This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed human. This is Sophie Cunningham from Show Me Something. Do you know the symptoms of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA, in adults with obesity? They may be happening to you without you knowing.
If anyone has ever said you snored loudly or if you spend your days fighting off excessive tiredness, irritability, and concentration issues, it may be due to OSA. OSA is a serious condition where your airway partially or completely collapses during sleep, which may cause breathing interruptions and oxygen deprivation. Learn more at don'tsleep on osa.com. This information is provided by Lilly, a medicine company. Mm-hmm.
So, let me get this straight. Your company has data here, there, and everywhere. But your AI can't use the data because It's here, there and everywhere. Seems like something's missing. Every business has unique data.
IBM helps your AI access your data wherever it lives to change how you do business. Let's create smarter business. IBM.
Okay. Only 10 more presents to wrap. You're almost at the finish line. But first In the night, I'm a fan shining bright. There.
The last one. Enjoy a Coca-Cola for a pause that. Refreshes. This is Rob Gronkowski from Dudes on Dudes with Gronk and Jules. For the second season in a row, I partnered with T-Mobile's Friday Night 5G Lights, powering up hometown football across America.
This year, T-Mobile invested over $4 million in prizes to help schools take their Friday nights to the next level.
Now it's time to crown our $1 million grand prize winner. A huge congrats to Derricks High School in Derricks, Arkansas, home of the Outlaws and your 2025 T-Mobile Friday Night 5G Lights Champion. They scored a home field upgrade, Gronk Fitness Weight Room, a 2026 tailgate party, and an all-expense paid trip to the SEC Championship game. to every school that competed, posted, and rallied your communities. Thank you, and a big thanks to T-Mobile for making it all possible and helping communities shine under the Friday night lights.
This season may be over, but the story isn't. Stay tuned for season three in 2026. Season two of Unrivaled Basketball is here, and the talent is unreal. Paige Beckers, Nafiza Collier, Kelsey Plum, Brianna Stewart, and more are back to redefine the game. Unrivaled Basketball, Season 2, sponsored by Samsung Galaxy, tips off January 5th on TNT, True TV, and HBO Max.
Uh This is Lee Habib and this is Our American Stories, the show where America is the star and the American people coming to you from the city where the West begins, Fort Worth, Texas. Johnny Carson aficionado Mark Malkoff has amassed more Carson stories from original sources than anyone in entertainment history. And now, in his book, In Love with Johnny Carson, he sets the record straight of Carson's life, career, legacy, and character. Let's take a listen. And then Now, ladies and gentlemen, here Johnny Carson for 30 years was the most famous man in America, maybe after the president, certainly the most recognizable.
He dominated popular American culture. For decades, people would tune in. to get Carson's Heake. On what was going on in the day, I do not know any better time capsule. Of 30 years from 1962 to 1992 on what the fashion was, the politics, what was socially acceptable, who was famous in everything from athletics to fashion to sports.
This is a man who, if he set a book on air, it could be a bestseller the next day. He mattered to people. Mm. Johnny Carson grew up in Nebraska, and he was this Midwestern man. And even though he was one of the highest paid people in Hollywood, the Nebraska never left him.
He was a very polite Midwest gentleman, and it showed. I grew up in the Midwest, kind of a normal, I guess what you'd call normal upbringing, you know, the... Part of the country. Uh my folks were supporting what I wanted to do. Did you always know what you wanted to do?
Oh, yeah. At the very beginning? Oh, sure. How old?
Well, I must have been about. 12, 13 years old, I knew I wanted to entertain. You like the attention? Oh, sure. But why?
Why you? I mean why at age 12 or 13? Because I was in a play or something and I got up and I did something and people laughed. And all of a sudden you say, Hey That sounds pretty good.
So it makes you the center of attention. Yes, but why did you want the D attention? Why did you watch that? Why did I want the attention? Because I was shy.
Ah. Because I was shy. Now that sounds like a an ambivalence, right? No. On stage, you see, when you're on stage in front of an audience.
you are kind of in control. When you're off of the stage or in a situation with a lot of people, you're not in control. And I felt awkward.
So I went into show business thinking it would give me a little more, I could overcome that shyness. Where do you think the shyness emanated from? I bought it in Chicago. The one thing talking about Johnny Carson, the most successful late night host in the history of the medium, consistently that people would tell me is that the people that knew him very well that he was the same Johnny on and off camera, which was very surprising because the media made him out to be very cold and aloof. And Johnny Carson was this very funny, polite person.
See, I'm a down to earth fella. Why should I know that? As a matter of fact, today I got out the old hammock. Went out, climbed in, laid there for a couple hours sipping a lemonade. Then I went back in.
My two butlers were getting tired holding up the hammock. People would tell me that, you know, Mark, Johnny Carson, he would be out in public and people would literally grab him by the arm because he was on five nights a week and say, Johnny, come meet my husband, come meet whoever. And the man just could not get any rest. I think you have to give up a certain amount of your freedom, of your privacy. In this business, it's a funny thing, it's a paradox.
When you're first starting, that's what you want. You want to be well known, you want to be successful. And part of being successful, I suppose, in the entertainment business is being recognized. and people coming up to you. Then after a while, you realize that you pay a certain amount for that, especially with children, if you have kids and you go someplace.
