In 1973, a late-night talk show host caused a toilet paper crisis

A Jonny Carson joke on his show where he alluded to a toilet paper shortage led to a run on supermarkets and stockouts.

A joke made on a late-night television program in 1973 unexpectedly triggered a national panic in the United Statesleading to empty supermarket shelves and widespread concern about a non-existent toilet paper shortage.

During an episode of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson on December 19, host Johnny Carson joked in his opening monologue that toilet paper was in short supply. The comment, intended to be humorous, was based loosely on statements by Harold Froehlich, a Wisconsin congressman who had warned of a possible shortage. However, the nuance was lost in the broadcast, and many viewers interpreted the statement as true.

At the time, Carson’s show reached an estimated audience of 20 million viewersgiving the joke a significant reach. What followed was a wave of panic buying across the country. Consumers rushed to supermarkets, buying large quantities of toilet paper, emptying shelves before stores could restock, recalls .

Retailers quickly felt the impact. Some stores reported customers to buy products in large quantities directly from deliveriesas manufacturers struggled to meet the sudden increase in demand. The situation escalated to such an extent that the Scott Paper Company introduced distribution limits to control supply.

The panic attracted national attention. In January 1974, Walter Cronkite addressed the situation in CBS newsattributing the shortages to unfounded rumors rather than actual supply issues. Despite assurances, the shopping rush lasted several weeks.

Acknowledging his role in the confusion, Carson used his platform to correct the misunderstanding. In a broadcast on January 16, 1974, he acknowledged that his previous joke had contributed to the panic and asked viewers to do not store products. “People believe you when you say something”, he commented, highlighting the unintentional influence of his words.

The incident has since become a notable example of how misinformation can spread quickly and influence public behavior. Long before the age of social media, a single televised joke was enough to disrupt supply chains and trigger widespread anxiety among consumers.