Plot

Johnny looks at celebrities' vanity license plates. Mariette Hartley complains about a prank pulled on her by another show produced by Johnny; Michael Palin (A Private Function (1984)).

The comedy segment is vanity license plates for celebrities - first real ones, then speculative ones. Mariette Hartley talks about being the victim of a prank for "Bloopers and Practical Jokes", produced by Carson's company and co-hosted by Ed; her husband helped set up the prank, which also involved her kids, and which had her being made to disappear by a magician. She then talks about putting together a one-woman show, and she and Johnny discuss their mutual apprehension of singing in public. Michael Palin first talks a bit about why Monty Python was more popular with men than women, and recalls how no one thought the humor would be appreciated in the U.S. because of references to such things as vicars and cricket. Carson asks him various questions about comedy, and then about his impressions of the U.S. when he first visited the country; Palin says that he was really taken by the big tractor units on 18-wheelers, which aren't found in other countries, while his children were more captivated by Las Vegas than by the Grand Canyon or Zion National Park. He talks about making the film "A Private Function" with a pig; sardine oil was rubbed into his shoes and clothes to make the pig like him. A clip from the film is shown. Due to lack of time, Cassie Yates does not appear on the show.—lenab9011