I remember once we went ice skating at Rockefeller Center, and I thought, gee, that would be fun. It turned out that it wasn't fun at all. Johnny started performing magic when he was 14 years old in Nebraska, and he really did struggle for compliments from his mother. No matter how important you think you are. or how much press you get.
mothers especially are always able to kind of level it real good. Remember when I got the Governor's Award from the Television Academy in 1980 and I called my mother. I said, Mom, they're giving me the The Governor's Award, you know, it's for your body of work in the television industry. And my mother said, I guess they know what they're doing. Back then in the Midwest, at least, it was very common for parents to compliment their kids to their friends or family, but they didn't want to give their kids swelled heads, they said, or egos.
Thank you. You really should stop applauding because you give me a big head. And uh, no, then my crown won't fit anymore.
So A lot of times they just would not praise their kids. You're always raised as a kid, you know, that you should be modest. But unfortunately in the entertainment business, that does not work. If you don't have a certain amount of ego, Now that doesn't mean uh cocksureness. It means a confidence in your own ability.
That I know what I do, I do it well, and when I walk in front of an audience, I know. that I am good. If you don't have that attitude, you shouldn't be out there. Johnny started doing magic, and that was the one thing that he felt his mom was proud of. He would entertain Ruth, Karst, and his mom, her clubs, and her groups.
And he said, it felt amazing to make my mother proud. Because Johnny Carson had a brother, Dick, and they had a sister, Catherine. And two of Johnny Carson's wives said that Ruth Carson did not like boys. It was very clear that she loved Catherine more than Dick and Johnny. And Johnny, throughout those teen years doing magic and even doing the tonight show, Part of the reason that really drove him was to get the compliments and try to find love from his mother.
I took up magic. when I was young because I was somewhat Shy and within myself, and I thought, well, that would be a good way to go to parties. I read those ads, you know, be the life of the party and get girls. Mainly, I got it, did it to get girls? Neither one worked well.
But lots of people do that. They'd like to get up and perform. You can be the center of attention without being yourself. His mother would watch the Tonight Show every single night. She would compliment him again in interviews, but never to his face.
But the myth became that she said that she did not find her son funny, which was not true. But Johnny was very hurt that that was the myth that was put out there that she did not find her son funny. And you've been listening to Mark Malkoff, his book, In Love with Johnny Carson, One Obsessive Fans' Journey to Find the Genius Behind the Legend. And we're learning a lot about what made Carson tick. That infamous interview with Rona Barrett, and I remember it because she kept pressing him.
And we learn a lot about his mother and his Midwest upbringing, and that humility and that basic kindness that he exhibited on that set for Americans to listen to. When we come back, more of the story of America's late night king, Johnny Carson. Here on Our American Stories. This is Lee Habib, and this is Our American Stories. And all of our history stories are brought to us by our generous sponsors, including Hillsdale College, where students go to learn all the things that are beautiful in life.
and all the things that matter in life. If you can't get to Hillsdale, Hillsdale will come to you with their free and terrific online courses. Go to hillsdale.edu. That's hillsdale.edu. Did you know you can opt out of winter?
With Verbo, save up to $1,500 for booking a month-long stay. With thousands of sunny homes, why subject yourself to the cold? Just filter your search by monthly stays and save up to $1,500. Book now at Verbo.com. You know what separates the pros from the rest?
It's not just talent, it's how you respond when the game gets tough. You dig in, you fight back, and when it comes to your health, that same mindset matters. Yeah, especially if you or someone you care about is facing metastatic prostate cancer. There's a treatment called Pluvicto, Lutetium, Lu177, Vipivitide, to Traxitan, and it's changing the game. Pluvicto isn't chemo.
It's a different kind of treatment that targets PSMA positive cells, including prostate cancer cells. Pluvicto can be used before chemotherapy for some people. Here's the official word. Pluvicto is a prescription treatment used to treat adults with prostate-specific membrane antigen-positive, metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, or PSMA-positive MCRPC who have already been treated with hormone therapy and are considered appropriate to delay chemotherapy.
Now, let's talk safety. Pluvicto involves contact with radioactivity, which may increase the risk for cancer and cause fetal harm. Drink plenty of fluids, urinate often, use contraception, and talk to your doctor about how to reduce the risk of exposing others to radiation during and after treatment. It can also cause low blood cell counts, kidney problems, and infertility. Tell your doctor if you notice weakness, pale skin, Shortness of breath, bleeding or bruising more easily, and infection or changes in urination.
Side effects include decreased blood cell counts, tiredness, dry mouth, nausea, appetite loss, joint or back pain, and constipation. Look. Every day matters. And if you're in the fight or know someone who is, this is a conversation worth having. Ask your doctor about Pluvicto because just like in football, every play, every decision, every second counts.
Visit pluvicto.com to learn more. That's P-L-U-V-I-C-T-O.com. Season two of Unrivaled Basketball is here and the talent is unreal. Paige Beckers, Nafiza Collier, Kelsey Plum, Brianna Stewart, and more are back to redefine the game. Unrivaled Basketball, season two, sponsored by Samsung Galaxy, tits off January 5th on TNT, True TV, and HBO Max.
Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public, you can build a multi-asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto, and now generated assets, which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high-free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year. You can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work.
It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one-of-a-kind index, and lets you backtest it against the SP 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like EFTs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com/slash podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com/slash podcast.
Paid for by Public Investing. Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc., member F-I-N-RA S-IPC. Advisory Services by Public Advisors LLC, SEC Registered Advisor. Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not investment recommendation or advice.
Complete disclosures available at public.com/slash disclosures. This is Sophie Cunningham from Show Me Something. Do you know the symptoms of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea or OSA in adults with obesity? They may be happening to you without you knowing. If anyone has ever said you snored loudly or if you spend your days fighting off excessive tiredness, irritability, and concentration issues, it may be due to OSA.
OSA is a serious condition where your airway partially or completely collapses during sleep, which may cause breathing interruptions and oxygen deprivation. Learn more at don't sleep on osa.com. This information is provided by Lilly, a medicine company. And we continue with our American stories and the story of Johnny Carson as told by author Mark Malkoff. Let's pick up.
Where we last left off. After a few years of Johnny Dewey and The Tonight Show, He became responsible for 25% of all of NBC's profits. He was the biggest star in television, and this is somebody who turned down the job numerous times. The gentleman who hosted the Tonight Show previously before him was Jack Parr. And Jack Parr was known for being controversial, for being very weepy on camera, just very emotional.
And Johnny and everyone else in entertainment said, nobody can replace this guy. And it was Johnny's wife, Joanne, who was the one that orchestrated everything behind the scenes. One of Johnny's producers, Peter Lasalle, told me Johnny had no idea that his wife was running the show behind the scenes. She was hiring producers for the tonight show, firing. And she is the one.
Behind Johnny's back, they got two NBC executives to show up to a Friars Club roast where Johnny was performing and orchestrated him being offered the Tonight Show. He turned it down and Joanne took him out to dinner to a restaurant in New York City, Danny's Hideaway. She said, I know you can do this, Johnny. I know you can do this. And he said, Nobody knows this, but the game show that I host, Who Do You Trust, which was on ABC, every ad-lib was written for me.
Every look to the camera when I copy my mentor, Jack Benny, that was written.
Now you may not, you know, you may not realize this. But Every move you make. Your delivery every little inflection that you have. is exactly The way I work. And I don't think it's fair.
Yeah. Back! And he said, I don't think I can do an hour and 45 minutes. And she said, won't work as a team. Yeah.
He finally said yes, and for two years the rumors were that Jack Parr or Murt Griffin was going to replace Johnny. Newspapers and even viewers would write in and said, We missed Jack Parr. Where's the controversy? And Johnny said, I am gonna do an entertainment show. People at 11:30, 11 o'clock are going to sleep with me.
They want an entertainment show. And he never deviated. The Jack Parr program was quite controversial. Why did you change the format? What was your reason for that?
I think shows that have gone in just for controversy. to bring on two people of opposing views is very easy night after night. It's easier to do that kind of a show than it is to get latched. And after about two years, People started to catch on. And before he knew it, two years in, he breaks Judy Garland's nightclub record in Las Vegas, the Sahara Hotel, and is one of the highest-paid performers in Las Vegas.
Johnny is booking every big star on the tonight show. He's dominating popular culture. He, in the late 60s, launches a men's line of clothing, setting records in the millions for American men that want to look and dress like Johnny Carson. I simply believe when a man is well-dressed, you just aren't aware of his clothes. I wear the suit.
It doesn't wear me. If you agree with this philosophy, I'd like you to take a look at the totally coordinated Johnny Carson Collection. for spring. He starts wearing turtlenecks on the air. Suddenly, everybody in popular culture is wearing turtlenecks because of this man.
Johnny said especially in the 60s that all he would think about is the show. And that was one of his flaws was being overly competitive. In 1971, he was living at the UN Plaza building. His neighbors were Robert F. Kennedy and Truman Capote.
And Johnny at 1130 in 1971 had four TVs right next to each other in his home. At 1130, he'd be watching himself, The Dick Havot Show, David Frost's TV show, and then I believe it was either Merc Griffin or Joey Bishop. There was never a more competitive individual in the history of the medium. He was torn in 1970, the year before, because he has all this competition. Dick Havitt's 10 years younger than him.
This other gentleman, David Frost, was 14 years younger than him. And his girlfriend at the time, who became his third wife, convinced him to stop dying his hair.
So he was looking older, and his mom, Ruth, who he revered, said, You are looking so old. And Johnny didn't know what to do. He faked hepatitis in 1970, told everyone that he had hepatitis, had to go to the hospital when he was actually getting eye cosmetic surgery from the most famous plastic surgeon in Manhattan, Dr. Tom Reese. And Johnny was horrified when he learned that hepatitis is contagious, so everybody at NBC.
On the staff had to get a painful gamma goblin shot. Over 200 people, guests like Tony Randall and all these famous people that had been on the show in the last couple of weeks had to come in and get shots. But then you had people that weren't even around Carson, that were NBC vice presidents, employees that weren't even around Carson, that wanted the shot so they could brag to their friends that the most famous man in America had proximity next to him.
