Rickles doesn’t wait for the chair. He walks on in 1991, looks at Johnny’s jacket and says “Are you the Governor of Guam?” Then “Hong Kong Charlie.” The roast is already over and Carson hasn’t even sat down. Don spends the next five minutes explaining why Johnny is finished, Leno will be selling peanuts and Barbara’s jewellery is directing ships at night. Carson lands one clean shot “Where you gonna work when I leave?” and Rickles actually laughs. This is what it looked like when two people who liked each other were allowed to draw blood on live television. Late night used to feel this dangerous.