On June 4, 1975, I made a 17-minute appearance on the NBC’s Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. It was an experience that changed my life. (See last week’s article and photos by clicking here.)
You may wonder how such a brief experience changed my life. It brought incredible opportunities to meet people and be in the media in places I could only dream about.
When you appear on a show like Carson, it is like getting a PhD in media performance. I remember pitching myself to a media person after I did the Tonight Show, and I mentioned that I had just done a segment with Johnny Carson. There was a long pause on the phone and then he said, “If you are good enough to be on Carson you good enough for my show.”
The Tonight Show is taped in Burbank, California at 5:30 PM. By taping then, it give the production staff time to edit the show – and in the case of my segment bleep out a few words that Johnny said when he burned his hand on bottom of a very hot paper sack. The paper sack had been the “pan” for eggs and bacon that were cooked on a tin can stove.
The day after the performance I was to be ion stage at 2:00 P.M., giving a performance in Calgary, Canada. That did not give me much time to celebrate or to enjoy the phone calls that came in. I do remember the morning boarding the plane, and as I was sitting waiting to take off the flight attendant keep looking at me. When you have been in the media a lot, you know that look.
Pretty soon she came over and said, “You’re the lady that was on Johnny Carson last night, aren’t you?”
Not long after that, I was passing though a security checkpoint in Dallas. The security person asked if he could open my case. Can you imaging opening up someone’s case and seeing faces painted on bleach bottles, tuna cans with cardboard rolled up in them, and rows of big empty cans filled with steel wool and batteries?
The people at the security checkpoint looked at the stuff and then looked at me with a real puzzled glaze. Finally the man said, “Oh. You’re the lady that was on Johnny Carson. You’re OK.”
Even yesterday – 35 years later – I was in the airport waiting to board my fight and a lady came over from another gate and said, “Are you Dian Thomas?” She added, “I have followed you for years and just wanted to tell you thanks for sharing your unique ideas.”
I answered, “Thank you for sharing because you have blessed my life today. It is so good to know you enjoyed my ideas.”
Seventeen short minutes with Carson change my life forever, and I have loved meeting all the wonderful people and incredible people that have come into my life from that experience.
***
Dian has taken her ideas and shared them throughout the years in her many books. This month she is offering a 35-year Johnny Carson Anniversary special. Get 6 of her best books – a $95.00 value – for only $35.00. They’re great for gifts or just a wonderful library for you. These books contain the ideas that Dian has used on the NBC “Today Show” and the ABC “Home Show” over the years. Check out this wonderful special at www.dianthomas.com. You can also preorder her new book on weight loss there.
As many of you know, I’ve been losing weight with the help of Jackie Keller, a wellness coach and nutrition expert. It so happens that she’s participating in a contest to get her own show on the Oprah Network. Please join me in voting for her. It only takes a few minutes, and you can vote as many times as you like! You will be able to meet the ladies that help me to change my life. Follow this link to vote.