So they were getting shots. And it became this rite of passage that they could brag to their friends, you know, I have this shot because I know Johnny Carson. But everyone did want to know Johnny. And watching him, people really felt that they know him. They would write Johnny letters.
They would call up the show and ask to talk to him. They really, during very dark times, thought of him as a friend. You can come home at night, you turn on the TV, you just want to have a laugh. He never brought you down to, oh, here's what's going on. Oh, my life is so horrible.
He always elevated everybody up, and I think that was the key. You felt good after watching the show. In 1968, you have Martin Luther King, who was assassinated. You have Johnny's neighbor, Robert F. Kennedy, who was good friends with Johnny, who was assassinated, who would come to Johnny's office and they would spend time together.
And you have this really dark time with Vietnam. And Johnny, every single night, was the one thing that was consistent where after the news, the depressing news, you could escape with Johnny. You never knew Johnny's politics. Johnny would come out and equally make fun. Of everybody and never questioned anybody's patriotism.
It was always about what they said or did. Do you get sensitive about the fact that people say he'll never take a serious controversy?
Well, I have an answer to that. I said, no, tell me the last time that Jack Benny... Red skeleton. Vani comedian. Used his show to do serious issues.
That's not what I'm there for. Can't they see that? But you're not they think that just because you have a tonight show that you must deal in serious issues. That's a danger. It's a real danger.
Once you start that, You start to get that self-important feeling that what you say has great import. And you know, strangely enough, you could use that show as a form. You could sway people. And I don't think you should as an entertainer. In fact, in 30 years, you'd be hard-pressed to guess who Johnny Erer voted for.
And that's the way it should be. Why alienate half your audience? Every presidential administration, they thought that Johnny was biased against them. Jimmy Carter's mom did not like Johnny's jokes and was upset until she finally went on the show and met him and thought he was very charming and changed his opinion. Nancy Reagan called the show twice when Ronald Reagan was president.
The first time she was upset, she said, My husband Ronnie does not dye his hair.
So Johnny went on the next night and said, I just want to let everyone know Ronald Reagan, our president, does not dye his hair, but he does bleach his face. I mean, how do you balance the budget?
Well, balancing the budget is like protecting your virtual virtual virtual. You don't spend more than you take in, right? It's like protecting your virtue. You have to learn to say no.
So, Johnny, when he was 17, after he graduated high school, he hitchhiked to Los Angeles. The first thing he did was buy a map where all the famous stars lived, and he went to Jack Benny's house. Jack Benny was his hero comedian, and waited for Jack Benny to come out of his house, which he didn't do. And then Johnny went to the Navy. He had enlisted, but he wasn't officially a member of the Navy.
So he bought a uniform and he dressed up and he snuck into the USO shows and got to see Orson Welles do magic. He danced with Marlena Dietrich. He saw Rita Hayworth and he was promptly arrested and charged. I think he had to pay $50 bond. He had his aunt and uncle bail him out, but he was impersonated in an officer.
And you've been listening to Mark Malkoff, and he's the author of In Love with Shawnee Carson, One Obsessive Fans Journey to Find the Genius Behind the Legend. And we're doing just that. He's explaining. And telling the story of so much of what made Carson Carson, from his Midwest upbringing to all that time spent in magic. And being a game show host in a context where he's provided almost every cue, joke.
even mannerism to his wife pushing him, driving him. to this show that would be his own, that would change. how late night was done, more laughs, more entertainment. And my goodness, we learn about Carson's competitive streak. Watching all three hosts at night who were competing against him at 11:30 rather than go out and have a drink or just go to sleep.
And of course, in the end, his deep aversion to getting into the politics of the day, and if you could have avoided it in 1968. You could have avoided it. any time in American history. The story of the late night king of American television, Johnny Carson, continues here on Our American Stories. You know what separates the pros from the rest?
It's not just talent, it's how you respond when the game gets tough. You dig in, you fight back, and when it comes to your health, that same mindset matters. Yeah, especially if you or someone you care about is facing metastatic prostate cancer. There's a treatment called Pluvicto, Lutetium, Lu177, Vipivitide, to Traxatan, and it's changing the game. Pluvicto isn't chemo.
It's a different kind of treatment that targets PSMA positive cells, including prostate cancer cells. Pluvicto can be used before chemotherapy for some people. Here's the official word. Pluvicto is a prescription treatment used to treat adults with prostate-specific membrane antigen-positive, metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, or PSMA-positive MCRPC who have already been treated with hormone therapy and are considered appropriate to delay chemotherapy.
Now, let's talk safety. Pluvicto involves contact with radioactivity, which may increase the risk for cancer and cause fetal harm. Drink plenty of fluids, urinate often, use contraception, and talk to your doctor about how to reduce the risk of exposing others to radiation during and after treatment. It can also cause low blood cell counts, kidney problems, and infertility. Tell your doctor if you notice weakness, pale skin, shortness of breath, bleeding or bruising more easily, and infection or changes in urination.
Side effects include decreased blood cell counts, tiredness, dry mouth, nausea, appetite loss, joint or back pain, and constipation. Look. Every day matters. And if you're in the fight or know someone who is, this is a conversation worth having. Ask your doctor about Pluvicto because just like in football, every play, every decision, every second counts.
