--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: By a twist of fate rather than anything…" description: "\"By a twist of fate rather than anything approaching journalistic enterprise, I did the last major interview with Johnny Carson.\" — Tom Shales" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/443/tom-shales-12468_anything_by-a-twist-of-fate-rather-than-anything_1541351.png" --- # By a twist of fate rather than anything approaching… ![“By a twist of fate rather than anything approaching journalistic enterprise, I did the last major interview with Johnny Carson.” quote by Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/443/tom-shales-12468_anything_by-a-twist-of-fate-rather-than-anything_1541351.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/443/tom-shales-12468_anything_by-a-twist-of-fate-rather-than-anything_1541351.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/443/tom-shales-12468_anything_by-a-twist-of-fate-rather-than-anything_1541351.png) > “By a twist of fate rather than anything approaching journalistic enterprise, I did the last major interview with Johnny Carson.” [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A chance encounter led to the final major interview with Carson, highlighting serendipity over deliberate journalism. **In simple terms:** Unexpected events can shape careers. Key Takeaway Embrace chance opportunities. Themes career media serendipity Mood conversational reflective Type media historical When to use this quote - career planning - media studies - historical research Key Concepts journalism interview dynamics legacy Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance planning with openness to surprise? - What unexpected moments have shaped your path? A Different Perspective Relying on chance can be risky; proactive effort still matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Enterprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enterprise/) [Fate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fate/) [Interview](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interview/) [Interviews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interviews/) [Twist of fate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twist-of-fate/) ## Related quotes > [It's rage and it's hate and a sick twist of fate and that's the truth about love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-rage-and-it-s-hate-and-a-sick-twist-of-fate-and-that-s-the-truth/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I am alone this evening, and I am alone because of a cruel twist of fate, a phrase which here means that nothing has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/i-am-alone-this-evening-and-i-am-alone-because-of-a-cruel-twist-of/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [Blame it on a simple twist of fate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/blame-it-on-a-simple-twist-of-fate/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [By some crazy twist of fate I was able to remember the moments leading up to the bombings, and in the end, it helped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bauman/by-some-crazy-twist-of-fate-i-was-able-to-remember-the-moments/) [Jeff Bauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bauman/) > [What separates the winners from the losers is how a person reacts to each new twist of fate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/what-separates-the-winners-from-the-losers-is-how-a-person-reacts-to/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I've always been a fan of a Johnny Carson because he was so great with an audience and not afraid of self-deprecating humor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-vaughn/i-ve-always-been-a-fan-of-a-johnny-carson-because-he-was-so-great/) [Vince Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-vaughn/) > [There really is no Johnny Carson anymore. There is no one place a comedian can appear and explode.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-leykis/there-really-is-no-johnny-carson-anymore-there-is-no-one-place-a/) [Tom Leykis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-leykis/) > [The old Johnny Carson 'Tonight Show' was great in that he was so good with the guests, and it was not about him. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-f-tompkins/the-old-johnny-carson-tonight-show-was-great-in-that-he-was-so-good/) [Paul F. Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-f-tompkins/) > [Out all of these zillions of letters, one of the first ones that came was, as it turned out from Johnny Carson within the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-ebersol/out-all-of-these-zillions-of-letters-one-of-the-first-ones-that-came/) [Dick Ebersol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-ebersol/) > [Johnny Carson is a comedian who is seen every night in millions of bedrooms all over America...and that's why his last wife left him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-martin/johnny-carson-is-a-comedian-who-is-seen-every-night-in-millions-of/) [Dean Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-martin/) > [I always thought Johnny Carson was just brilliant, and I used to watch him and all the comics that would be on the show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-always-thought-johnny-carson-was-just-brilliant-and-i-used-to-watch/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [There's only one critic whose opinion I really value, in the final analysis: Johnny Carson. I have never needed any entourage standing around bolstering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-carson/there-s-only-one-critic-whose-opinion-i-really-value-in-the-final/) [Johnny Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-carson/) > [He was a very private person, but then, you know, he belonged to the whole United States. The United States thought they owned Johnny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doc-severinsen/he-was-a-very-private-person-but-then-you-know-he-belonged-to-the/) [Doc Severinsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doc-severinsen/) > [Rickles is the OG master. I remember watching him when I was a little kid when Johnny Carson was still on the air. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hinchcliffe/rickles-is-the-og-master-i-remember-watching-him-when-i-was-a-little/) [Tony Hinchcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hinchcliffe/) > [It used to be that in media, Johnny Carson used to be the most important person when he would invite you over to sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lampanelli/it-used-to-be-that-in-media-johnny-carson-used-to-be-the-most/) [Lisa Lampanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lampanelli/) ## More by Tom Shales > [Maybe it's the hair. Maybe it's the teeth. Maybe it's the intellect. No, it's the hair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/maybe-it-s-the-hair-maybe-it-s-the-teeth-maybe-it-s-the-intellect-no/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [Jimmy Kimmel still comes across like a guy who crashed a party and got caught at it, yet adamantly refuses to leave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/jimmy-kimmel-still-comes-across-like-a-guy-who-crashed-a-party-and/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [In city after city, newspaper after newspaper has diminished its staff of critics, sometimes to zero. Film and T.V. critics have been dropped and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/in-city-after-city-newspaper-after-newspaper-has-diminished-its-staff/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > ['Kukla, Fran and Ollie' occurred in real time and was a benign and bewitching example of pure television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/kukla-fran-and-ollie-occurred-in-real-time-and-was-a-benign-and/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [Maybe Larry Kings cannot thrive or even survive in a world where the norms for discourse are rage, vehemence and character assassination. King wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/maybe-larry-kings-cannot-thrive-or-even-survive-in-a-world-where-the/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [Obviously neither 'American Idol' nor 'Dancing With the Stars' is a variety show in the classic sense, but the way they incorporate elements of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/obviously-neither-american-idol-nor-dancing-with-the-stars-is-a/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [Robert Osborne either has the best job in the world, or comes very close. As millions of viewers know, Osborne is the resident host…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/robert-osborne-either-has-the-best-job-in-the-world-or-comes-very/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [Making music on TV used to be as common as commercials. In the '60s and '70s, prime time was stuffed with variety shows headlined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/making-music-on-tv-used-to-be-as-common-as-commercials-in-the-60s-and/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [For those who don't like Dave Letterman, there's Jay Leno; and for those who like neither, there's Craig Ferguson; and if you're still feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/for-those-who-don-t-like-dave-letterman-there-s-jay-leno-and-for/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [The once inviolate frame within which programs or commercials were displayed on television - always separately - has been violated to a pulp. Program…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/the-once-inviolate-frame-within-which-programs-or-commercials-were/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > ['Leave It to Beaver,' which ran from 1957 until 1963, was one of the strangest, sweetest, most distinctive domestic sitcoms of television's celebrated Golden Age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/leave-it-to-beaver-which-ran-from-1957-until-1963-was-one-of-the/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [The original and very basic 'Law & Order' series has always seemed to me to be 100-percent exposition, with no filler, no pesky nuances…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/the-original-and-very-basic-law-order-series-has-always-seemed-to-me/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [Gimmicks come and go; the cop show seems one genre that will never leave - not as long as people like to sit at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/gimmicks-come-and-go-the-cop-show-seems-one-genre-that-will-never/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [If the networks can get audiences to tolerate pop-up promos by the dozens, maybe they'll start selling pop-up commercials, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/if-the-networks-can-get-audiences-to-tolerate-pop-up-promos-by-the/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [Jerry Seinfeld is amazing in many ways, not the least of them his ability to find humor, and convincing us to find it, too,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/jerry-seinfeld-is-amazing-in-many-ways-not-the-least-of-them-his/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) [Explore all 54 Tom Shales quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) ## More Anything quotes > [I guess I've never really wanted to be anything else. I've never even thought about having another job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-farrell/i-guess-i-ve-never-really-wanted-to-be-anything-else-i-ve-never-even/) [Owen Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-farrell/) > [I would give anything to be able to kick a ball with my son or read the kids a bedtime story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-burrow/i-would-give-anything-to-be-able-to-kick-a-ball-with-my-son-or-read/) [Rob Burrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-burrow/) > [Comfort food is really anything you want at that time. That said, I really love Naple-style pizza.