Johnny Carson

De: Henry Bushkin

Narrado por: Josh Bloomberg

“A close look at how show business power corrupts . . . The dishiest read of the year.”–Janet Maslin, “Ten Favorite Books of the Year,” New York Times

“Here’s Johnny!” Probably everyone in America knows the phrase, whether they watched every episode of The Tonight Show or none because they had to go to bed early on school nights. From 1962 to 1992, Johnny Carson and his Tonight Show dominated the American consciousness.

Henry Bushkin was Carson’s best friend and lawyer during that period, and his book is a tautly rendered and remarkably nuanced portrait of Carson, revealing not only how he truly was, but why.

Bushkin explains why Carson, a voracious (and very talented) womanizer, felt he always had to be married; why he couldn’t visit his son in the hospital and wouldn’t attend his mother’s funeral; and much more. Johnny Carson is by turns shocking, poignant, and uproarious—written with a novelist’s eye for detail, a screenwriter’s ear for dialogue, and a knack for comic timing that Carson himself would relish.

“A fascinating book about a complex man.”—Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

“Like The Tonight Show, the book has many a merry moment . . . [Johnny Carson] was also one of a kind, and is missed. This book brings a bit of him back.”—St. Louis Post-Dispatch

A People magazine Top Ten Book of the Year

©2013 Henry Bushkin (P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers

Learning that Johnny’s Mom was so awful

I loved Johnny Carson, he made me laugh so much from my teens until he retired!
I enjoyed learning about Carson’s back story, this accounting of his life seemed fair and interesting!
If you watched the Tonight Show and Carson, you will enjoy and be stunned through this entire book!
I highly recommend it!

Carson was amazing

Enjoyed the story and insight regarding Johnny Carson. However, since this is told by his lawyer it is incomplete and one sided. Henry Bushkin, the author, comes across as conceited and disrespectful.

The good, the bad and the ugly. A five star story of the king of late night

Carson was depicted as a complicated man filled with demons but yet, at times, projected as a generous, caring fun loving friend and boss. I loved the story. It gives just the right amount of information and the narration was superb. Nicely paced and kept your attention. Highly recommend.

The bi polar mind of a genius

You truly trust the author. His sincere feelings and protection of Mr. Carson, whom accepted no friendship or love. The cameras never showed this on the Tonight Show. Perhaps because the guests were just as disturbed.

Great on History of Tv

Grew up watching Johnny Carson as a kid and later an as an adult…best last memories

Here's The Real Johnny!

I believe Henry, without a doubt. Sad to say, Carson became an obstinate liberal entitled puke. What a waste, what a phony!

A very compelling story.

Loved the narration. I was a faithful viewer of the Tonight Show for years. I never realized what a sad, mean spirited person Johnny Carson was.

Fascinating

The story was entertaining, and I really enjoyed the narrator voice. Very seldom do these two meet.

Sad to know Carson’s off camera life was so negative and painful to him and those around him.

The narrator did a fine job. I realize that all of us have positives and negatives in our lives, but just hard to hear how “lost” Johnny was.

More Carson, less Bushkin

The best thing about this book are the things we learned about Johnny that we never knew before. Bushkin seemed to drop compliments and criticisms in equal and fair amounts. I would have liked to learn more about Johnny and less about Bushkin. I was also hoping for a little more insight into what Johnny did after he permanently left the Tonight Show. Glad I got the book but was hoping for a little more.