Over the 30 years that Johnny Carson hosted The Tonight Show, the esteemed man met all kinds of celebrities. But he did not know what he was getting into when he invited Buddy Hackett onstage.
Buddy Hackett is best known for his roles as Marcellus Washburn in The Music Man (1964), Tennessee Steinmetz in The Love Bug (1968), and the voice of Scuttle in The Little Mermaid (1989).
His film career began in 1950, and he was active until 2000. While his jokes often featured racist or off-color humor, Buddy Hackett was a beloved performer of the latter half of the 20th century.
Even before Johnny Carson brought Buddy Hackett into the interview chair, he admitted, “I never know what Buddy’s going to do.” This turned out to be the perfect preamble for this interview.
As soon as Buddy Hackett sat down, he told Johnny that he had so many jokes he did not know where to start. Before Johnny could stop him, the comedian began rattling them off.
Johnny Carson and the audience member loved it. After the first joke, they were already shocked and giggling. While not all of Buddy’s jokes will resonate with today’s audiences, some of them are worth a watch.
If you are looking for a good laugh or insight into the man behind the voice of the iconic Disney character, give this video a watch. It is unlike any interview that appeared on the show before or since.