--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was a big fan of how Johnny Carson…" description: "\"I was a big fan of how Johnny Carson hosted awards shows. Dick Cavett, as well, I think did a really great job of providing a nice blend of comedy, wit..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/963/neil-patrick-harris-2281_awards_i-was-a-big-fan-of-how-johnny-carson-hos_1791337.png" --- # I was a big fan of how Johnny Carson hosted awards shows… ![“I was a big fan of how Johnny Carson hosted awards shows. Dick Cavett, as well, I think did a really great job of providing a nice blend of comedy, wit and class.” quote by Neil Patrick Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/963/neil-patrick-harris-2281_awards_i-was-a-big-fan-of-how-johnny-carson-hos_1791337.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/963/neil-patrick-harris-2281_awards_i-was-a-big-fan-of-how-johnny-carson-hos_1791337.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/963/neil-patrick-harris-2281_awards_i-was-a-big-fan-of-how-johnny-carson-hos_1791337.png) > “I was a big fan of how Johnny Carson hosted awards shows. Dick Cavett, as well, I think did a really great job of providing a nice blend of comedy, wit and class.” [Neil Patrick Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-patrick-harris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker admires Carson and Cavett for balancing humor with elegance, showing that comedy can be sophisticated and respectful. **In simple terms:** They appreciate witty, classy hosting. Key Takeaway Blend humor with class. Themes comedy hosting entertainment class wit Mood admiring nostalgic Type celebratory reflective When to use this quote - award ceremonies - talk show interviews - live events - podcast hosting Key Concepts television performance public speaking Questions to Reflect On - How can a host keep jokes respectful? - What techniques maintain class under pressure? A Different Perspective Balancing humor and class can be difficult in high‑pressure live settings. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Wit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wit/) ## Related quotes > [“That vervey spontaneity became encounter theater therapy under the direction of the Marquis de Paar, who was peerless at grittily vapid chatter, misty bathos,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/that-vervey-spontaneity-became-encounter-theater-therapy-under-the/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [Human life is a fine blend of comedy and tragedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sreenadh/human-life-is-a-fine-blend-of-comedy-and-tragedy/) [Sreenadh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sreenadh/) > [Awards shows are my greatest inducement to get back into shape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-kaczmarek/awards-shows-are-my-greatest-inducement-to-get-back-into-shape/) [Jane Kaczmarek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-kaczmarek/) > [Awards shows mainly publicize the people giving the awards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/awards-shows-mainly-publicize-the-people-giving-the-awards/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [I loved all awards shows growing up, but of course, the Oscars was the biggest one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-eichner/i-loved-all-awards-shows-growing-up-but-of-course-the-oscars-was-the/) [Billy Eichner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-eichner/) > [Awards shows... I just feel like a fish out of water at those things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-plemons/awards-shows-i-just-feel-like-a-fish-out-of-water-at-those-things/) [Jesse Plemons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-plemons/) > [I don't usually watch awards shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-katharine-ham/i-don-t-usually-watch-awards-shows/) [Mary Katharine Ham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-katharine-ham/) > [For the most part, these awards shows, while they are fun, they're high-pressure for the people who are nominated and for those walking the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/busy-philipps/for-the-most-part-these-awards-shows-while-they-are-fun-they-re-high/) [Busy Philipps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/busy-philipps/) > [When you go to awards shows these days, you can walk through a room and they give you everything for free: sunglasses, guitars, stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-knight/when-you-go-to-awards-shows-these-days-you-can-walk-through-a-room/) [Jordan Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-knight/) > [I'm really proud that we have so many companies on the same stage, putting competition aside to share a first look at where games…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-keighley/i-m-really-proud-that-we-have-so-many-companies-on-the-same-stage/) [Geoff Keighley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-keighley/) > [I have a hard time with awards shows in general because I've never been part of the conversation. I just show up to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-ventimiglia/i-have-a-hard-time-with-awards-shows-in-general-because-i-ve-never/) [Milo Ventimiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-ventimiglia/) > [I always look back to awards shows and think about being a kid watching them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-bryan/i-always-look-back-to-awards-shows-and-think-about-being-a-kid/) [Luke Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-bryan/) > [Fact