Johnny Carson monologue explains last nights show airing (April 4, 1968) video taped before just before the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King occurred. Consequently, the broadcast tape aired at 11:30 PM without mentioning the death of King.
A large portion of the public felt insulted that no mention of the assassination was mentioned and wondered why NBC elected to run the pre recorded tape recorded earlier that night in the first place.
On this April 5, 1968 broadcast the next night Johnny Carson expresses his own sympathy to the King family and apologizes to the public for all of the misunderstanding that was a point of discussion after the airing of last nights program.
Incomplete appearance of actress Patricia Neal.
NOTE:
The TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON had a policy of PRE TAPING the TONIGHT SHOW "LIVE" from 7:00PM TO 8:30PM to be televised later that night from 11:30 PM to 1:00 AM, Eastern Standard Time. Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated at 7:01 PM EST and was officially proclaimed deceased at 8:00 PM EST.
The first network Special Reports of the shooting of Dr. King aired on CBS TV from 8:24 to 8:30 PM, ABC TV, from 8:52 to 9:21 PM, and NBC TV, from 9:00 to 9:10 PM.
President Johnson addressed the nation from 9:00 to 9:10 PM. The earliest TV Network bulletins were approximately broadcast after 8:15pm, fifteen minutes before Johnny Carson would conclude taping THE TONIGHT SHOW broadcast at 8:30pm EASTER STANDARD TIME.
The facts remain that Johnny Carson was not aware of the assassination when he concluded the taping of his show, just before the assassination occurred.
However, what is curious is the fact while NBC TV broadcast a half-hour follow-up Special Report on the assassination (9:30 PM - 10:00 PM) and a third Special Report update from 11:00 PM to 11:10 PM the NBC Network decided to air the TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON at 11:30 PM, instead of cancelling all regular scheduled programming in that sensitive time period. No mention of the assassination and death of Dr. Martin Luther King preceded the airing of The Tonight Show or during the ninety minute broadcast. And so audiences who were tuning in to their television sets for the first time that evening were watching Johnny performing laughs and his guests discussing frivolity after what had just occurred hours before.
It was these circumstances that drew thousands of calls to NBC and condemnation for such airing and insensitivity.
This Johnny Carson monologue broadcast record is one of the highlight lost tapes during its 30 year run.