When Diane Lane appeared on “The Tonight Show,” she had just turned 18. She was on the segment promoting the film adaptation of “Rumble Fish” and, after being introduced, would not kiss Carson on the cheek. Seriously, do you blame her for declining?
Seeing as he was forty years older than her at the time, her decision seemed pretty justifiable. When Carson asked Lane what she had done to celebrate her 18th birthday, she noted that she had spent most of the day doing laundry. Knowing Carson’s long history of innuendoes, we’re guessing he was looking for something a little juicier.
Yvonne Craig
When we say Yvonne Craig, you probably hear "Batgirl," don't you? Synonymous with the superhero, Craig had no choice but to appear in full costume and character on "The Merv Griffin Show" on September 5th, 1967. Not breaking character, Craig used her interview to advocate for women's rights, putting an emphasis on equal pay.
In one commercial, Batman and Robin were in need of saving, but Batgirl refused to release them. This was an act of protest, seeing as Craig was paid less than Robin. Throughout her career, Yvonne Craig was a symbol of female empowerment and remained one to this day.
Judy Landers
Celebrities meeting their celebrity crushes is pretty meta if you ask us. When Judy Landers made an appearance on "The Tonight Show" in 1979, she disclosed that meeting him was a dream come true. The reason? She had a crush on Carson. Now would you believe that?
Landers was in the midst of her time as Stacks from "BJ and the Bear" when she sat down for an interview with the late-night host. When questioned about her ability to drive a semi-truck, Landers answered confidently, letting the host and audiences know she could drive a big rig. What a cool gal!
Farrah Fawcett
We will forever remember the long hours spent in the mirror, trying to perfect the Farrah Fawcett look. She had many roles in both television and film throughout the years but will forever be remembered as Jill Munroe in "Charlie's Angels." It's hard not to remember the poster of her in that red bathing suit.
Shortly after her decision to leave her one-year stint as Munroe, Fawcett was a guest on "The Tonight Show." During their conversation, talk of the show rating's rapid increase became a hot subject. Fawcett linked the success to the lack of the cast wearing bras.
Robyn Hilton
Like many of the actresses before and after her, Robyn Hilton put Johnny Carson in his place. In her 1974 interview, one that was meant to focus on the upcoming release of the comedy classic "Blazing Saddles," Hilton was subject to several offensive questions about her career.
Carson believed that Hilton's acting career was built from being a beauty pageant contestant. Her quick and cut-to-the-point response was that she "didn't believe in beauty pageants." Now that's one way to shake up the culture and show how progressive you are. She was so ahead of her time and paved the way for many forward thinkers!