented.

Yep

I think these mid westerners brought John back to simple times in Nebraska without booze and drugs and the women and LA hustlers. He honestly appears a little wistful.

I believe he made at least one more appearance on Johnny's show.

He is right, his lady friend is spunky

Good to see Jimmy Fallon carrying on the legacy through class and wit..... 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

@@why-even-try-brotendo Jimmy is as funny and smart as a pimple on Johnny's ass. Fallon SUCKS.

I’ve never met anyone that didn’t want to shoot the messenger

Definitely! We have lost most of our classy old generations 😢 He was so right when he said the way women USED to dress was glamorous.... not any more sad to say

As a child I listened to the elderly since they had the knowledge and the experience to help the following generation move forward. Now, things are so mixed up because the younger generation feel they know what is best but don't even have a clue because they refuse to listen to their elders and those that have lived longer lives to be fruitful in their days but I always felt "the elderly had the secret of a long life and doing right by God's laws and for that I am ever grateful to the many I listened as a young girl and as I got older listened with an open heart.

Hello how are you

Nowadays the only talk shows that feature real people fall into the people's court or Jerry Springer categories. The late night shows now may as well be scripted studio talking points. We'll never see just a regular person without an approved product or message again. It was great to see.

That's a true gentleman.

Johny was always a sympathetique person. Trur human. That is true.

The respect he showed boy George was unprecedented at the time

@Zo 🌻 Yes, he was the Best! He passed at 79 1925-2005

Exactly!!!!! The real king!

So we’ll said. Pure Class.

I’m 75. We were raised not to turn our back on anyone when speaking. Children and grownups had more manners back then. Now you’re shocked if someone holds the door open for you or offers an old person a seat on the bus. My children learned from watching me.

Well said. Yes.

Johnny's predecessor Jack Parr was also amazing at this.

Plenty come close. There are some talented people around. Johnny's huge advantage was the derth of channels during most of his career. People were more likely to watch someone regularly that didn't fit their politics precisely that way. It's too fractured now to ever have that now.

@@shawnr771 Jack Paar was before I started watching late night, but I thought Jay Leno was good also.

@@aliceharris1998 Jack Parr was long before I started watching late night. I have seen clips of his work. He interviewed Fidel Castro in Cuba once. He got people to talk about stuff. There is a clip of Liberace playing piano while Ali is rhyming about what he is going to do in an upcoming fight.

So, so true. He had nothing to promote, no stupid skits, just plain conversation.

That's pretty doubtful. It's a logical fallacy to assume the old is always good and anything new stinks. Johnny was great and there's been some good stuff since then and even now. He really had it down by this point in his career, but he did plenty of bits and comedic stunts. He was a funny guy doing a show that fit him best. You can say the same about some of his contemporaries and current guys as well.

Right ! The electricity story killed me ! 😂😂We're lucky he reconsidered their invitation, he was great.

Made me smile 😊

@@johnl5350 there is NOTHING on air late night right now that is worth watching. The worst ‘woke’ unfunny dreck ever

Well, they say the secret to living a long life is to pick your parents carefully.

@@jamesaritchie1 whaaaaaat???How is that possible before conception😆????

Thank you for sharing that information! I've seen this clip before and Mr. Heaton was a joy to listen to! President McKinley died in 1901. Amazing life span he had, to remember news of McKliney's death as a boy and then to be on the Johnny Carson show near the end of his life! I sure do miss Johnny Carson! Btw, Find-A-Grave is a really interesting site to join. I kept going back from my grandparents to their parents and so on. You can leave info on your relatives grave also. I found someone that had a pic of our greatgreatgrandmother! She had posted her email address & I sent her a message and we had interesting conversations & exchanged info we would've never known about otherwise! It is really a great tool to learn about family history. There are obits and comments usually on the individual. If you use it, leave a comment on the site. You never know if future generations will be searching for knowledge about you & your family one day.

Thank you for sharing all that. My children often accuse me of "being so curious" seriously I should have a driver. Because I can't drive and look over all the things that I need to see

I’m just a curious person, lol. When something peeks my interest, I have to research it.

Right on, Cindy J 💝💝💝

Merritt exemplifies the kind of personality who sit and hold court at the spot the retired farmers congregate at to drink coffee and tell lies in every rural town in America. If you stop in slow down and grab a cup you can be entertained like this every day. This is what they quit the busy farming life to do and they are very good at their new jobs.

The farmers in NW Ohio are also salt of the earth.

Well said, as a resident of Northern Illinois, it sorely miss those people and times

Cindy, my father and his parents were midwesterners, and this gentleman reminds me of two or three of my elder relatives.

COTD!

Thanks for your’take’ on losing the values we used to hold so dear. The Will Smith thing is a stark indication of where show ‘biz’ folks have fallen dearly from grace…

I agree 100 💯 percent

Absolutely adorable. I can't believe he was 97!!

Mr. Heaton couldn't help but notice either 👀 👀 👀

If I'm doing my maths right, Betty White would've been born in the same year (1922) as Mr. Heaton's youngest child!

can you type anything that hasn't got the spam in it?

Yep a genuinely nice guy

According to the internet, he died about 1 year after making that appearance on Johnny Carson.

what a bizarre comment. how many people meet people in their 90s? you imagined wrong buddy. are you talking about seniors? we are always meeting people .. your observation/comment is so fucking strange.

@@alabarjhoni9742 just why is it strange? Just because you don't get out much, doesn't mean others don't either. By the way, my dad is 95 years old.

