‘The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson’ welcomed the legendary boxing promoter Don King. He was famous for his ability to talk and promote boxing matches, but his iconic hairstyle also set him apart.
Johnny introduces Don, saying he is a charismatic and controversial man, but he is a big face in sports. Don sits down with Johnny, and they talk about how they don’t know each other very well, but they’ve talked a few times.
Don says, ‘Yes, but were both true Americans,’ and Johnny agrees. Don says, ‘Only in America could a Don King happen.’ Johnny tells Don to hold on, and he goes under his desk. Johnny pops back up and has a wig that is just like Don’s infamous hair.
Johnny and Don laugh as they both have spiked-up hair. Johnny tries to start the interview, saying, ‘Now let me ask you something. Now be truthful with me. If you saw me walk in a restaurant, walking down the street, and you saw this hairdo, what would you say?’
Don laughs and says, ‘I’d say you were truly a man of God.’ They both laugh together. Then Don talks about how he never had his hair like this when he was younger. One day it started sticking up, and he said that since he was religious, he thought of it as Samson and Delilah. He thought there was an order from God, so he kept his hair straight up.
Once, he tried to get a haircut and said he had a migraine for weeks. Johnny asks, ‘Does it come down at night?’ Don says, ‘It goes up into a cone. Even when I get into the shower, and it’s matted down wet, it just pops back up. It’s a mystery man.’ Johnny laughs so hard.
They also talk about how Don is one of the best promoters in sports. Johnny asks what some of Don’s weirdest jobs growing up were. Don said he was a waiter, bus boy, caddie, and other odd things. Don talks about how it was all working for the future, marveling at how far he’s come. Don and Johnny had a lot of fun, and he made the crowd laugh with his mannerisms and infectious energy.