
Carson the Magnificent
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Narrated by:
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Johnny Heller
About this listen
A much-anticipated biography—twenty years in the making—of the entertainer who redefined late-night television and reshaped American culture.
In 2002, Bill Zehme landed one of the most coveted assignments for a magazine writer: an interview with Johnny Carson—the only one he’d granted since retiring from hosting The Tonight Show a decade earlier. Zehme was tapped for the Esquire feature story thanks to his years of legendary celebrity profiles, and the resulting piece portrayed Carson as more human being than showbiz legend. Shortly after Carson’s death in 2005 and urged on by many of those closest to Carson, Zehme signed a contract to do an expansive biography. He toiled on the book for nearly a decade—interviewing dozens of Carson’s colleagues and friends and filling up a storage locker with his voluminous research—before a cancer diagnosis and ongoing treatments halted his progress. When he died in 2023 his obituaries mentioned the Carson book, with New York Times comedy critic Jason Zinoman calling it “one of the great unfinished biographies.”
Yet the hundreds of pages Zehme managed to complete are astounding both for the caliber of their writing and how they illuminate one of the most inscrutable figures in entertainment history: A man who brought so much joy and laughter to so many millions but was himself exceedingly shy and private. Zehme traces Carson’s rise from a magic-obsessed Nebraska boy to a Navy ensign in World War II to a burgeoning radio and TV personality to, eventually, host of The Tonight Show—which he transformed, along with the entirety of American popular culture, over the next three decades. Without Carson, there would be no late-night television as we know it. On a much more intimate level, Zehme also captures the turmoil and anguish that accompanied the success: four marriages, troubles with alcohol, and the devastating loss of a child.
In one passage, Zehme notes that when asked by an interviewer in the mid-80s for the secret to his success, Carson replied simply, “Be yourself and tell the truth.” Completed with help from journalist and Zehme’s former research assistant Mike Thomas, Carson the Magnificent offers just that: an honest assessment of who Johnny Carson really was.
©2024 Bill Zehme (P)2024 Simon & Schuster AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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The Fixer
- Moguls, Mobsters, Movie Stars, and Marilyn
- By: Josh Young, Manfred Westphal
- Narrated by: Jefferson Mays, Manfred Westphal
- Length: 9 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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During the height of Hollywood’s golden age, one man lorded over the city’s lurid underbelly of forbidden sin and celebrity scandal like no other: Fred Otash. An ex-Marine turned L.A.P.D. vice cop, Otash became the most sought-after private detective and fixer to the stars by specializing in the dark arts that would soon dominate the entertainment industry. The Fixer delves into the extraordinary life of Hollywood’s most infamous private detective and “fixer” to the stars, revealing newly discovered shocking revelations from his never-before-seen investigative files.
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For Hollywood gossip lovers!
- By Janna Wong Healy on 06-01-24
By: Josh Young, and others
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James Arness
- An Autobiography
- By: James Arness, James E. Wise Jr.
- Narrated by: Mike Hennessy
- Length: 8 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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James Arness gives the full story on his early years, his family, his military career and his film work in Hollywood, including appearances in the cult-favorite science fiction movies Them! and The Thing. He had a very long run on television’s Gunsmoke and a role in the miniseries How The West Was Won. His post-theatrical period is also covered. This is the long anticipated account of one of the icons of 20th–century television.
By: James Arness, and others
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Harpo Speaks
- By: Harpo Marx
- Narrated by: Johnny Heller
- Length: 14 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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First published in 1961, this is the autobiography of Harpo Marx, the silent comedian of The Marx Brothers fame. Always silent on the stage and screen, Harpo speaks for the first time and shares the story of his remarkable life with humor, intelligence, and love. A truly gifted musician, brilliant comic, and wonderful person, Harpo comes alive in Harpo Speaks.
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What a life.
- By whyNOTme on 01-18-25
By: Harpo Marx
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Surely You Can't Be Serious
- The True Story of Airplane!
