CNN is broadcasting a documentary about black rock and roller Little Richard on Labor Day. I’ll be curious to see if a particular episode in Little Richard’s career will be included. I’ve never forgotten it because, well, it was kind of unforgettable FWIW. Like all my teenage friends, I was a big fan of Little Richard when he burst on the scene in the 1950s with his rocking “Tutti Frutti” and “Long Tall Sally.” His hits were covered, in truly insipid white versions, by Pat Boone. In an album Elvis also covered “Tutti Frutti,” which wasn’t much of a song at all, just silly repetition. It was Little Richard who made it what it was. When Jerry Lee Lewis and his pumping piano came along, with “Whole Lot of Shakin’ Goin; On” and “Great Balls of Fire,” he was sort of a white Little Richard. Years after his big hits, LR was a guest on Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show. Don Rickles was also a guest that night. Rickles and LR were sitting side by side. Rickles (“Mr. Warmth”) was famous, of course, for insult comedy, funny put-downs in response to what his hosts or others said. But that night there was one exception. LR responded to something Rickles said by laughing and saying, “Are you mixed blood?” Rickles immediately said, “I’m not touching that!” LR responded by laughing again in a forced way and saying “God, God!” Clearly angry about the "mixed blood" question, host Carson said to LR, “Yeah, invoke the deity!” Needless to say it was LR’s one and only appearance on the Tonight Show. (The only similar incident I recall was when Sterling Hayden was a guest and praised the use of cannabis. I don’t recall any particular Carson response, but at the end of the show Carson’s producer Fred de Cordova shook hands with each guest as was his custom. When he got to Hayden, the producer’s cordiality turned to anger, as he said something like “How dare you do that on the air!”) Since the CNN broadcast is a documentary, I would expect the unfortunate Tonight Show episode in LR’s career to be included. But I’ll be kind of surprised if it is. It’s being advertised as more like a tribute to the legend that he certainly is.
My LR favorite was "Slippin' and Slidin'." (I think it was the flip side of "Long Tall Sally.") Slippin' and slidin' Peepin' and hidin' Been told long time ago I been told baby you been bold I won't be your fool no mo'
I tried to find a clip and learned that almost all Tonight Show film prior to 1972 is "lost". That show aired in 1971, I believe. There is a ton of Carson/Rickles clips on youtube, though, post 1972.
I saw LR open for Chuck Berry at the Pageant in St. Louis for his 75th BD show. He was a showman if nothing else. The guy I was with said of him, "Man, that guy's in love with himself."
Thanks. I guess that answers the question of whether the documentary will cover that Tonight Show segment. There's no film.
yes. 5 years later my wife went to see him in the Duck Room on his 80th & he did a little then too. I was home with the kids