Visit pluvicto.com to learn more. That's P-L-U-V-I-C-T-O.com. Season two of Unrivaled Basketball is here and the talent is unreal. Paige Beckers, Nafiza Collier, Kelsey Plum, Brianna Stewart, and more are back to redefine the game. Unrivaled Basketball, season two, sponsored by Samsung Galaxy, tips off January 5th on TNT, True TV, and HBO Max.
Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public, you can build a multi-asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto, and now generated assets, which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high-free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year. You can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work.
It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one-of-a-kind index, and lets you backtest it against the SP 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like EFTs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com/slash podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com/slash podcast.
Paid for by Public Investing, Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc., member F-I-N-R-A-S-I-P-C. Advisory services by Public Advisors LLC, SEC Registered Advisor. Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures available at public.com/slash disclosures.
This is Sophie Cunningham from Show Me Something. Do you know the symptoms of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea or OSA in adults with obesity? They may be happening to you without you knowing. If anyone has ever said you snored loudly or if you spend your days fighting off excessive tiredness, irritability, and concentration issues, it may be due to OSA. OSA is a serious condition where your airway partially or completely collapses during sleep, which may cause breathing interruptions and oxygen deprivation.
Learn more at don'sleep on OSA dot com. This information is provided by Lilly, a medicine company. Uh So, let me get this straight. Your company has data here, there, and everywhere. But your AI can't use the data because It's here, there and everywhere.
Seems like something's missing. Every business has unique data. IBM helps your AI access your data wherever it lives to change how you do business. Let's create smarter business. IBM.
And we continue with our American stories and with author Mark Malkoff's story. of Johnny Carson. His life story continues. Let's pick up. where we last left off.
Johnny went into the Navy. He was there for a few years. After he graduates college, he's a big star in Omaha. He's doing radio, everything's good, and he could have stayed there forever and been a star, but he had greater ambition. And he went out to Los Angeles and he did a local show.
His goal was one year to have his own show like he did in Omaha. And he did a show called Carson Cellar. Carson Cellar! And it was a big hit. And one day, a famous comedian, Red Skelton, had hurt himself in rehearsal.
And they had less than an hour that they were going to be doing the show live nationally from CBS. And Red, as he was being put in the ambulance, said, Call that Johnny Carson kid. He can do this.
So Johnny Carson in his Woodland Hills, California home. He was in his garage when he got the call, We Need You Here in Less Than An Hour. Johnny Carson saved the day. He had. the 10,000 hours of practice.
He had been doing this since he was 14 years old. Doing magic, doing radio, doing comedy. He was prepared. It was the biggest break of his life. The Red Skelton Renew.
My name is Johnny Carson. This afternoon address rehearsal, just about an hour and a half ago. The red slipped during one of the sketches and injured himself. And the injury is not really too serious, but Red's doctor advised him that it wouldn't be too best to do the show today. Personally, I think Red's doctor should do the show.
You taught me a lot. I stole a lot from you. No, you didn't. Oh, yes, I did. No, no.
It's like the students. They say, when Johnny was with you at one time, you helped him get started. I said, no, nobody helps you get started. If you've got talent, they can put you behind a brick wall. You'll come through, you know?
Oh, that's nice.
So that's what you have. The next day, it was national news that the local boy made good nationally, and he got his own national TV show called The Johnny Carson Show on CPS. and he was on his way. The Johnny Carson Show. Story?
Johnny Tarson. The Johnny Carson show, Johnny would say, Was one of his biggest failures. There were too many cooks in the kitchen. They wouldn't let him do his thing, he said, and it didn't last, and he was out of work. Johnny went to Bakersfield, California to try to break in his own comedy act, a nightclub act.
He was running out of money. He had young kids and he was panicking. Very few people went to Bakersfield. He would make jokes at Bakerfield's expense for years because he was so scarred from this nightclub act that failed. His agents didn't come to see him.
They sent two junior agents who didn't even stick around afterwards. Johnny didn't know what he was going to do until somebody gave him an audition for a game show in New York called Who Do You Trust on ABC. Who do you trust? Here's the star of our show, Johnny Quesson. Thank you very much.
Welcome to who do you trust? We have another tie to break on the show. Johnny got the job. He was so broke he had to borrow $2,000 from his dad in Nebraska to move his family to New York. And Johnny became a huge star.
He was a game show host where he hired a man named Ed McMahon, who would go on to be his announcer on the Tonight Show for 30 years. And on that game show, his star was rising. And that is when Jack Parr, who was hosting the Tonight Show, was leaving. And Jack said, There's only one person that I think can replace me, and his name is Johnny Carson. And Johnny got the 10-night show after that.
It is no great secret, and I'm sure ABC won't mind if I mention this. What can they do to me if I do? Fire me today? But I go over to on the Tonight Show on NBC starting October the 1st as the host of that show, and Ed goes with me as the announcer on the show, so I'm going to mention that. Ed McMahon and Johnny on Who Do You Trust were very good friends.
They would go next door to Sardis and have drinks between tapings. But when Johnny got the tonight show, he didn't want to be associated with Who Do You Trust, so he was going to bring in a different announcer, his friend Hank Sims. Johnny flew out to California in Vagina. Hank to come with him and he wouldn't come.