is, awards shows were never really about recognizing achievement. They were a publicity ploy cooked up in the late 1920s by MGM topper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ridley/fact-is-awards-shows-were-never-really-about-recognizing-achievement/) [John Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ridley/) > [ \[I\] go to the Golden Globes, the Grammys, all the awards shows. Just stuff you would never get to do as a regular person… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-peterson/i-go-to-the-golden-globes-the-grammys-all-the-awards-shows-just-stuff/) [Cassandra Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-peterson/) > [There are all these awards that you've never heard of, and you get nominated, and suddenly you're at these awards shows, so you really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/there-are-all-these-awards-that-you-ve-never-heard-of-and-you-get/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) ## More by Neil Patrick Harris > [My favorite time to dance is at, like, wedding receptions, when it's all ages and everyone seems to be having fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-patrick-harris/my-favorite-time-to-dance-is-at-like-wedding-receptions-when-it-s-all/) [Neil Patrick Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-patrick-harris/) > [I pride myself in being able to straddle demographics, and if that was said as Barney Stinson, it would mean a little different thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-patrick-harris/i-pride-myself-in-being-able-to-straddle-demographics-and-if-that-was/) [Neil Patrick Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-patrick-harris/) > [Paris is not so exciting and romantic when you’re jet lagged and alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-patrick-harris/paris-is-not-so-exciting-and-romantic-when-you-re-jet-lagged-and-alone/) [Neil Patrick Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-patrick-harris/) > [I didn't want to go marching down the street with camera crews. Oy. To get married? Really? It seems like you have an agenda…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-patrick-harris/i-didn-t-want-to-go-marching-down-the-street-with-camera-crews-oy-to/) [Neil Patrick Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-patrick-harris/) > ['Smurfs' just seemed like a great way to represent a young father to be, guy in a marriage, work in conflict, and I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-patrick-harris/smurfs-just-seemed-like-a-great-way-to-represent-a-young-father-to-be/) [Neil Patrick Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-patrick-harris/) > [What defines a relationship is the work that's involved to maintain it, and it's constantly changing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-patrick-harris/what-defines-a-relationship-is-the-work-that-s-involved-to-maintain/) [Neil Patrick Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-patrick-harris/) > [I like to make decisions based on things I'm interested in doing, not what seems like the next move in my quote-unquote career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-patrick-harris/i-like-to-make-decisions-based-on-things-i-m-interested-in-doing-not/) [Neil Patrick Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-patrick-harris/) > [“He wanted a home. He wanted a family. He wanted to have friends. But none of those things were realistic. At least not until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-patrick-harris/he-wanted-a-home-he-wanted-a-family-he-wanted-to-have-friends-but/) [Neil Patrick Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-patrick-harris/) > [Rest in peace, Steve Jobs. Your genius will live on for generations to come...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-patrick-harris/rest-in-peace-steve-jobs-your-genius-will-live-on-for-generations-to/) [Neil Patrick Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-patrick-harris/) > [Before babies, I worked very hard to make sure I understood my surroundings and figured out where I fit in the world, whether it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-patrick-harris/before-babies-i-worked-very-hard-to-make-sure-i-understood-my/) [Neil Patrick Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-patrick-harris/) > [I often teach a graduate theater seminar on Greek tragedy in performance. I usually begin by saying that no matter what technological advances occur,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-patrick-harris/i-often-teach-a-graduate-theater-seminar-on-greek-tragedy-in/) [Neil Patrick Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-patrick-harris/) > [Thankfully I've been quite lucky in my career, but it's always good to re-evaluate things and think about what else you want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-patrick-harris/thankfully-i-ve-been-quite-lucky-in-my-career-but-it-s-always-good-to/) [Neil Patrick Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-patrick-harris/) > [I think it has been a weird mistake to have people with their own music careers going on and judging people because when they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-patrick-harris/i-think-it-has-been-a-weird-mistake-to-have-people-with-their-own/) [Neil Patrick Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-patrick-harris/) > [I have more artistic control in a smaller show. But it doesn't really matter. Sometimes