Love Johnny Carson: One Obsessive Fan's Journey to Find the Genius Behind the Legend
Mark Malkoff · David Ritz
Oct 2025 · Penguin
Ebook
304
Pages
family_home
Eligible
info
infoThis book will become available on October 21, 2025. You will not be charged until it is released.
About this ebook
A wildly entertaining book by one of the most obsessed and informed fans on the planet of TV icon Johnny Carson, setting the record straight on Carson's legacy and shining light on the personality behind the legendary comedian and talk show host
Over the course of his thirty-year career, Johnny Carson appeared on some 4,500 broadcasts, interviewed over 25,000 guests, and solidified himself as a warm, witty, comforting presence to US audiences during turbulent times.
Carson aficionado Mark Malkoff has amassed more Carson stories from original sources than anyone in entertainment history, speaking to over four hundred individuals, and now, in Love Johnny Carson, he sets the record straight in this comprehensive portrait of Caron's life, career, legacy, and character. Read about the debuts of stand-up comics like David Letterman and Ellen DeGeneres, the never-before-detailed reasons why Johnny stopped talking to Joan Rivers, why he banned guests like William Shatner and Orson Welles, the true origins of Carnac the Magnificent (it wasn’t stolen from Steve Allen), the part Johnny played in getting Nixon elected president, the beloved comedian who the Carson writers dreaded guest hosting, and many other behind-the-scenes stories of the funniest and most beloved Carson moments of all time.
In the end, Malkoff's book serves not only as a biography but also as a love letter; a love letter to show business, to personalities, and to the singular show-business personality of Johnny Carson.
Over the course of his thirty-year career, Johnny Carson appeared on some 4,500 broadcasts, interviewed over 25,000 guests, and solidified himself as a warm, witty, comforting presence to US audiences during turbulent times.
Carson aficionado Mark Malkoff has amassed more Carson stories from original sources than anyone in entertainment history, speaking to over four hundred individuals, and now, in Love Johnny Carson, he sets the record straight in this comprehensive portrait of Caron's life, career, legacy, and character. Read about the debuts of stand-up comics like David Letterman and Ellen DeGeneres, the never-before-detailed reasons why Johnny stopped talking to Joan Rivers, why he banned guests like William Shatner and Orson Welles, the true origins of Carnac the Magnificent (it wasn’t stolen from Steve Allen), the part Johnny played in getting Nixon elected president, the beloved comedian who the Carson writers dreaded guest hosting, and many other behind-the-scenes stories of the funniest and most beloved Carson moments of all time.
In the end, Malkoff's book serves not only as a biography but also as a love letter; a love letter to show business, to personalities, and to the singular show-business personality of Johnny Carson.
About the author
Mark Malkoff is a podcast host and writer. He has been featured on Today, Good Morning America, CNN, NPR’s Weekend Edition, and for eight years hosted the popular podcast The Carson Podcast"
David Ritz is a renowned ghostwriter who has worked with everyone from Ray Charles to Willie Nelson to Aretha Franklin. As a lyricist, his songs include “Sexual Healing,” written with Marvin Gaye.
David Ritz is a renowned ghostwriter who has worked with everyone from Ray Charles to Willie Nelson to Aretha Franklin. As a lyricist, his songs include “Sexual Healing,” written with Marvin Gaye.
Reading information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.
