Weather ~ Picture of the Day ~ Johnny Carson ~ Asian Lettuce Wraps ~ National French Fry Day

  

Good 55º clear sunny morning. 

 

Yesterday we topped at 96º.

More heat coming in the next few days.

 

 

Picture of the Day ... funny arrest!

 

 

Interesting about Johnny Carson........

 

 

John William Carson (October 23, 1925 – January 23, 2005) was an American television host, comedian, writer, and producer. He is best known as the host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962–1992). Carson received six Primetime Emmy Awards, the Television Academy's 1980 Governor's Award, and a 1985 Peabody Award. He was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1987. Carson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1992 and received a Kennedy Center Honor in 1993.

 

During World War II, Carson served in the Navy. After the war, Carson started a career in radio. He moved from radio to TV and took over as host of the late-night talk show Tonight from Jack Paar in 1962. He remained an American icon even after his retirement in 1992. He adopted a casual, conversational approach with extensive interaction with guests, an approach pioneered by Arthur Godfrey and previous Tonight Show hosts Steve Allen and Jack Paar but enhanced by Carson's lightning-quick wit. Former late-night host and friend David Letterman, as well as many others, have cited Carson's influence. Carson is a cultural icon and widely regarded as the king of late-night television.

Early life and career

John William Carson was born on October 23, 1925, in Corning, Iowa, to Ruth Elizabeth (Hook) Carson (1901–1985) and Homer Lloyd "Kit" Carson (1899–1983), a power company manager. He was the second child of three children. He had an older sister, Catherine “Kit” (Carson) Sotzing (1923-2014) and a younger brother Richard Carson (1929-2021). As a child, he lived in the nearby towns of Avoca, Clarinda, and Red Oak in southwest Iowa before moving to Norfolk, Nebraska, at the age of eight. There, Carson grew up and began developing his talent for entertaining. At the age of 12, Carson found a book on magic at a friend's house and immediately purchased a mail-order magician's kit. After purchasing the kit, Carson practiced his entertainment skills on family members with card tricks. He was known for following his family members around saying, "Pick a card, any card." Carson's mother sewed him a cape, and his first performance was staged in front of the local Kiwanis Club. He debuted as "The Great Carsoni" at age 14 and was paid $3 a show. Soon, many other performances at local picnics and county fairs followed. After graduating from high school, Carson had his first encounter with Hollywood. He had hitchhiked to Hollywood, where he was arrested and fined $50 for impersonating a midshipman, a story often regarded as apocryphal.

 

^{Carson joined the United States Navy on June 8, 1943, and received V-12 Navy College Training Program officer training at Columbia University and Millsaps College.[9] Commissioned an ensign late in the war, Carson was assigned to the USS Pennsylvania in the Pacific. While in the Navy, Carson posted a 10–0 amateur boxing record, with most of his bouts fought on board the Pennsylvania. He was en route to the combat zone aboard a troop ship when the war ended. Carson served as a communications officer in charge of decoding encrypted messages. He said that the high point of his military career was performing a magic trick for United States Secretary of the Navy James V. Forrestal. In a conversation with Forrestal, the Secretary asked Carson if he planned to stay in the Navy after the war. In response, Carson said no and told him he wanted to be a magician. Forrestal asked him to perform, and Carson responded with a card trick. Carson made the discovery that he could entertain and amuse someone as cranky and sophisticated as Forrestal.}

The Tonight Show

Main article: The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

NBC's Tonight was the late-night counterpart to its early-morning show Today. Originating in 1954 with host Steve Allen, Tonight was somewhat experimental at the time, as the only previous network late-night program was NBC's Broadway Open House which starred Jerry Lester and Dagmar. Tonight was successful, and when Allen moved on to prime time comedy-variety shows in 1957, Jack Paar replaced him as host of Tonight. Paar left the show in 1962.

 

Carson's success on ABC's Who Do You Trust? led NBC to invite him to take over Tonight a few months before Paar's departure. Carson declined the offer because he feared the difficulty of interviewing celebrities for 105 minutes each day. Bob Newhart, Jackie Gleason, Groucho Marx, and Joey Bishop all also declined. NBC finally convinced Carson to sign by early February 1962. Carson can be seen discussing his upcoming job for the first time on the February 11, 1962, episode of What's My Line?. Due to Carson having six months left on his ABC contract, NBC used multiple guest hosts until he could take over. Guest hosts included Merv Griffin, Art Linkletter, Joey Bishop, Arlene Francis (the first woman to host The Tonight Show), Bob Cummings, Jerry Lewis, Groucho Marx, Donald O'Connor, and others.

