The late-night TV landscape is about to get even more competitive, thanks to Johnny Carson.

Reruns of the Carson-hosted Tonight Show are set to air on Antenna TV, Tribune Broadcasting's retro-themed channel, at 11 p.m. every weeknight starting Jan 1.

The reruns will air opposite TBS' Conan; Comedy Central's new Trevor Noah-hosted Daily Show and The Nightly Show; and the first half hours of 11:30 p.m. broadcast late-night shows Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Late Show With Stephen Colbert and NBC's own Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/johnny-carson-hosted-tonight-show-814796

 

I am very excited about this.   For one it means great and dated interviews with long dead stars who are and were very cool.   It also mean outright hilarity from comics like Joan Rivers and Rodney Dangerfield.

 

Wow, that's great to see the reruns pop up. Love Antenna TV even more now.

Now I'm even more PISSED that I no longer have Antenna TV

So, wait, this will be full episodes and NOT "Carson's Comedy Classics"?  Oh, HELL yes!  I am so investing in a digital antenna now!

So, wait, this will be full episodes and NOT "Carson's Comedy Classics"?  Oh, HELL yes!  I am so investing in a digital antenna now!

Yes, full hourly episodes on weekdays and full 90 min early 70s episodes on weekends.  That was the best talk show because all the guests stuck around to mingle with each other.    The classic example is when Oliver Reed and Shelly Winters seemed to get into a fight right on stage. 

What time frames do they have of the show? I read that not everything was kept.

What time frames do they have of the show? I read that not everything was kept.

Very little of the NYC years or the first year in Burbank (1962-mid 1973) still exist and what does is almost entirely kinescope.  Mid-1973 thru 1992 is said to be mostly intact.  

As someone who is currently reading Bill Carter's book, The War For Late Night (focusing on the Leno/Conan debacle, but it covers all aspects of late-night history), I love this idea of the new generation of late-night hosts kinda sorta competing with Carson all over again.