Bubba owns a combination gas station and repair shop somewhere in Arkansas. Bubba has a buddy named Leon, and Bubba and Leon like to get together from time to time and play cards. Well, one day they were doing just that, and Bubba was not doing well - he was about $10,000 in the hole.
Leon brought up an old argument.
"I still don't think you know Johnny Carson," says Leon.
Bubba replies, "I do too know Johnny Carson."
Now Bubba is the type that insists that he knows everyone, and he and Leon argue back and forth for a while as to whether or not Bubba really knows Johnny Carson. Finally, they agree to settle it once and for all.
Leon says "Okay, tell ya what. I'll bet you, double or nothing, that you don't know Johnny Carson.
Bubba: "You have a deal."
So, they run out back and hop on Bubba's leer jet and take off towards Hollywood. As they are circling preparing to land, Bubba points out Charleton Heston's place and several others. When they finally get to Johnny Carson's house, Bubba rings the doorbell and the butler answers.
"Is Johnny in?" Bubba asks.
"Who may I say is calling" returns the butler.
"Just tell him Bubba is here," replies Bubba.
The Butler turns and closes the door. In a few minutes, to Leon's astonishment, Johnny Carson himself comes barreling out the door and wraps himself around Bubba.
"BUBBA!! How in the world are you? How have you been?"
They spend a good while laughing and catching up on old times, and then they take their leave.
On the way back to the airplane, Leon turns to Bubba. "Okay, you win that one. So you know Johnny Carson. But I bet I can come up with someone you don't know."
"Okay, shoot."
"I'll bet you don't know Joe Namath."
"Man, Joe and I are old buddies!"
"No way. Double or nothing you don't know Joe Namath."
"It's a deal. I'll take you to his restaurant."
So, Bubba and Leon head for Joe Namath's restaurant. When they arrive, Bubba grabs a waiter and asks him if Joe is in.
'Who's asking'
"Just tell him Bubba's out here."
The waiter disappears, but in a few seconds out comes Joe, jumping tables and knocking people out of the way.
"BUBBA! HOW HAVE YOU BEEN?"
They laugh and talk about old times over a free meal. Leon is simply dumbfounded. Later, back in the airplane, Leon asks for one last chance.
"Look, Bubba, I'm about $30,000 in the red. Give me one last shot, and I will think of someone I am CERTAIN you cannot know."
"Okay, buddy. I'm just making lotsa money off of you. One last chance."
"Okay. I know there is absolutely no way that you can know the pope."
Bubba bursts into laughter. "Man, the pope
and I have known each other for years. We're old college
chums."
"There is absolutely no way. You cannot know
the pope."
So, Bubba turns the plane and they head for Rome. They arrive at the Vatican, and Bubba stops Leon. "Now, you will have to wait out here. The security here is very high. They know me, so they'll let me in, but you will have to stay out here. So, will it be good enough for you if the pope and I come walking out on the balcony arm in arm, smiling and laughing, and we pick you out of the crowd and wave at you?"
Leon thinks a minute and replies, "Yeah, that will be great."
"Okay, stand out here, right in the center of the crowd here in the court, so we can find you."
Bubba enters the Vatican, and presently he and the
pope appear out on the balcony, arms around one
another, smiling and laughing. They search the crowd, and Bubba
points to Leon, and they smile and wave.
Leon smiles and waves, but in the next instant he faints dead away. Bubba, alarmed, excuses himself from the pope and goes running down to Leon. As Bubba approaches, he grabs Leon and begins shaking him. "Leon, Leon, are you okay?"
Leon opens his eyes and says, "I was okay when you knew Johnny Carson.
And I could even handle it when you knew Joe Namath.
But when I was standing there waving at y'all, and
the guy standing next to me in the crowd asked
'Who's that guy in the white robe standing next to Bubba?', I just
couldn't take it anymore!"