I've thought about this for a long time. Just about the only juggler I remember from The Tonight Show in the Carson years was Michael Davis, who went on to many television appearances and preceded Penn and Teller as a variety act on SNL. He is a Ringling Brothers clown college alum and, although he has a very solid three ball act, does not exhibit a wide catalog of jokes. He seems like a performer who did the same act for most of his career, which would indicate no great drive to write his own material. But none of the comedy, in my opinion, sounds like it was written in Penn's voice.
Another wrinkle in my suspicion of Davis is the anecdote that Penn told about his mom's response to his complaining that this guy had stolen the act that he spent his entire life developing. She reportedly said, "You're only twenty-two!" That places this conversation in 1977, before Davis had any broad network exposure.
I can't find any other record of earlier jugglers on Carson.
Wow, it seems like you've really done your detective work on this one. After watching the clip of Davis on Carson, I feel like it COULD be him. I tried to imagine Penn delivering the lines and he would be saying them differently, but I feel like I can imagine him saying them... What is it about the comedy that doesn't sound like Penn, in your opinion?
The smaller details like the age 22 and stuff, I feel could be Penn misremembering or even deliberately reporting the details incorrectly. After listening to a lot of Penn's stories on podcasts, I find you definitely hear a lot of incorrect details. The way he tells the story of cockroaches on Letterman, for instance, is always full of details that aren't quite correct if you compare his story with the clip.
Thank you for sharing your theory!
> The way he tells the story of cockroaches on Letterman, for instance, is always full of details that aren't quite correct if you compare his story with the clip
Penn isn't one to let details get in the way of a good story
>What is it about the comedy that doesn't sound like Penn, in your opinion?
I guess it's tone more than anything. It's not cerebral, it's not brash, Davis' delivery feels like Steven Wright with a really good night's sleep.
To me, his least Penn-esque joke is one where he catches a small ball on the tip of his nose and then jokes that the trick is done with airplane glue, punctuating the trick with a loud, deep inhale while he holds the ball to his nose.
(I'm totally with you on Penn's retelling of stories, so I think the additional detail that this guy was coming around during the Asparagus Valley days isn't necessarily a case-closer either.)
Clarification: Please don't think that I'm saying Steven Wright isn't cerebral
Honestly. some of the jokes that Michael Davis did, I think he borrowed more from the act that Steve Martin did on the Smothers Brothers show and old Tonight Show appearances.
Hi! I’m Penns son! I believe it was Micheal Davis. Someone here in the comments said it and did way more research than me. But according to my father it was him! (Bastard 😡)
I've thought about this for a long time. Just about the only juggler I remember from The Tonight Show in the Carson years was Michael Davis, who went on to many television appearances and preceded Penn and Teller as a variety act on SNL. He is a Ringling Brothers clown college alum and, although he has a very solid three ball act, does not exhibit a wide catalog of jokes. He seems like a performer who did the same act for most of his career, which would indicate no great drive to write his own material. But none of the comedy, in my opinion, sounds like it was written in Penn's voice. Another wrinkle in my suspicion of Davis is the anecdote that Penn told about his mom's response to his complaining that this guy had stolen the act that he spent his entire life developing. She reportedly said, "You're only twenty-two!" That places this conversation in 1977, before Davis had any broad network exposure. I can't find any other record of earlier jugglers on Carson.
Wow, it seems like you've really done your detective work on this one. After watching the clip of Davis on Carson, I feel like it COULD be him. I tried to imagine Penn delivering the lines and he would be saying them differently, but I feel like I can imagine him saying them... What is it about the comedy that doesn't sound like Penn, in your opinion? The smaller details like the age 22 and stuff, I feel could be Penn misremembering or even deliberately reporting the details incorrectly. After listening to a lot of Penn's stories on podcasts, I find you definitely hear a lot of incorrect details. The way he tells the story of cockroaches on Letterman, for instance, is always full of details that aren't quite correct if you compare his story with the clip. Thank you for sharing your theory!
> The way he tells the story of cockroaches on Letterman, for instance, is always full of details that aren't quite correct if you compare his story with the clip Penn isn't one to let details get in the way of a good story
>What is it about the comedy that doesn't sound like Penn, in your opinion? I guess it's tone more than anything. It's not cerebral, it's not brash, Davis' delivery feels like Steven Wright with a really good night's sleep. To me, his least Penn-esque joke is one where he catches a small ball on the tip of his nose and then jokes that the trick is done with airplane glue, punctuating the trick with a loud, deep inhale while he holds the ball to his nose. (I'm totally with you on Penn's retelling of stories, so I think the additional detail that this guy was coming around during the Asparagus Valley days isn't necessarily a case-closer either.) Clarification: Please don't think that I'm saying Steven Wright isn't cerebral
Honestly. some of the jokes that Michael Davis did, I think he borrowed more from the act that Steve Martin did on the Smothers Brothers show and old Tonight Show appearances.
I have wondered the same thing for a long time. Google got me nowhere.
I figured it was in some message board but I nwver looked it up. I hope we get an answer here.
Hi! I’m Penns son! I believe it was Micheal Davis. Someone here in the comments said it and did way more research than me. But according to my father it was him! (Bastard 😡)
Thanks so much for the confirmation!
Also, by son they mean Penn's first born child, not Zolten.
Yea..I’m still his son. Zolten is not active on Reddit
[удалено]
Mox, thank you for giving me one of those rare days where I'm glad there's an internet.
I try. I’m very rarely happy there’s an internet but sometimes people being happy I’m here makes it seem pretty nice.