Johnny Carson Audiobook By Henry Bushkin cover art

Johnny Carson

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Johnny Carson

By: Henry Bushkin
Narrated by: Josh Bloomberg
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About this listen

“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
Entertainment & Celebrities Entertainment & Performing Arts Film & TV Performing Arts
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Insightful Account • Entertaining Storytelling • Detailed Descriptions • Compelling Narrative • Firsthand Perspective
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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!

Learning that Johnny’s Mom was so awful

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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.

Carson was amazing

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

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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.

The bi polar mind of a genius

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

Great on History of Tv

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

Here's The Real Johnny!

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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.

A very compelling story.

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

Fascinating

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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.

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

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He also does a nice job of telling a good story and sharing a lot of facts that make it interesting without being controversial. I gained many insights into Johnny Carson and network television during his era.

Funny stories about an icon…and gut punches too.

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