Johnny Carson began hosting the Tonight Show the same year as I was born, so in my life there has never been a time without him. The news of his death on Sunday marked the end of an era. For those of us lucky enough to grow up with him, watching Johnny nightly was a requirement, as much as brushing your teeth before bed. As children, our entire family would watch at least his opening monologue every night and then my parents would go take their baths while my brother and I tried to sneak a bit more TV to see who the guests were. Of course, everyone loved Joan Embry from the San Diego Zoo (and the Wild Kingdom folks), Don Rickles, Charlie Callas, Bob Newhart and even such oddities as Charo and Tiny Tim.

Johnny made all of his guests shine, which is the mark of a truly great interviewer and host. He was open minded and curious, kind and honest, much too modest, very private, and he took the good and the bad as it came in stride. He always reminded me a lot of my own father, who just turned 76, and also unfortunately has emphysema. One of my big regrets was during the one trip our family took to California in the summer of 1980, Johnny was on vacation that week. We toured the NBC studios, no photos were allowed inside the building so the only photo I got that was Tonight Show related was a photo from a moving tram of Doc Severinson's parking space.

My husband and I watched his last Tonight Show together in 1992 and both cried like babies. We sat and watched Jay Leno's tribute this evening, which is literally the first time we've watched the Tonight Show all the way through since Johnny's sign off. Nothing against Jay, but it just wasn't the same. It never will be, I've been dry eyed the last two days, but as I write this now I'm finally beginning to tear up.

And so ends what has aptly been proclaimed the most depressing day of the year, I'm glad January has officially been called for what it is, a month of illness, death, debt and depression. (I was born this month so I feel qualified to agree with the good doctor's findings). We've still got a few days to go, but here's hoping February brings health, prosperity and happiness. And laughter.