Carnac the Magnificent was a recurring comedic role played by Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show, Starring Johnny Carson. He was a “mystic from the East” who could psychically “divine” unknown answers to unseen questions. The character was introduced in 1964.
The character’s premise was that Carnac would divine the answers to questions sealed in envelopes and then read out the questions to reveal the punchline.
Donning a sizeable feathered turban and a cape, Carson would emerge from behind the curtain accompanied by Indian music. As he made his way to the desk, he would always stumble on the steps leading up to it.
On one occasion, frequently rebroadcast on anniversary shows, Carson’s desk was replaced with a lightweight balsa-wood version; this allowed Carson to trip and smash through it.
The idea was inspired by Steve Allen’s essentially identical talk show segment entitled ‘Answer Man.’ He used to run this segment when he hosted The Tonight Show before Carson.
One of the highlights of this particular episode of Carnac is a joke that starts with the answer, “Sis boom bah.” The question to this answer is, “What sound does an exploding sheep make?”
This joke had the whole studio, including Carson and Ed McMahon, in splits. The laughter continues for almost a minute before they carry on with the bit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4GduUWv-mA
