Critic slams Carson

Press, 16 May 1985, Page 11

Critic slams Carson

From Hugh Nevill in Washington

Television critics in the United States don’t pull punches.

Listen to this, from “UJS.A. Today” critic Jack Curry about Johnny Carson, the perennial late night talk show host who has just signed a new contract certain to boost his current SUSS million (SNZII.OS million) a year earnings. “He is a monumental, hour-long desk-drumming dud. Nowhere in television has rotten material been elevated to the level of ritual as it has with the Carson monologue.

“It’s so bad the audience groan has evolved into a sign of approval. It means they’ve accepted poorly written jokes as his shtick. We wait for him to be lousy — and he never lets us down.

"His interview technique pivots on getting the guests to butter him up. His whole approach says, fine, I’ve talked enough about myself now. Now what do you think about me?”

A poll by the news maga-

zine “U.S. News and World Report” shows that 58 per cent of the 1051 people surveyed found television news programmes “neutral, objective and middle of the road.” 51 per cent were “very” or "moderately” satisfied with entertainment shows.