Was Johnny Carson pro JW? (page 2)

Leolaia

I heard all my life that John Denver hated JWs and thus I always disliked him in return. I could not understand as a child how someone who liked so sweet and gentle on TV could hate me.

ScoobySnax

Ummmmmm .....Peggy....I was just kidding.

I'm not really his aunt either if that helps....

limbo

'Why don't Jehovah's Witnesses get killed during an earthquake?" 'They're always in your doorway." -Johnny Carson

I don't know if Johnny was pro or con on JWs. I'm sure there were people he knew and liked who were Jehovah's Witnesses. (The wife of a fellow comedian, a maid, a relative, a gardener?) Over the years, there were a few mentions of them on his show by Johnny himself or other comedians. I vaguely remember him saying how JWs could find anyone anywhere. Something about him being in the most remote location and having Jehovah's Witnesses knock on his door.

I grew up a very sheltered JW. One television show my parents never missed was "The Tonight Show." Because of Johnny, I was allowed a brief glimpse of reality every night.

He added a little color to my dull grey world.

Kenneson

Barney,

Oh, yeah. Ed McMahon was Johnny's "echo." Whatever Johnny said, Ed was sure to repeat something of it.

The John Denver escapade, I read about it on this forum sometime way back. Don't know if anyone ever confirmed it.

steve2

Could this is one of those urban legends? I remember a story that was going around the JW congregations in New Zealand in the late 1970s: Glen Cambell (Witchita Lineman, Rhinstone Cowboy) had recently converted to fundamentalist Christianity and during his American concerts he was supposed to have asked JWs in the audience to stand up and leave. We listened to this story in hushed tones and passed it on. Surely, this was evidence that Jehovah's people were going to be singled out for persecution.

I went off Glen Campbell's music (well, to be honest, his music was a bit passe at that time). Now, reading about the John Denver story prompts me to wonder how true either story ever was. Why would any celebrity ask members of a religious group to stand and leave? And even if he asks them to leave, do they have to? What about human rights legislation?

And what about a backlash in the audience (i.e., other people who feel that he has no right to tell law-abiding patrons to go)? No, it the absence of independent collaboration (actual media coverage would be fine) the story has urban legend stamped all over it.

londoner

I was at a John Denver concert in the UK many years ago, he asked all Catholics to stand up, after he got them seated he did the same with Church of England, then the same with a couple of other religions, after he asked all JW's to stand up he announced that the concert would not go on untill they had all left and he then left the stage. The next day it hit the headlines in the press. As an ex witness I'm not in love with them myself but that was disgusting. Not only was he a fanatical born again Christian he was a wanker.

Incense_and_Peppermints

i doubt it. one of his jokes on the show one time was "nine out of ten rotweilers prefer jehaovah's witnesses..."

steve2

As an ex witness I'm not in love with them myself but that was disgusting. Not only was he a fanatical born again Christian he was a wanker.

Thank you londoner: I'm now convinced it is not an urban myth. I agree with your apt label of the man (i.e., wanker). Denver, despite his death a few years ago, has gone down even further in my estimation. How dare he do that? It is times like that that I feel like sticking up for the JWs. I hope none of the JWs in the audience left the audience - then again, could you remain in the audience after he displayed such shocking disrespect for fans who had paid to hear him sing .

Even if I had been an ex-JW at the time and had been in the audience, I would have walked out with them. What interests me is, did anyone else in the audience protest at this sick religious discrimination? Surely there were others in the audience who had some empathy or conscience to complain???

Peppermint

I heard that John Denver?s wife was a Jehovah?s Witness, amazing how stories develop.

On a similar note anyone remember Earth Wind and Fire. I was told by a brother that went to one of their concerts that they made an announcement to the effect of:

?Any Jehovah?s Witness in the audience leave now or be prepared to be demonised?

PinTail

Yeah it seen and loved it, he did kick his hiney off the show.

I remeber he asked Denver if its true that he asks his patrons if any of them are Witness's, then the ones who say yes he tells them to leave, Denver said yes its true, so Carson said well I want you to leave my stage now." What a Putz Denver was, I am glad he is dead.

Was Johnny Carson pro JW?

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