 

Although he continued to have doubts about his new job, Carson became the host of Tonight (later called The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson) on October 1, 1962. After a difficult first year, he overcame his fears. While Tonight under its previous hosts had been successful, especially under Paar, Carson's version eventually did very well in the ratings. Billy Wilder said of Carson:

By the simple law of survival, Carson is the best. He enchants the invalids and the insomniacs as well as the people who have to get up at dawn. He is the Valium and the Nembutal of a nation. No matter what kind of dead-asses are on the show, he has to make them funny and exciting. He has to be their nurse and their surgeon. He has no conceit. He does his work and he comes prepared. If he's talking to an author, he has read the book. Even his rehearsed routines sound improvised. He's the cream of middle-class elegance, yet he's not a mannequin. He has captivated the American bourgeoisie without ever offending the highbrows, and he has never said anything that wasn't liberal or progressive. Every night, in front of millions of people, he has to do the salto mortale [circus parlance for an aerial somersault performed on the tightrope]. What's more, he does it without a net. No rewrites. No retakes. The jokes must work tonight.

 

 If you want to read a whole lot more, go here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Carson

 

 

 

 

From Mr. Food

 

The latest trend in home cooking is copycat restaurant recipes! That's why we're making these fantastic Asian Lettuce Wraps; it's the delicious taste of eating out, from the comfort of your own kitchen. This recipe is a low carb, high protein way to enjoy a homemade taste of Asia. The best part? There's no tipping required.

 

 

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons chopped pickled ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 14 Boston Bibb or butter lettuce leaves (1 head)
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup shredded cucumber

 

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté beef, onion, salt, and pepper 5 to 6 minutes or until browned; drain liquid. Add hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, pickled ginger, and garlic and heat 2 minutes or until heated through.
2. Place lettuce leaves on serving platter and top each with a spoonful of the cooked beef mixture, the carrots, and cucumber. Serve immediately.

 

***Add your own personality by topping each with a bit of your favorite Asian dipping sauces. Put out bowls of them along with some chopped peanuts, and have a ball!

 

 

Historically this date...........

1923 – The Hollywood Sign is officially dedicated in the hills above Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. It originally reads "Hollywoodland " but the four last letters are dropped after renovation in 1949.

 

1990 – An earthquake with its epicenter in Afghanistan results in the greatest number of fatalities in a mountaineering accident in High Asian mountains when an avalanche kills 43 climbers in Camp I on Pik Lenina (Lenin Peak).

 

 

And births this date include....

1928 – Bob Crane, American actor (d. 1978)

.... murdered. Interesting read. Weird. Surprised me!

1940 – Patrick Stewart, English actor

... Captain Picard!

1942 – Harrison Ford, American actor

 

1950 – George Nelson, American astronaut

 

1988 – Steven R. McQueen, American actor

........grandson of Steve!

 

1988 – He Pingping, Chinese world's shortest man (d. 2010)

       How about that for a name!

 

 

 

 

 

All I know. Nuff said. Have a good Thursday. Ciao.

xo Sue Mom Bobo

National French Fry Day on July 13th recognizes a staple food on menus across the country. It comes in so many different cuts and styles, there’s a favorite for everyone to enjoy!

French fries, also known as chips, fries, finger chips, or French-fried potatoes, are batons of deep-fried potatoes. No matter what we call them, they’re common fixtures at fast-food restaurants and are loved by all ages!

A wide selection of condiments such as ketchup, ranch dressing, vinegar, mayonnaise, honey mustard, cheese, and many more complement French fries. As a healthier alternative, sweet potatoes also make delicious fries and accompany many dishes on menus around the country. Other varieties are baked and come in unusual shapes such as curls, waffles, crinkle, or tornado cut.

Beyond the condiments, chefs and home cooks sprinkle seasonings to add flavor and spice to their fries. Whether you add a little garlic and onion powder or spice it up cajun style, a potato crisped just right will satisfy a combination of tastes. We top them with chili or nacho cheese and jalapeños, too. Depending on the type of fries, we might top them with even more ingredients and call them all sorts of things.

The expression “French Fried Potatoes” first occurs in print in English in the 1856 work Cookery for Maids of All Work by E. Warren.

It is believed by some that the term “French” was introduced to the potatoes when the American soldiers arrived in Belgium during World War I and consequently tasted Belgian fries. Since French was the official language of the Belgian Army at that time, it is possible the American soldiers began calling the fried potatoes “French” fries.

 

Enjoy some French fries. Share them seasoned or dipped. Order them cut and shaped how you like them!