So one night, Ed McMahon took Johnny Carson and the wives out to a restaurant to Danny's hideaway. And Ed McMahon got on his hands and knees, tears down his face, begging, Johnny, you have to take me. King of Prussia, I just bought a new home. I can't pay for the doorknobs. You have to take me, please.
And Johnny got embarrassed and said, fine, okay, I'll take you. Just stop crying. Ed made the best decision of his life, 30 years of employment. Because of that Act. Ed and Johnny needed each other.
There were times where Ed overstepped and Johnny was very upset. But overall, Ed was very, very good at what he did. There were a lot of jokes that were manufactured about Ed being a big drinker. Truth be told, he was only really drunk once on the show. The real person that had that alcohol issue was Johnny Carson.
Johnny didn't hide it. He would talk on the Tonight Show that he struggled with alcohol. I think that's one of the reasons why people really related to him because he was himself out there. It was real. Everything he said was real.
Whether he was talking about divorces or drinking or whatever it might be, it really happened to him. And I thought that was really cool. He would talk about his flaws. He was overly competitive. He was so competitive, it would affect his family life.
But the drinking, he would say, he'd be okay, he'd be fine. And then he had one more drink and he would turn into Attila the Hun and he would want to fight everyone. I don't handle alcohol well at all. No. Really don't.
Oh, Ed and I have uh had some wonderful times in the past. October 1st, 1962 is a day I'll always remember. I was 36 years old, taking my place as host of America's most popular late-night program. The tonight show.
So as we're walking down, I said, How do you see my role down here tonight? And he said, Ed, I don't even know how I see my own role. Let's just go down and entertain the hell out of them. Two, one, music take. From New York with Tonight Show, starring Johnny Carson.
Johnny's guests tonight are John Crawford, Cody Valley, Tony Bennett, May. Skitch Anderson with the NBC Orchestra and me. In New York, it was very unique. The guests all had to come in person for their pre-interviews because it didn't matter who you were, you would have to come in into New York days prior to sit down with a talent coordinator and come up with interesting stories for Johnny. It was an entertainment show.
It wasn't about education. It was about entertaining America. And they would work with each other to get the most entertaining stories. Jerry Lewis one time said that he would put Johnny up there with Chaplet. He was that funny and that good at what he did with comedy.
Johnny struggled with competition. There was nobody more competitive and something was going to suffer. And that unfortunately were his marriages and his kids. But Carson did regret, and he would tell people that he wished he was a better father. He just didn't think that he could make both work.
Johnny was an excellent stepfather to his third wife, Joanna, had a son, Ricky, who was a teenager. And that is when Johnny shined as a father. But definitely, that was a regret he had up until he died, that he wish he was a better father. And you've been listening to author Mark Malkoff. His book, In Love with Johnny Carson, One Obsessive Fans' Journey to Find the Genius Behind the Legend, is filled, filled with terrific stories in which we learn what made this man tick, this legend tick.
And my goodness, it's in the end his deeply competitive nature, wanting to, as we heard earlier, bust through that wall. and get to where he wanted to be, which is he wanted to be a star. Period. And his big break came with a game show of all things. Who do you trust?
and there was Ed McBahn, who would be by Carson's side for 30 years. Then he gets that call that changes his life. and that's to replace Jack Parr, then the king of late night. And even Parr himself understood that Carson may have been the only person. who could have replaced him.
And we learn a bit about what made Carson so great. It wasn't just the prep, it wasn't just the experience, it wasn't just his drive to entertain and to be number one, but it was him opening up about his real life, his flaws, his drinking. These divorces. When we come back, more of the story of Johnny Carson, America's late night king. Here.
on our American stories. You know what separates the pros from the rest? It's not just talent, it's how you respond when the game gets tough. You dig in, you fight back, and when it comes to your health, that same mindset matters. Yeah, especially if you or someone you care about is facing metastatic prostate cancer.
There's a treatment called pluvicto, lutetium, lu-177, vipivatide, to traxetan. And it's changing the game. Pluvicto isn't chemo. It's a different kind of treatment that targets PSMA positive cells, including prostate cancer cells. Pluvicto can be used before chemotherapy for some people.
Here's the official word. Pluvicto is a prescription treatment used to treat adults with prostate-specific membrane antigen-positive, metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, or PSMA-positive MCRPC who have already been treated with hormone therapy and are considered appropriate to delay chemotherapy.
Now, let's talk safety. Pluvicto involves contact with radioactivity, which may increase the risk for cancer and cause fetal harm. Drink plenty of fluids, urinate often, use contraception, and talk to your doctor about how to reduce the risk of exposing others to radiation during and after treatment. It can also cause low blood cell counts, kidney problems, and infertility. Tell your doctor if you notice weakness, pale skin, shortness of breath, bleeding or bruising more easily, and infection or changes in urination.
Side effects include decreased blood cell counts, tiredness, dry mouth, nausea, appetite loss, joint or back pain, and constipation. Look. Every day matters. And if you're in the fight or know someone who is, this is a conversation worth having. Ask your doctor about Pluvicto because, just like in football, every play, every decision, every second counts.
