Carson was a true entertainer

The Sun Always Shines By CHHUN SUN

Johnny Carson died Sunday and left a legacy that won’t be forgotten. But what he also takes with him is the message that celebrities don’t always have to be in the public eye to be remembered.

We still can feel his effects on a nightly basis. Carson is credited with launching the careers of many of today’s celebrities, including David Letterman and Jay Leno (Carson’s successor on “The Tonight Show” on NBC.)

Almost 13 years ago, Carson ended his 30-year stint as the host of “The Tonight Show.” Since then, Carson made only rare appearances in public. Nonetheless, he’s still known for the impact he made in the ’70s and ’80s. That was Carson; he stuck with the program and never needed much attention except from his viewing audience.

But today, it’s a much different story for many celebrities. Believe it or not, many of today’s stars wouldn’t have a career if it weren’t for the paparazzi — many of them need controversy in order to stay on top. Here are some celebrities, for example:

Tara Reid.

Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey.

The big lady who was in “Cheers.” Oh yeah. Kristie Alley.

Look at Jennifer Lopez. She’s barely beginning to promote her new album, but before then, the only time you saw her on television or magazine covers was when her marriage to singer Marc Anthony — What is he doing anyway? — was on the brink of destruction. Surprise, surprise.

How about Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston? Only a couple weeks ago, they were the talk of the world.

“Aww, how can a perfect couple like that break up?” people would say. The headlines said nothing about their work.

That’s the point. They were in the media because of a personal resolution between the two. Not about their movies. Or their careers. Nothing.

That was never the case for Carson.

He was a true entertainer that kept away from the public eye.