“New York is an exciting town. It’s where things happen…from the United Nations to the opening nights on Broadway,” a newspaper published in 1969.
 
American television host and comedian Johnny Carson (1925-2005) told of a different way that New York City is “exciting”—its crime:
 
“New York is an exciting town where something is happening all the time, most of it unsolved.”
 
The joke probably was told on television’s The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in the 1970s. The quotation was printed in a 1990 book.
         
 
Wikipedia: Johnny Carson
John William Carson (October 23, 1925 – January 23, 2005) was an American television host, comedian, writer, and producer. He is best known as the host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962–1992). Carson received six Emmy Awards, the Television Academy’s 1980 Governor’s Award, and a 1985 Peabody Award. He was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1987. Carson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1992 and received a Kennedy Center Honor in 1993.
     
Old Fulton NY Post Cards
13 February 1969, The Post-Standard (Syracuse, NY), “A Poor Place to Live” by Virginia Payette, pg. 7, col. 3:
New York is an exciting town. It’s where things happen…from the United Nations to the opening nights on Broadway. It’s where big business hangs its hat.
 
Google Books
The Fourth—and by Far the Most Recent—637 Best Things Anybody Ever Said
By Robert Byrne
New York, NY: Atheneum
1990
Pg. ?:
475
New York is an exciting town where something is happening all the time, most of it unsolved.
Johnny Carson
 
26 July 1998, Chicago (IL) Tribune, “Fast Track: Replays” by Cheryl Lavin, Chicago Tribune Magazine, pg. 8:
“New York is an exciting town where something is happening all the time, most of it unsolved.”
—Johnny Carson
   
Google Groups: alt.quotations
New York
Dave Wright
3/6/99
New York is an exciting town where something is happening all the time, most of it unsolved. —Johnny Carson
 
Google Groups: news.admin.net-abuse.sightings
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
4/22/04
(...)
New York is an exciting town where something is happening all the time, most unsolved.
 
24 January 2005, Daily News (New York, NY), “Farewell to Johnny: Carson ruled late-night TV for 3 decades” by David Hinckley, pg. 35:
“New York is an exciting town where something is happening all the time, most unsolved.”
         
Google Books
The Little Red Book of New York Wisdom
By Ed Koch with Greg Stebben and Jason Katzman
New York, NY: Skyhorse Publishing
2011
Pg. 17:
New York is an exciting town where something is happening all the time, most of it unsolved.
JOHNNY CARSON
 
Vulture
150+ Classic Jokes About New York and Los Angeles
By Matthew Love and Ramsey Ess
February 19, 2016 11:07 am
NEW YORK JOKES
“New York is an exciting town where something is happening all the time — most, unsolved.” —Johnny Carson
     
Google Books
The Handy New York City Answer Book
By Chris Barsanti
Canton, MI: Visible Ink Press
2017
Pg. 357:
Johnny Carson took the reins in 1962 and within a few years began to specialize in gags mocking the New York crime rate: “New York is an exciting town where something is happening all the time ... most, unsolved.”
 
Twitter
Cheeky Quotes
@CheekyQuotes
New York is an exciting town where something is happening all the time, most unsolved. ~ Johnny Carson #CheekyQuotes #funny #quotes
5:00 AM - 15 Apr 2018