Carnac the Magnificent is one of the most recognizable recurrent characters that Johnny Carson created on The Tonight Show. Carnac was a “Mystic from the East” who possessed the amazing capacity to infer solutions to inquiries from envelopes. After making his debut in 1964, this adored mascot immediately won over fans.
Carnac is initially introduced by Ed McMahon in an episode from 1986. He makes a comical introduction by tripping on the first step. Ed starts off by cracking a few jokes, but when Johnny discovers his answer sheet is gone, mayhem breaks out. The two laugh together, whispering to Ed, and then take a commercial break to recuperate.
When he returns, Carnac makes his humorous forecasts. The question, “What song has a California lottery winner never sung?” is revealed when he begins with the response, “Born in the USA.” The inquiry, “Name three things found under a rug!” is prompted by his subsequent response, “Dust, spare change, and Howard Cosell.” He says, “Super Bowl,” and then he adds, “What do you call a toilet with see-through walls?” The laughter doesn’t stop.
As Carnac continues, Ed McMahon’s laughter reverberates throughout. He jokes, “How would you order one egg in Japan for Yoko Ono?” He also jokingly answers the question, “What do you call a novelty cushion in Israel?” with “Whoopi Goldberg.” Another highlight is when Carnac opens the envelope after predicting “Abcdefghijkl” and asks, “Describe the sound made by someone choking on alphabet soup.”
Every Carnac appearance was entertaining and made people laugh, demonstrating Ed McMahon’s and Johnny Carson’s impeccable comedic timing. Carnac continues to stand out in television history as one of the most adored characters on late-night TV.