Visit pluvicto.com to learn more. That's P-L-U-V-I-C-T-O.com. Season 2 of Unrivaled Basketball is here and the talent is unreal. The best women's players on the planet are running it back with even bigger moments and bigger stakes. Don't miss as Paige Beckers, Nafiza Collier, Kelsey Plum, Brianna Stewart, and more take the court and redefine the game.
This isn't your regular season. This is Unrivaled, where the pace is faster, the energy is higher, and every athlete shines. Unrivaled Basketball, Season 2, sponsored by Samsung Galaxy, tips off January 5th on TNT, True TV, and HBO Max. Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public, you can build a multi-asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto, and now generated assets, which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI.
It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high-free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one-of-a-kind index, and lets you backtest it against the SP 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like EFTs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's.
Go to public.com/slash podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com/slash podcast. Paid for by Public Investing, Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc., member F-I-N-R-A-S-IPC. Advisory Services by Public Advisors LLC, SEC Registered Advisor. Generated assets is an interactive analysis tool.
Output is for informational purposes only and is not investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures available at public.com/slash disclosures. This is Sophie Cunningham from Show Me Something. Do you know the symptoms of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea or OSA in adults with obesity? They may be happening to you without you knowing.
If anyone has ever said you snored loudly or if you spend your days fighting off excessive tiredness, irritability, and concentration issues, it may be due to OSA. OSA is a serious condition where your airway partially or completely collapses during sleep, which may cause breathing interruptions and oxygen deprivation. Learn more at don'tsleep on osa.com. This information is provided by Lilly, a medicine company. Uh So you're telling me that the AI that's meant to make everyone's job easier to manage?
Just adds more to manage, on top of the thousands of apps the IT department already manages. Funny how that works. Any business can add AI. IBM helps you scale and manage AI to change how you do business. Let's create smarter business.
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Okay, yeah. We won't, we won't be able to do it. And we continue with our American stories and the story of Johnny Carson, America's late night king. Let's pick up where we last left off. Here's author.
Mark Malkoff. The only reason Saturday Night Live exists is because of Johnny Carson. In nineteen seventy four, Johnny decided he did not want reruns of the Tonight Show. To be played on Saturday nights, two young men in their 20s named Lauren Michaels and Dick Eppersall sat down with Johnny Carson in Johnny's office and they proposed doing a show on NBC a variety sketch comedy show. Johnny just wanted to make sure that it had nothing to do with his show, that it wasn't going to be a copy of the tonight show.
And Johnny gave them the blessing. In October of 1975, Saturday Night Live was born only because of Johnny Carson's influence. Carson never imagined that that would be the show that played a huge role in Johnny deciding to retire. Johnny's hero comedically was Jack Benny. He loved Bob Hope as well, but he thought that both of them stayed around way too long and he perceived that their best work was done when they were much younger.
Johnny was in his 60s and Saturday Night Live started to do sketches making fun of him. He thought they were mean-spirited. Dana Carvey would play Johnny Carson. They were written by Robert Smeigel. And every time the sketches were about to happen, And somebody at NBC would tell Johnny, We don't know if it's gonna get to air, but it's gonna be at the dress rehearsal at least, and they're gonna do another at one of those sketches.
And Johnny said, I don't find them funny. They can do whatever they want. We make fun of people on this show. I just don't understand it. My idea was Johnny has this thing that no one can touch.
Maybe I can have the kids of that demographic. Maybe I can have the children of Johnny's audience. That's the key. Don't compete. Find what's uniquely yours.
And they did a sketch called Carsinio, which was a takeoff of Arsinio Hall Show and then Johnny Carson dressing like Arsinio with spiked hair and and wearing young person's clothes like Arsinio. My first guest tonight, you all know. He plays norm on the number one show on television cheers. Let's turn it up for Mr. George Went.
Is this dope? Is this dope stuff? Look at this. You are correct, Sam. This is dope stuff right here, right now.
George, I'm concerned about you, George. I'm concerned about you. What are you talking about?
Well, a drastic personality change like this can, you know, really be very dangerous. Major China? I I did not know that. Did you know that, Ed? Yes.
Yeah. You shouldn't feel embarrassed, Johnny. I mean, this is rather common among people your age. It's okay. Johnny just really did not want to be perceived.
As somebody that was old hat and just making references from decades ago and just not current, so Johnny decided. In 1991, that he would stand on stage at the NBC Affiliates meeting, which was an annual event at Carnegie Hall. In shock. NBC and the country by saying, I'm going to be leaving the tonight show one year from today. Nobody had any idea that this was gonna happen.
Johnny's last year on the show. Was the biggest celebration of late night in the history of the medium? Everybody who had been made on that show wanted to come back and thank him. Everybody from Jerry Seinfeld coming on and saying nobody knows what this show means to a comedian to Bette Midler being Johnny's final guest and singing to him. Uh All of the years, for the laughs, for the tears, for the class that you show.
And winning an Emmy for that performance and just the genuine emotion of Carson with tears in his eyes and Miss Midler running off stage because she was sobbing and crying. It was it was Television history: that Johnny was leaving the show. He was saying goodbye. and America was heartbroken. But sure enough, Johnny went too.
NBC Burbank for the final time to do the Two Night Show May 22nd, 1992. Johnny at the very end. Told uh America. I am one of the lucky people in the world. I found something I always wanted to do.
and I have enjoyed every single minute of it. I want to thank The gentleman who've shared this stage with me for 30 years, Mr. Ed McMahon. Mr. Doc Sevenson.