you can have the smallest role in the smallest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-patrick-harris/i-have-more-artistic-control-in-a-smaller-show-but-it-doesn-t-really/) [Neil Patrick Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-patrick-harris/) > [As I learned from chapters past, it's important to try and stay in the chapter that you're in, and enjoy it while it's lasting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-patrick-harris/as-i-learned-from-chapters-past-it-s-important-to-try-and-stay-in-the/) [Neil Patrick Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-patrick-harris/) [Explore all 174 Neil Patrick Harris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-patrick-harris/) ## More Awards quotes > [My friend made me a leather dress for the MTV awards. It gives you confidence, wearing something you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-deeley/my-friend-made-me-a-leather-dress-for-the-mtv-awards-it-gives-you/) [Cat Deeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-deeley/) > [It was a conscious decision on my part to take up fewer films. And if you're not seen that often on screen, nobody calls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-lever/it-was-a-conscious-decision-on-my-part-to-take-up-fewer-films-and-if/) [Johnny Lever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-lever/) > [I love awards, especially if I get them. It's up to the courage of the filmmakers to make art in cinema, not just business.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-gazzara/i-love-awards-especially-if-i-get-them-it-s-up-to-the-courage-of-the/) [Ben Gazzara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-gazzara/) > [I'm not a great believer in awards-of course the fact that I've never won one has nothing to do with it at all!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-banks/i-m-not-a-great-believer-in-awards-of-course-the-fact-that-i-ve-never/) [Iain Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-banks/) > [“Stop spending money to be nominated for worthless awards with no substance and no worth to your career. If you have to spend money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loren-weisman/stop-spending-money-to-be-nominated-for-worthless-awards-with-no/) [Loren Weisman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loren-weisman/) > [I'm process-orientated. Awards, by their nature, are results-orientated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-jenkins/i-m-process-orientated-awards-by-their-nature-are-results-orientated/) [Barry Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-jenkins/) > [I can't imagine anyone thinking, 'Oh good, it's awards season!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-morgan/i-can-t-imagine-anyone-thinking-oh-good-it-s-awards-season/) [Peter Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-morgan/) > [It feels fantastic, I never thought I would get anything, I've won awards and things but I never thought I would get an OBE…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-marsh/it-feels-fantastic-i-never-thought-i-would-get-anything-i-ve-won/) [Jean Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-marsh/) > [Well, I met Sandy Bullock at an awards thing a couple years ago, and she said to me, “If I were gay, you’d be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-thompson/well-i-met-sandy-bullock-at-an-awards-thing-a-couple-years-ago-and/) [Emma Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-thompson/) > [Thi is the malady onf the humans, that they can hold on to that which is fleeting and of little consequence and call it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-fabry/thi-is-the-malady-onf-the-humans-that-they-can-hold-on-to-that-which/) [Chris Fabry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-fabry/) > [I remember when I first won the Academy Award and how much I loved it. I just wish there was an award around that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-woodward/i-remember-when-i-first-won-the-academy-award-and-how-much-i-loved-it/) [Joanne Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-woodward/) > [The three of us just try put our heads down and stay creative. The awards truly are just cake. It's one of those things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-scott/the-three-of-us-just-try-put-our-heads-down-and-stay-creative-the/) [Hillary Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-scott/) > [As a Nobel Prize winner I cannot but regret that the award was never given to Mark Twain, nor to Henry James, speaking only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/as-a-nobel-prize-winner-i-cannot-but-regret-that-the-award-was-never/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [You don't want to make awards the reason you're doing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-nolte/you-don-t-want-to-make-awards-the-reason-you-re-doing-things/) [Nick Nolte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-nolte/) > [I don't care about awards and public image. We know the business of entertainment. We worship our work, we worship our clients and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shailender-singh/i-don-t-care-about-awards-and-public-image-we-know-the-business-of/) [Shailender Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shailender-singh/) Browse all 1,232 Awards quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was a big fan of how Johnny Carson hosted awards shows. 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