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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“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 Entertainment & Performing Arts Biographies & Memoirs Film & TV Inspiring Thought-Provoking Entertainment & Celebrities Performing Arts
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Insightful Biography • Fascinating Insider Perspective • Superb Narration • Honest Portrayal • Entertaining Stories

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Johnny Carson”s death was no great loss to humanity. He showed the truth in the old saying, if you want a friend? Get a dog. He was not a good friend, husband, or father.

The Life and Death of johnny Carson, no great loss

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I was born the year WWII navy veteran John William Carson became a late night talk show host (1962). Though her finished his extraordinary run as such over 30 years ago (1992), & died in 2005, he is still a well known celebrity & icon of his profession. Author Henry Bushkin, Carson's attorney for almost two decades, seems to have "told all" candidly. The attractive, smart, witty, talented television personality loved by many is unmasked to a startling degree in this book, however, the intent seems to be to tell the whole truth, highlighting strengths & weaknesses of all involved, rather than to champion any one person or discredit another. Read if you have a strong stomach. I was left with distaste & sadness at such a waste of opportunity, though it is certainly a good study in psychology. Despite the "behind the scenes" information I now have, I will tune that out & still enjoy the many fabulous clips from The Tonight Show," featuring Johnny Carson.

juicy; unfortunate; rings true

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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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well written and the narrator had a good voice. interesting biography and well paced. Will look for similar biographies.

well written and the narrator had a good voice. interesting biography and well paced. Will look for similar biographies.

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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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