About this episode

Mark Malkoff discusses his new book about Johnny Carson and shares behind-the-scenes stories from the late-night TV legend's life.

Mark Malkoff is a comedian, writer, and podcast host. 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. His new book, "Love Johnny Carson," is a wildly entertaining account by one of the world's most obsessed and informed fans of TV icon Johnny Carson, setting the record straight on Carson's legacy and shining a light on the personality behind the legendary comedian and talk show host. 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 Carson's life, career, legacy, and character. The book covers 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…

People in this episode

Host: Randall Kenneth Jones

Guest: Mark Malkoff

Topics covered

• entertainment
• comedy
• late night TV
• Johnny Carson
• obsessive behavior

Keywords

• Mark Malkoff
• Johnny Carson
• comedy
• late night TV
• obsession
• Love Johnny Carson
• Carson Podcast
• entertainment history

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Carson Podcast, Today, Good Morning America, CNN, NPR

Books & works: Love Johnny Carson

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