Wednesday, 28 January 2004
Jack Paar: The only of his kind - THE COMMENTARY
By Joseph Planta
VANCOUVER - The death of Jack Paar wasn't a terribly huge surprise, considering he had been ill for some time, and the fact he was in his mid-80s. His death however points to his remarkable contribution to the world of television, namely television talk, and not just in late night. Though his career was surprisingly short, his impact and legacy remain.
Forever, and in the obituaries that appear now at his death, he was remembered as a former host of the Tonight Show; the host before Johnny Carson, is usually how they memorialise him. Jack Paar unlike his successor, Johnny Carson, or his predecessor Steve Allen, was perhaps more low-key. Rather than costumed sketches or an emphasis on musical production numbers, Paar was most at home, sitting atop a stool, chatting with the audience, both at home and in the studio.
Jack Paar was witty, urbane and sophisticated. He could banter with a drunk Judy Garland or Cassius Clay, bring out the comedic stylings of a young Bill Cosby or the young duo of Mike Nichols and Elaine May, or discuss politics with John F. Kennedy or Fidel Castro. His Tonight Show was different than that of Jay Leno's or even Johnny Carson's. It was intellectual. It was low-key, but it didn't miss the mark. It didn't stray from having an impact on the viewer. Jack Paar did not talk down to his audience; rather he engaged them while entertaining them with funny anecdotes or stories. He did things his way, and sometimes would get himself into trouble. His was not an uneventful tenure at the Tonight Show.
Jack Paar was also thin-skinned. He was moody. Funny people are like that. At one moment Paar was hilarious, at another satirical, at the next sarcastic and biting. He was not devoid of ego, and relished in the feuds he cultivated. The legendary gossip columnist Walter Winchell was a prominent foil during his run as Tonight Show host from 1957 to 1962. Paar was bitter that the influential columnist didn't praise him; while Winchell disagreed, pointing to earlier material where he in fact did laud the talents of Paar. Another prominent New York columnist, Dorothy Killgallen was assassinated if for nothing else than having "no chin." He fired co-stars who were getting more laughs than he was, and he prolonged disputes with Steve Allen and Ed Sullivan, by complaining and criticising them endlessly, and often in public. He was also known to bend the truth ever so slightly. He liked to think that he brought The Beatles to America, or that he discovered the comedic talents of Jonathan Winters, Cliff Arquette (who originated his Charley Weaver routine on Paar's show), Carol Burnett and Bill Cosby.
The oft-repeated anecdote over the past day or so since his passing has been that of his petulance in 1960, when after NBC censored one of his jokes. Paar returned the next night proclaiming, "There has got to be a better way to make a living than this," and promptly announced he was leaving the Tonight Show, walking off the set, just as the show began. After leaving his announcer Hugh Downs confused at his departure, the live broadcast continued without him for a month or so as Paar went into exile. He was persuaded to come back, and with great flourish returned saying: "As I was saying before I was interrupted. . ." and the cheers were heard coast to coast.
Jack Paar skill as a monologist was exceptional. Carson's style imitated Paar at his best, and David Letterman borrows from Paar though he does it from behind a desk, while Paar took centre stage, often atop a stool. Paar was more than a comedian, that's why he's never really mentioned in that league of Carson and Letterman, or Paar's era of Lucille Ball and Bob Hope. He was a raconteur, a bon vivant who brought guests on who weren't always ready to plug their latest projects, but guests who came on to chat and discuss. Whether it was the hypochondriac Oscar Levant or politicians like Kennedy or Barry Goldwater and Richard Nixon, Paar was the ideal talk show host, where the host listened, and chat was bountiful.
Paar also took his show on the road. Whether it was the late night show or the subsequent primetime show he hosted after leaving the Tonight Show, he delved into topics heretofore unseen on entertainment programs, such as visiting Germany as the Berlin Wall was being erected, or the last leprosy colony in Africa. He informed as well as entertained, making his program the only of its kind. He retired in 1965, making occasional appearances on Carson's Tonight Show, as well as David Letterman's program. Perhaps the highest compliment for the kind of work he did was, five years ago, when PBS aired a documentary trotting out some old clips from his programs. Forty years hence, would Conan O'Brien or Jay Leno, or even David Letterman find their work lauded on PBS?
Jack Paar was an outstanding broadcaster. Not only a comedian, but also an intellectual on television. Maybe that's why the smart guys aren't the ones who are remembered. He brought conversation and civility to late night, though he wasn't so perfect himself. He was often petty and vindictive, perplexing and challenging, but beyond that Jack Paar is remembered for the great service he did to the medium of television, in those far too few years he was on it.
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Those responsible for electing members to the Television Academy's Hall of Fame should truly consider inducting Jack Paar forthwith. Though they announced Art Carney's nomination prior to his death, it is disheartening to know that they at the Academy would do these things in a rather untimely and retroactive manner.
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An archive of Joseph Planta's previous columns can be found by clicking HERE .