SIMPLE PLEASURES … 10/16/87

It was over 30 years ago that I saw this segment of the “Johnny Carson” show but I remember it like it was yesterday and it still makes me smile.

Myrtle Young, a potato chip inspector for Seyfert Foods in Fort Wayne, Indiana was Johnny's guest. While on the job she'd noticed that many of the defected chips reminded her of everyday images and she'd made a collection of them which she proudly and lovingly brought to his show.

It would have been a short and sweet few minutes on the Carson show except for the intensity and obvious love that Ms. Young had for her collection. She would pick up a chip from the ones spread out on Johnny's desk and describe her vision of it in glowing terms.

At one point, as the picture above shows, she turned to the audience, chip in hand, and was about to give them an explanation when she heard a loud crunch from Johnny. I will never forget the look of horror on her face as she whipped around to face Johnny … obviously thinking that he was devouring one of her beloved collection chips.  As she clutched her hand to her heart Johnny practically fell over himself assuring her that the chip he'd eaten was NOT part of her collection.  Strange as it seems in today's “sophisticated” tech era it was incredibly funny back then and his apologies and her obvious relief and forgiveness of his prank were heat warming.  

In 1999 TV Guide named it the funniest moment on TV.  I don't think I'd go that far but you can judge for yourself … like most everything nowadays it's on YouTube.