Johnny Carson was brought to tears by this heart-wrenching poem Jimmy Stewart wrote for his dog

via Johnny Carson / YouTube

Given today's fractured media landscape, it's hard to imagine the impact that Johnny Carson had on pop culture.

Throughout most of his run as host of "The Tonight Show" from 1962 to 1992, most of America only had three television channels and there were only two late-night talk shows, at most.

Carson's classy but thoroughly Midwestern persona held up a mirror to American society. His brilliance wasn't just his comedic timing, but his reactions to the celebrities and politicians he interviewed on his show.

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31 Days of Happiness Countdown: a dad's teary reunion with his lost pup. (Day 8)

Thanks for stopping by for Day 8 of Upworthy's 31 Days of Happiness Countdown! If this is your first visit, here's the gist: Each day between Dec. 1 and Dec. 31, we're sharing stories we hope will bring joy, smiles, and warmth into your life. It's been a challenging year for a lot of us, so why not end it on a high note with a bit of happiness? Check back tomorrow (or click the links at the bottom) for another installment!

When Butterscotch first went missing, all his humans were distraught — especially the pup's human dad.

The border-collie mix — dubbed "Butters" or "Bubbers" for short — went missing in the Las Vegas area on Nov. 25. Anyone who's gone through a similar experience knows this feeling all too well and can back me up here: having a pet go missing is sobbing-until-you-can't-feel-feelings devastating. You can almost feel the heartache in the "missing" poster Butters' humans shared online.

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