@Hello there, how are you doing this blessed day?

Yes, Carson was a very classy guy. I noticed that too. Very nice.

@@phuebner45 My stepfather went to one of his shows once. Said that during breaks, Carson would light a cigarette and walk through (and sit with) the audience just talking and telling jokes.

@@ericalelle1080 I remember (sort of) when they would drink and smoke on air! Wouldn’t wait till commercial. Ahhh good times. 😄

@@phuebner45 Of course he might still be around if he hadn't.

@@dennisgallagher Sad, but true. Johnny ultimately passed from emphysema-related causes.

you summed up Johnny's talents very well

You nailed it! Johnny could keep a conversation going like no other. His questions to Mr. Heaton were timely, wonderful, and caring. What a great interview this was. Another Johnny gem.

There will never be another.

I think Johnny enjoyed the Mr. Heaton's more than the celebrities because they were real people. And they made for a better show.

@@bobkain350 🙌🙌🙌

I really miss him. My parents watched him just about every night when we were kids and we could as well because the content was always safe even though it was entertaining for the adults. Difficult act to follow that's for sure.

Exactly !

I know he always enjoyed Better Midler . For the life of me I can't think of another favorite .

Comfortable enough to admit you're two timing your girlfriends!

My grandfather was born in 1895. So many things he saw in his life. Growing up on a rural farm he didn't see an airplane until he was almost 40, and watched the moon landing. He didn't have indoor plumbing until the 1950s and his first phone was in the 1980s.

Horse and buggy to electric car

My great grandpa told us a story of his uncle coming over when my grandpa was a teenager and telling everyone in the local store about seeing a car for the first time in rural Michigan. "Thirty-Thirtty five miles per hour, just as fast as ya wanna go!" in an Irish immigrant accent. Always cracks me up to this day remembering that.

My grandfather was born in 1899 too. Was in merchant marines. Joined air force WWl. Flew planes over France. He crash landed couple times. He wrote a poem about times he almost died. Those crashes were in it. Used to love talking with him.

@@Cottonwood420 Do you still have a copy of the poem?

Amen to that!

Something about people who's close to the Earth! Good energy!

Not everyone can do it. Look at all the late night hosts who tried and failed.

Johnny was one of few or none others, who would take a local or old character and just put them on. He also knew a lot about subjects not just magician. Lately there is just celebs talking about each other. Blah blah.

Also give credit to the entertaining nature of the farmer, no matter how entertaining Johnny is he can’t fully make up for a lackluster guest

I'm a retired IT Guy - University of Illinois Urbana' 1988 - 2011

He obviously liked him a whole lot or else would have shortened the interview to do props or something. Celebs are only given x amount of time because they're getting paid to be on the show

@@guychristopher187 CHAMPAIGN! Downstate ILLINOIS.

Johnny Carson frequently had guests like this and it was always entertaining because he did treat every guest like they were special.

Heres Johnny

How charming Johnny was, just charismatic , amazing he could talk to the big stars and a wonderful gentleman like farmer Merritt , there ( has been said a million times before) will never be another man like Johnny Carson , he was brilliant but that charm , that Carson charm will never be forgotten it’s oct 2023 , Carson will never be forgotten. RIP dearest Johnnie❤️

Wow! What a life! Amazing

Yeah, they don't build 'em like Carson anymore.@@cynthiahusband106

He was awesome! From him, I learned something can't be VERY unique or MORE unique. It is either unique or it isn't. It is an absolute term and can't be magnified. It stands alone.

I enjoyed Craig Ferguson , but other than that ,nah.

Johnny was the best.

@@Tony-112 I never watch late night TV, but have caught some of Craig Ferguson's clips on KZfaq and he really is quite funny. Super quick on his feet and witty.

What's not to love about tightly regimented talking points strictly on topic with a movie or album release though?

Toulon is about 40 minutes from me

@Hello there, how are you doing this blessed day?

I recommended that people such as Johnny had as guest : farmers. Ranchers. Soldiers. Authors etc. but unfortunately everything has to have sexual overtones. In my city we had a transsexual give presentation to 5-8 year olds at the public library (part of summer program).

Did you notice the other guest who was sitting on the couch next to Ed at the very end of the video?? Go back and look again. I won’t spoil it

@@rickkelley4618 It sure looks like Betty White. R.I.P. Betty. This interview with the farmer gentleman was a great time capsule of how great Johnny was as an interviewer and entertainer. Quite a contrast to realize how private he was off set and had a fairly small circle of close friends. Also for all the jokes he made over the years about THE NBC commissary, Johnny actually brown bagged his lunch everyday! He may have been cheaper than Jack Benny!

He was in his 60s, and this was filmed almost 35 years ago...

Absolutely. And here we are in 2022 already talking about the ending times and the departure or Harpazo with Christ.

Thanks for your comments. If you get this message I've had a little break through reading your comments. ty

Very true. Jimmy Kimmel wouldn’t know how to carry on a conversation with a farmer.

Kimmel would mock the farmer

Yet, here you are insulting today's hosts. What a hypocritical fool you are.

@@middleamerican9022 gotta give respect to receive it

@@middleamerican9022 The only way they would be a hypocrite is if they were late night talk show host themselves.

Johnny was the epitome of class. I remember a story in our local paper prolly 30-35 years ago when Johnny's kindergarten teacher turned 100 he flew back to Norfolk Nebraska to spend the day with her. Just a great guy.