- By: David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker
- Narrated by: "Weird Al" Yankovic, Arne Schmidt, Barry Diller, and others
- Length: 7 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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Surely You Can’t Be Serious is the first-ever oral history of the making of Airplane! by the creators, and of the beginnings of the ZAZ trio (Zucker, Abrahams, Zucker) – charting the rise of their comedy troupe Kentucky Fried Theater in Madison, Wisconsin all the way to premiere night. The directors explain what drew them to filmmaking and in particular, comedy.
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Absolutely fantastic
- By A. Soergel on 10-11-23
By: David Zucker, and others
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John Wayne
- The Life and Legend
- By: Scott Eyman
- Narrated by: John McLain
- Length: 25 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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John Wayne projected dignity, integrity, and strength in all his films, even when his characters were flawed, and whatever character he played was always prepared to confront injustice in his own way. More than thirty years after his death, he remains the standard by which male stars are judged and an actor whose morally unambiguous films continue to attract sizeable audiences.
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A long but interesting book
- By Jack Merritt on 11-11-14
By: Scott Eyman
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Amateur Hour
- Kamala Harris in the White House
- By: Charlie Spiering
- Narrated by: Johnny Heller
- Length: 7 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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Who is the real Kamala Harris? And how did she ascend to the second highest office in the country? Despite her limited experience in national politics and confusing professional history, there hasn’t been a comprehensive examination of Vice President Kamala Harris’s journey to the White House...until now. Find out how the San Francisco socialite turned politico fast-tracked her way onto the national stage, only to lose the faith of her base and her president.
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blatant racist bullshot
- By Ernest on 08-02-24
By: Charlie Spiering
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I Got You Babe
- A Celebration of Cher
- By: Annie Zaleski, Cyndi Lauper - foreword
- Narrated by: Gabra Zackman
- Length: 3 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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Covering her life and sixty-year career from Sonny & Cher to show-stopping solo performer, award-winning actress, fashion icon, and beyond, this is a glorious retrospective of one of the world’s most enduring entertainers, Cher. Featuring a foreword by Cyndi Lauper!
By: Annie Zaleski, and others
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Notorious
- Portraits of Stars from Hollywood, Culture, Fashion, and Tech
- By: Maureen Dowd
- Narrated by: Maureen Dowd
- Length: 16 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Shining a white-hot spotlight on America’s famous, from Hollywood legends to Broadway stars to media moguls, Notorious is a captivating assortment of columnist Maureen Dowd’s most compelling style features and profiles. Using her signature wit and incisive commentary as a scalpel, Dowd dissects influential cultural elite.
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The honesty of the subjects
- By rumdok on 03-22-25
By: Maureen Dowd
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Sonny Boy
- A Memoir
- By: Al Pacino
- Narrated by: Al Pacino
- Length: 12 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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To the wider world, Al Pacino exploded onto the scene like a supernova. He landed his first leading role, in The Panic in Needle Park, in 1971, and by 1975, he had starred in four movies—The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, Serpico, and Dog Day Afternoon—that were not just successes but landmarks in the history of film. Those performances became legendary and changed his life forever. Not since Marlon Brando and James Dean in the late 1950s had an actor landed in the culture with such force.
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I loved this so much!!! But….
- By paintgal on 10-24-24
By: Al Pacino
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The Wall of Life
- Pictures and Stories from This Marvelous Lifetime
- By: Shirley Maclaine
- Narrated by: Shirley MacLaine
- Length: 1 hr and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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With more than seventy years on the silver screen, Shirley MacLaine has, as she says, seen it all, done it all, been everywhere, and met everyone. Since making her Hollywood debut in 1955, her popularity has only grown as she’s amassed a stunning collection of awards and written multiple bestselling memoirs. Now, at ninety years old, MacLaine has more stories to tell and the pictures to bring them to life.
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Interesting but too short.
