So I'm thinking this is the problem that now faces Donald Trump: He's behind in the polls and the only way he seems to know to react to that is to make hysterical charges against anyone who opposes him. But hysterical charges only advance the narrative that he's unstable and that puts him farther behind in the polls. This man is not thin-skinned. This man is non-skinned.
Over on this Facebook page, a gent from Antenna TV takes us on a video tour of Johnny Carson's old offices at what used to be the NBC Burbank studios. Alas, he and his crew were not able to get into Studio 1, which was Johnny's studio. A few years ago, I had lunch on the lot with my pal Wally Wingert, who was Jay Leno's announcer. After alleged food in the commissary, we snuck (sneaked?) into Studio 1 where an infomercial was being taped, though its crew was mostly off lunching, and I showed Wally where everything was: Where Johnny and Ed each stood during the monologue, where the desk was, etc.
The video also shows you Johnny's old parking spot. I once stood with him next to his car for about ten minutes and had a wonderful conversation. During that time, when Johnny arrived at the studio, his car was met by a uniformed Burbank policeman who escorted him from car to office and later from office to stage, then back to office, then back to car and so forth. There had been threats and reasons for this.
By dumb luck, I was walking past Johnny's parking spot when he pulled his car — a two-seater Mercedes — into his space. I was between him and the police officer and when I started to introduce myself to him, the cop scurried down to stop the annoying person from bothering Johnny (or maybe pulling a gun on him or something) but Johnny waved the officer away and we had our little conversation. He was polite and in no hurry to be done with me, and I even made him laugh a bit, which felt real, real good.
Years later when I discussed this encounter with his long-time producer Peter Lassally, Mr. Lassally said, "You want to know how it wouldn't have been pleasant? If he'd sensed that you were talking to him to try to get on the show. He hated that." Since I never would have considered such a thing, I got along fine with the man.
So I have to go do things today which may keep me away from posting much. That's why the mushroom soup can. Coming up in a day or three will be another installment of my "Rejection" series and, if I can think of any, things I have to say these days that are not about Donald Trump.