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TONIGHT SHOW, THE

Air Date/Released Tuesday, December 31, 1991
Station/Studio NBC / Carson Productions
Host/Star Johnny Carson

The iconic edition of THE TONIGHT SHOW, with host Johnny Carson 1962 - 1992. Carson made the late-night talk show a viewing habit for America.

Comedian David Steinberg explains "The Three Stooges Theory of Politics” as it applies to George H. W. Bush, Dan Quayle, Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan.
David: I have a theory about the political candidate. It’s called “The Three Stooges Theory of Politics.” There’s a “Cinderella Complex,” mine is the Three Stooges. It’s the Moe, Larry and Curly Complex that exists in politics. Now you remember, Moe is the guy who takes over... he’s the insurance guy who slaps the other guys. Larry is the guy who wants to be Moe... he gets slapped around a lot, but he can’t be just Larry, and he’s not really Moe. And Curly is crazy, just off the page, just screwball... Curly’s uncontrollable!
I find that if you take Moe, Larry and Curly, there exists in almost anyone, especially in our politicians... You can take any President, let’s start with George Bush. George Bush is a Larry, remember he was a Vice-President... the Larry who became a Moe! And now he’s a Moe, he runs the country... he’s a Moe. Gerald Ford, he was a Larry who became a Moe. So everyone falls into... you give me a President and I’ll deal with it.
Johnny: Nixon.
David: Nixon! He is so interesting. Nixon was a Larry, who became a Moe, but left a Curly. And now, he’s sort of a bitter ex-Moe. Or, elder statesman Moe.
Johnny: Quayle.
David: Quayle. You tell me, who would Quayle be in my theory?
Johnny: Well, he’s not a Larry yet.
David: No...
Johnny: He’s a Larry now... he’s a Larry now.
David: He’s a Larry now, but...
Johnny: He’s a hopeful Moe.
David: Yes, he’s a hopeful Moe... but what is he really?!
Johnny: Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk...!
David: So you see, he’s a Curly. Now the thing about... God forbid he becomes Moe. Because when you get a Curly personality, who’s a Moe... you get a Moe and a Curly... a Murly... you get a whole other category, we don’t want to live to experience that.
Another one who’s running for office, I don’t know if he’s really running, or just to take some pressure away from the other candidate... Pat Buchanan. Pat Buchanan is an ultra-Moe! And David Duke, who’s running with him, is the Grand Imperial Moe! Very, very unique, the Grand Wizard Moe.
Republicans tend to be Moes. They like being Moes. They’re comfortable with it. All the Democratic candidates seem to be a group of Larrys in search of a Moe. We lost Cuomo... Cuomo might’ve been their Moe. Cuo-Moe. Now actually, Barbara Bush is a better Moe than most of the Democratic candidates.
Johnny: Ronald Reagan.
David: Reagan is a Shemp! Way over the top, can’t even deal with it. Reagan would have to be a Shemp.


Cast: Johnny Carson (Host), Ed McMahon (Announcer/co-host), Doc Severinson (Orchestra leader), David Steinberg (Guest)

Crew: Fred DeCordova (Executive Producer, Producer), Peter Lasally (Producer), Bobby Quinn (Director)
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