This is the episode of Rufus Hussey the slingshot master on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show. I purposefully choose not to make any money on these videos out of respect for Johnny Carson.
Rufus Taft Hussey (March 12, 1919 - February 24, 1994) was an American marksman. He grew up in Randolph County, North Carolina. He was known as an expert marksman with a slingshot (also referred to as a beanshooter). In 1952, Hussey began selling and giving away beanshooters to preserve the dying art of the beanshooter. His beanshooters were sequentially numbered by a serial number.
This is so true. They aren't regular people themselves, they're horrified and confused by normal people. Not Johnny, salt of the earth and didn't forget his roots.
Yeah....not a fan of the Jabbering Jaw but I seem to recall a recurring Leno skit where he interviewed people on the street to make them look stupid . Letterman continually did this his whole career .
@@DaddyRobotX15 Exactly! Leno got kicks out of making average people look stupid. Carson got his kicks relating to average people! That's why Johnny was in a class by himself, and in 25 years nobody will remember Leno.
I walked in a country store and a stranger asked me if I wanted to buy a pea shooter, a what, he said slingshot. My cousin behind said, hey you where on Johnny Carson last week wasn't you. Mr Hussy was nice man and I enjoyed meeting him as much as I've enjoyed meeting anybody in my 35 years of trucking . That day I delivered roof trusses to a new house being built close to that store. Just now seen this video.
the big name celebrities come on and , brag about themselves , and tell hard it is to act . then here comes Rufus and entertains the hell out of us . and the award goes to RUFUS 🏆
The best people are outside the Metropolitan areas still. Metropolitan areas are completely abnormal for anything that originated from a natural existence.
I enjoy so much those American farmers. They have golden hearts and say what they have to say. Only an amazing host like Johnny Carson knows how to make them feel at ease so we get to know them a little better. They are people that work very hard for their living. They can live without us but we cannot without them. 👍👍👍
That's the difference between Johnny Carson's Tonight Show and any other talk show. It seemed like he didn't mandate a certain level of dress. Johnny didn't care if a man wore his sleeves rolled up or not or if a woman covered her cleavage or not. Whatever made the guests comfortable was fine.
Johnny Carson was the best thing on TV. He will never be equaled. I used to sneak out of bed as a kid in the early 70s to watch him. I watched him all the way to the end and still enjoy him on youtube. Greatness.
@uk_prepper it was great once you found & got into a program but people didn't cling to nor live/ wait for it....there were 3 channels plus 1 or 2 uhf channels ....it was an evening , 2-3 hr time & then was over. completely different from never disconnecting & falling asleep w the media blasting your eyes / ears INSTEAD of experiencing rem sleep. long enough , and that can yield zombies who do mindless crap like kill a young girl for not properly mayo - ing a sandwich.
Carson was an absolute baller to just agree to hold that corncob like that, especially after Rufus missed a few times because of his nerves. I saw an interview with him when a reporter went out to his farm and he was shooting quarters out of the air.
it's understandable that he got a few extra nerves when he was on television though, when he's at home he dont have to think about hitting any of the audience in the head, but with those treeboards that all the items stood on, the rocks could easily bounce back and in worst case scenario, hit on of the audience, respect to him though :)
the local news interview doesn't show any of the 'lemme try again' moments if there were any. regardless it doesnt matter he's a master and legend. great point about Carson, definite baller!
OMG i swear absolute baller is an understatement ...when he wanted to do it a second time i woulda say no thanks...yo can tell that shit hurt too even though he got a decent shot on it...it either clipped him...or the energy from where it hit vibrated into where he was holding it...like using a axe with a hollow handle or w.e
Loved how Carson would let guest like Rufus make funny remarks and he (Carson) would just sit there and play the "straight man." Johnny was comfortable doing this and he always wanted his guest to feel the same comfort.. From Hollywood legends to a country boy like Rufus Carson was always in control. No one could handle that role like he did. The ultimate master of the moment.
aha he was definitely worried about his hand...i would be too...i cant believe he let him shoot that thing a second time...not a single late night guy today would even hold it the first time...
That's great! My great uncle Ralph didn't even use the slingshot. Went hunting rabbits with pockets full of rocks. Had a hell of an arm. Never came back empty handed.
Erin... Thanks SO much for posting this from the Tonight Show.... it was posted several years ago, maybe 4 yrs ago now... and YT pulled it due to copyright infringement violations by whoever it was that posted it at that time... so Great that it's back on here again, and incredible timing, as I was just telling a friend this very afternoon about Rufus and I had gone on the "net" to show them a video done with him by a local tv station near where Rufus lived, and when I searched his name and the tv interview... there, right above the tv video interview.. was the video from Carsons show... couldn't hardly believe it was back up on YT. Thanks So much, again... greatly appreciated. Have been shooting slingshots for many years myself and was a great fan and admirer of Rufus' great skills.
Erin..... My apology for not replying to Your reply much sooner than I am now. I just happened to come back to this to see if was still "working" (I "saved" this video to my pc 9 months ago when I found it on here again, and when I wrote to you).... so I can copy the link to send it to a friend of mine in NC (who actually met him at some "bean shooter" events in the 1980's)... who is an avid slingshot shooter himself and is in the manufacturing business of "all things - slingshots". Actually, he works for Nathan Masters who owns Simple-Shots.com and from whom I have purchased Twenty slingshots from - so far, and one on the way as I type this. : ) Anyway.... You're Very welcome for your "Thanks for your comments.".... and Thank You, for replying back to me... hope all is well with you (?) since the 9 months ago when you replied to me. Take care Erin, thanks again.
seemed like he didnt want to be there in the first place like they had to drag him out there...was not playful at first ...just very short answers...Carsen got some joy out of him sometimes
Robert Hirsch.... Rufus, possibly wasn't even aware who Ed was, or his relationship with Johnny, on the show... he may have thought that Ed was another guest, which would be quite possible seeing as he never owned a TV, and so.. never kept up with those things.
I have only one thing to say about Rufus AWESOME! I EVEN INJURED LISTING TO HIM TALK. PROBABLY BECAUSE IM FORM A SMALL TOWN IN NORTHEAST MISSOURI ON THE BANKS OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. RUFUS IS DEFINITELY MY KIND OF PERSON! THANK YOU JOHNNY FOR HAVING HIM ON YOUR SHOW. I TRULY ENJOYED WATCHING RUFUS SHOT HIS BEAN SHOOTER. THANKS JOHNNY FOR BEING SUCH A GOOD SPORT! IN MISSOURI THEY ARE CALLED SLINGSHOT' I USED TO SHOOT AT FROGS IN A NEAR BY CREEK! DID YOU NOTICE THAT I SAID THAT I USED TO "SHOOT AT FROG'S"
