Jack Paar: The Joke, Walk Out & Return…The Whole Story

On February 11, 1960, Jack Parr walked off The Tonight Show for a month after NBC censors edited out a segment, taped the night before. As he left his desk, he said, “I am leaving The Tonight Show. There must be a better way of making a living than this.” Parr’s abrupt departure left his startled announcer, Hugh Downs, to finish the broadcast himself.

Parr returned to the show on March 7, 1960, strolled on stage, struck a pose, and said, “As I was saying before I was interrupted…” After the audience erupted in applause, Parr continued, “When I walked off, I said there must be a better way of making a living. Well, I’ve looked… and there isn’t.”

All of the history and more is in the great link above and is a MUST SEE clip as much of the story is told by Jack himself with footage of the departure and return. Below is the text of the four minute bit in question which is based on an innocent mix-up involving the initials W.C. The NBC censors decided it was dirty and cut it from the broadcast without bothering to consult or even notify Paar. Here’s the joke; YOU decide:

An English lady, while visiting Switzerland, was looking for a room, and she asked the schoolmaster if he could recommend any to her. He took her to see several rooms, and when everything was settled, the lady returned to her home to make the final preparations to move.

When she arrived home, the thought suddenly occurred to her that she had not seen a “W.C.” [water closet, a euphemism for toilet] around the place. So she immediately wrote a note to the schoolmaster asking him if there were a “W.C.” around. The [Swiss] schoolmaster was a very poor student of English, so he asked the [Swiss] parish priest if he could help in the matter. Together they tried to discover the meaning of the letters “W.C.,” and the only solution they could find for the letters was “Wayside Chapel.” The schoolmaster then wrote to the English lady the following note:

Dear Madam:
I take great pleasure in informing you that the W.C. is situated nine miles from the house you occupy, in the center of a beautiful grove of pine trees surrounded by lovely grounds. It is capable of holding 229 people and it is open on Sunday and Thursday only. As there are a great number of people and they are expected during the summer months, I would suggest that you come early: although there is plenty of standing room as a rule. You will no doubt be glad to hear that a good number of people bring their lunch and make a day of it; while others who can afford to go by car arrive just in time. I would especially recommend that your ladyship go on Thursday when there is a musical accompaniment. It may interest you to know that my daughter was married in the W.C. and it was there that she met her husband. I can remember the rush there was for seats. There were ten people to a seat ordinarily occupied by one. It was wonderful to see the expression on their faces. The newest attraction is a bell donated by a wealthy resident of the district. It rings every time a person enters. A bazaar is to be held to provide plush seats for all the people, since they feel it is a long felt need. My wife is rather delicate, so she can’t attend regularly. I shall be delighted to reserve the best seat for you if you wish, where you will be seen by all. For the children, there is a special time and place so that they will not disturb the elders. Hoping to have been of service to you, I remain,
Sincerely,
The Schoolmaster

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