Love Johnny Carson

“Like a golden-age talk show, Malkoff’s book is a breezy entertainment with an easygoing style that conceals all the grueling work that surely went into making it.” – Shelf Awareness

“Malkoff’s book is both biography and love letter, revealing never-before-heard backstage stories about everyone from David Letterman and Ellen DeGeneres to Joan Rivers and William Shatner — and even the true origin of Carson’s iconic Carnac the Magnificent bit.” –Parade

“An affectionate, obsessive, and surprisingly revealing portrait of one of television’s most enigmatic figures… a heartfelt tribute and a fascinating character study.” –Library Journal

“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.” –KATU

“This is a book that rewards longtime Carson fans, but also a book that may prompt Carson novices to dig deeper.” –SF Chronicle

“Johnny Carson should be studied by every entertainer, social media content creator, and anyone serious about building a career, a business, and a lasting legacy. He was like artificial intelligence before it existed — you had to actually know what you were talking about. If you don’t know or can’t quite remember who Johnny Carson was, the book Love Johnny Carson will educate you so you never forget.” –George Lopez, actor and comedian

“On November 15th, 1991, I reached one of the pinnacles of my career: five minutes on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Mark Malkoff’s book is an in-depth, personal, and fascinating look at my first comedy hero, and a reminder of how important Johnny was to me and so many others.” –Ray Romano, actor and comedian

“Johnny Carson was simply the best late night television talk show host of all time – the standard by which other hosts will always be measured. Mark Malkoff’s wonderful book Love Johnny Carson is an amazingly entertaining and informative biography of the man who forever changed my life, and made millions of people laugh for decades. Johnny Carson was an American treasure, and this is truly a great read!” –Byron Allen, media mogul, comedian, and Carson guest

“Think you’ve heard every story about the great Johnny Carson? Think again. Mark Malkoff has many more to tell. In his entertaining tribute to the legendary Carson, Mark Malkoff brings the star, and the man, back to vivid life.” –Bill Carter, bestselling author of The War for Late Night

“Johnny Carson was a beloved cultural icon, and the stories told in this book help illustrate the man behind the legend. Love Johnny Carson is truly a labor of love, and a welcome historical document about a pivotal figure in television history. I think Johnny would be proud.” –Jennifer Tilly, actress and frequent Carson guest

“Highly, highly recommended. I assumed that after all my years with Johnny Carson, I knew pretty much everything you could know about him. Was I wrong! Love Johnny Carson will entertain, surprise, and sometimes startle you.” –Dick Cavett, author of Talk Show, host, and actor

“Think you’ve heard every story about the great Johnny Carson? Think again. Mark
Malkoff has many more to tell. In his entertaining tribute to the legendary Carson,
Mark Malkoff brings the star, and the man, back to vivid life.” —Bill Carter, bestselling author of The War for Late Night

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.

Ritz is a renowned writer and author who has worked with everyone from Ray Charles to Willie Nelson to Aretha Franklin. He’s written and cowritten sixty-five books, fifteen of which have been bestsellers, and is also a grammy award-nominated song writer.

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