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-zakarian/comfort-food-is-really-anything-you-want-at-that-time-that-said-i/) [Geoffrey Zakarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-zakarian/) > [I haven't shut any doors, and I'm really open to anything, so I think it's just about the material and what is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-panabaker/i-haven-t-shut-any-doors-and-i-m-really-open-to-anything-so-i-think/) [Danielle Panabaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-panabaker/) > [When it really comes down to it, the job you do is more important and is more representative of who you are than your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cudlitz/when-it-really-comes-down-to-it-the-job-you-do-is-more-important-and/) [Michael Cudlitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cudlitz/) > [The reason I'm drawn to it is - both the off road racing and the motorcycles on the track - it takes a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dax-shepard/the-reason-i-m-drawn-to-it-is-both-the-off-road-racing-and-the/) [Dax Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dax-shepard/) > [I never did drama at school. I did it for one term, when it was compulsory, and I hated it. Tennis was the main…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-mitchell/i-never-did-drama-at-school-i-did-it-for-one-term-when-it-was/) [Luke Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-mitchell/) > [We live in such a special time when literally anything we can think of is possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-willey/we-live-in-such-a-special-time-when-literally-anything-we-can-think/) [Daniel Willey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-willey/) > [You know, I'm from Baltimore; nobody has anything. When somebody had talent, I was hiring my uncle, my cousin, you know? Getting people that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sisqo/you-know-i-m-from-baltimore-nobody-has-anything-when-somebody-had/) [Sisqo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sisqo/) > [I said to my agent, 'I want short, sharp, well-paid jobs because I haven't got time for anything else.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-whitelaw/i-said-to-my-agent-i-want-short-sharp-well-paid-jobs-because-i-haven/) [Billie Whitelaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-whitelaw/) > [I think anything that anyone writes thats any good is going to have a lot of autobiography.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-adly-guirgis/i-think-anything-that-anyone-writes-thats-any-good-is-going-to-have-a/) [Stephen Adly Guirgis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-adly-guirgis/) > [If the Bible is correct, and the Earth is only 6,000 years old, that means there were no dinosaurs, and museum curators have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-shock/if-the-bible-is-correct-and-the-earth-is-only-6-000-years-old-that/) [Ron Shock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-shock/) > [Don't do anything drastic like getting your eyebrows tattooed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-lee/don-t-do-anything-drastic-like-getting-your-eyebrows-tattooed/) [Greta Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-lee/) > [Whenever you define family as anything other than a man and a woman married together, you have just introduced an ethical nightmare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-evans/whenever-you-define-family-as-anything-other-than-a-man-and-a-woman/) [Tony Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-evans/) > [No lusting after your neighbor's house - or wife or servant or maid or ox or donkey. Don't set your heart on anything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moses/no-lusting-after-your-neighbor-s-house-or-wife-or-servant-or-maid-or/) [Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moses/) Browse all 9,437 Anything quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "By a twist of fate rather than anything approaching journalistic enterprise, I did the last major interview with Johnny Carson.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tom Shales" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/by-a-twist-of-fate-rather-than-anything-approaching-journalistic/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anything" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/by-a-twist-of-fate-rather-than-anything-approaching-journalistic/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/443/tom-shales-12468_anything_by-a-twist-of-fate-rather-than-anything_1541351.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/443/tom-shales-12468_anything_by-a-twist-of-fate-rather-than-anything_1541351.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/443/tom-shales-12468_anything_by-a-twist-of-fate-rather-than-anything_1541351.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“By a twist of fate rather than anything approaching journalistic enterprise, I did the last major interview…” — Tom Shales", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tom Shales", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "By a twist of fate rather...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/by-a-twist-of-fate-rather-than-anything-approaching-journalistic/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/by-a-twist-of-fate-rather-than-anything-approaching-journalistic/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```