Thinking of Johnny Carson's public image, you would think that he was a pretty confident guy. But being privy to his personal life by Bushkin, we learn that he was very shy, a boozer and a smoker, insecure, very private and surrounded himself with money hungry people for which he had to keep playing, "Who do you trust?" He was misled by bad advice from previous attorneys and agents who supervised his career while he starred on The Tonight Show. His second wife was cheating on him, his manager was screwing him financially and his agents were exploiting him.
Along comes Henry Bushkin, a young up and coming lawyer whom Johnny quickly liked. Henry was Johnny's lawyer, agent manager and janitor. They played tennis together as it was Johnny's favorite pastime. Henry would let him win most of the time because winning had a positive influence on Johnny's persona.We also learn that Johnny disliked his mother, Ruth, who would drive him nuts because she said he didn't measure up.
Johnny was generous to a fault with money but not emotional support.Henry's role handled many of Johnny's issues, i.e., his divorce from Joanne, his business dealings, matters of his Tonight Show contracts and his apparel deal. Johnny always needed cash, not having much around due to bad deals.Henry was his Consigliere as in the movie The Godfather that Johnny liked. Henry and Johnny had a lawyer/client relationship as Carson was very protective of his private and public life.
Johnny had 3 sons with first wife Jody but he was not a good father. And he wasn't good husband material. He cheated a lot. He didn't like to be needed.A mobster once took out a contract on Carson for interfering with his girlfriend after throwing him down a flight of stairs.
Carson was finally getting big bucks, e.g., 5 million a year as soon as Henry negotiated his contracts at NBC and he was becoming rich. Joanna, his third wife was a model and beautiful and he pursued her relentlessly while still married to Joanne. After the divorce from Joanne was final, Johnny married Joanna believing that married men live longer than single men. They lived in splendor on St. Cloud Rd. in Bel Air California near the Reagans.Their divorce cost him 35 million because he couldn't bring himself to draw up a pre-nuptual agreement beforehand. He felt that he'd never need it with Joanna.
Johnny was the subject of an extortion plot that he was brave enough to pull through and he wore a gun on his hip. He would be sent food from fans that happened to be laced with laxatives and his secretary became very ill after eating some of it. So he never ate anything from fans. He was also second on the list of Mark David Chapman who murdered John Lennon. So, he had to be careful.
In 1979 Johnny wanted out out of The Tonight Show after 17 years. He and NBC entered into a private dispute handled by a judge.Johnny won and became a free agent. He continued on The Tonight Show, formed Carson Productions and was making more money than he would ever need.He married Alexis Maas, separated and never divorced after 18 years.
Johnny was a complex person and Henry Bushkin paints an accurate portrait of all his complexities and mood swings. As time went on, Johnny became bitter and drove people away from him. Henry was dismayed with Johnny and Johnny felt the same way about Henry.
Johnny died alone in 2005 from emphesema and left a 450 million fortune left to various charities.
The book is very interesting and well written. Johnny's fans will love to read about the man, the myth and the magic.
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Top reviews from other countries
Andrés
The best entertainer in the world
Reviewed in Spain on February 16, 2021
Andrés
Reviewed in Spain on February 16, 2021
I cannot understand why he had to carry such misery along with him. Perhaps he saw better than anyone the need to put a Johnny Carson in our lives, because he could see too well through the disappointment and disgrace. Ultimately, he became that special man as a gift to himself, he craved it more than anyone
Henry Bushkin portrayed this man in the driest, as if you could feel his look, his meaning and his air, which is what life itself portrays. I couldn't put down this book, and so will feel whoever sees a world too devoid of human condition and consequences when they look around, away from tales like this
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MPR
Carson. The King of late show. Told by his lawyer
Reviewed in Italy on September 13, 2020Freeway Jam
Great read - some very detailed insights in to the ...
Reviewed in Canada on November 20, 2015