- By Lou G. on 11-04-24
By: Shirley Maclaine
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Truly
- By: Lionel Richie
- Narrated by: Lionel Richie, Blair Underwood
- Length: 12 hrs
- Unabridged
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As a storyteller second to none, Lionel Richie is ready to tell it all. In this intimate, deeply candid memoir, Lionel revisits hilarious and harrowing events to inspire all who doubt themselves or feel their dreams don’t matter. Lionel chronicles lessons learned during his unlikely story of remarkable success—his dramatic transformation from painfully shy, “tragically” late bloomer to world-class entertainer and composer of love songs that have played as the soundtrack of our lives.
By: Lionel Richie
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Why We Love Football
- A History in 100 Moments
- By: Joe Posnanski
- Narrated by: Joe Posnanski
- Length: 12 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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After his bestselling home run books Why We Love Baseball and The Baseball 100, Joe Posnanski turns from the national pastime to the number one sport in America. Why We Love Football is Posnanski’s newest must-have deep dive into the archives and legends of the sport, and the result is a rousing tale of the 100 greatest moments in football lore. This is the best kind of sports writing. Entertaining, enlightening, heartbreaking, hilarious, and always fascinating, these stories of the sport offer a panoramic look across its history.
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I was a football coach and so is my son. The stories are told so well and bring back such wonderful memories.
- By Thomas J. Muench Jr. on 04-18-25
By: Joe Posnanski
What listeners say about Carson the Magnificent
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- When Your Life Is Like A Circus
- 11-18-24
the completeness
Loved the frankness and honesty. Details of why there will never be another Kohnny Carson
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2 people found this helpful
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- Susan
- 11-24-24
Magnificent
I love Johnny Carson! I grew up with him. This book lets me know him better. Thanks.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Charles
- 12-30-24
A new Johnny Carson is possible
Young people have no idea of the staggering talent of Johnny Carson.
What I miss the most is Johnny Carson‘s ability to interview a young child. And his opening monologue.
The Gutfeld show has opened the door for a possible new Johnny Carson show on network TV. He has two of the things I like the most about Johnny Carson show. Sometimes all the people on the couch on the Johnny Carson show would join in and it would be a comedy riff of jokes. Johnny Carson was not afraid to be politically incorrect. The current nighttime comedy shows have to compromise and hire someone who is less talented and woke.
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- Amazon Customer
- 03-18-25
Good story and great material.
Good story and the material was overall excellent. However, the narrator chosen could have been better chosen to bring out a more lively narration.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Dr Joseph Borreggine
- 12-02-24
Nothing new regarding “Here’s Johnny”!
Really nothing new under the sun when it comes to this book. There’s been multiple books written about the life of Johnny Carson and the Tonight Show. This book in particular provide a lot of insight to many of the periodical and newspaper articles filled with factoids about Johnny and the Tonight Show. Henry Bushkin book was probably better than this one. That was the last one that I read and probably will stick to that book as the main stay of anything about Johnny. This was a very fair book and nothing more than that. Nothing new to define “Here’s Johnny”
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1 person found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 12-11-24
An inside look at a man we all thought we knew
For those of us who grew up with The Johnny Carson Show (we NEVER called it the Tonight Show) this is a great look at the man we thought we knew. But, Johnny made everyone feel like they knew him—that was a special talent.
When this is in its 100th printing decades from now, there still won’t have been another like him.
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- Amazon Customer
- 01-10-25
details
very well written and read. gives the listener a glimpse into carson's private personality. great book
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- Flo
- 01-22-25
Waivering
Never got to the heart of the life of Johnny Carson and didn’t capture anything much that felt new.
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- Frank Celletti
- 01-25-25
The details of Carson’s life in front of and behind the camera
Too much of a total schmooze book. Zehme can’t go one page without saying the Carson was a god. It’s like he took a college paper and stretched it to a full book.
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- Pklinkne
- 11-08-24
Meh
Basically an extended Vanity Fair piece. Interesting but superficial. Little help in what made Carson tick, his approach to comedy, or why he was such an important cultural figure.
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4 people found this helpful