And you people watching, I can only tell you that it has been an honor. and the privilege to come into your homes all these years and entertain you. And I hope when I find something that I want to do and I think you will like and come back that you'll be. As gracious and inviting me into your home as you have been. I bid you a very heartfelt good night.
And one of his favorite songs, I'll Be Seen, played with the band, and band members had tears in their eyes. Carson did too. There were people on staff that were convinced Carson would not be emotional, but Johnny just could feel the love from those 465 people in the audience and the viewers that. Had just, I mean, Johnny had driven to work. He'd been up since 3:30 a.m.
because he was so from the night before with Betmith or was so. Wound up and just could not believe that that actually happened. He was driving to work, and there would be banners on the highway. We're going to miss you, Johnny. Goodbye, Johnny.
Every camera crew outside NBC Burbank, it became a circus. People camping out overnight for tickets. You know, for my entire career, I've heard comedians in bars debate over who do you think is going to get the tonight show after Johnny leaves. what nobody realized. Is that when you left, you were going to pack it up and take it with you.
Which is what he did. Because that show never existed again. There never was a tonight show. It was Carson. And he is saying goodbye to America.
So he walks off the stage. He gets with his wife and they get in the limousine, which drives a minute to an NBC telepad helicopter that's waiting for him. The first time ever Johnny takes a helicopter back to his home in Malibu because he's going to have a party for his staff, and he has the Les Brown Orchestra playing on his tennis court across the street. He set that up. Where they had music, and Johnny, with all the pressure off, finally, everyone that was coming, he would greet them.
He wanted to be there before everyone to greet them and give people hugs. And there were people on the show that had never seen Johnny that relaxed because every single show day was game day, and you were going to have all your energy and concentration on the show. But suddenly, there was no more pressure. And it was this man who they had been employed with for 30 years, who they looked up to, who they worshipped, who they just wanted to be excellent because Johnny had demanded excellent of himself, but they just wanted to please him. And just the fact that this was ending, it was some of the most special years of their life.
And they got to thank the man and just to spend that time with him. And then Johnny, for two years after that, would make appearances. People thought they would never see him again. But for two years, Johnny, after retirement, he did The Simpsons, he did a cameo in Letterman, he did the Bob Hope 90th birthday, the American Teacher Awards. He goes to the White House and gets the presidential medal.
of freedom from George Herbert Walker Bush. One of America's greatest television personalities, Johnny Carson left the Nebraska Plains to preside over late-night TV for almost 30 years. The United States honors Johnny Carson, who personifies the heart and humor of America. Does the Kennedy Center honors?
So he makes appearances, but in May of 94, he makes his final appearance. When he makes a cameo on Dave Letterman's show, when Dave is in Los Angeles at CBS Television City. And after that, we never got to see Johnny again. He put out clips of the show on VHS. And me, Mark Mankoff, as a teenager, when it was time for the holidays and I wanted a present, I didn't want Nintendo, I didn't want football cards, I didn't want anything that people my age typically wanted.
I wanted the Johnny Carson VHS box set. And when I got it, I had this beautiful Hirschfeld print of Johnny Carson with a facsimile autograph. And I wore those VHS tapes out. Johnny personally picked his favorite moments from the show with comedians, with animals, with guests, with sketches. Johnny has been off the air now for over three decades.
He's been gone from the earth for 20 years. Johnny recently would have turned 100 years old. He is missed by America to this day, but his work lives on. And millions of people still watch the clips that are just as funny as they were decades previously. And younger generations constantly, because of YouTube, are finding what made Johnny special and made him the king of late night.
And a terrific job in the production, editing, and storytelling by our own Greg Hengler. And a special thanks to Mark Malkoff. His book, In Love with Johnny Carson, won Obsessive Fans' Journey to Find the Genius Behind the Legend. Is available wherever you buy your books. Again, that's in love with Johnny Cardson.
Get this book. You won't put it down. And my goodness, what a story he told us about. Johnny understanding that, well, he didn't want to go out past his prime. And he'd worried that that's what Jack Benny and Bob Hope had done.
He admired both of those men and in the end, watch his comedy carefully and watch Jack Benny, and particularly. Careful, and you learn so much about Carson's great talent, which is the reaction. He's just so present, his ability to react to his guests. as good as we've ever seen in the history of television. And of course, then came that chakra in 1991.
Johnny just decided to end things, and it was so smart. He gave it one year, not a second farewell, not a third year farewell. One in that final performance. I know I cried. 30 years later and 20 years after his death, Carson's work.
Still on YouTube. entertaining us, and in the end relieving us of some of life's daily problems and exigencies. The story of Johnny Carson, America's late-night king, here on Our American Stories. Season 2 of Unrivaled Basketball is here and the talent is unreal. The best women's players on the planet are running it back with even bigger moments and bigger stakes.
Don't miss as Paige Becker, Snafiza Collier, Kelsey Plum, Brianna Stewart, and more take the court and redefine the game. This isn't your regular season. This is Unrivaled, where the pace is faster, the energy is higher, and every athlete shines. Unrivaled Basketball, Season 2, sponsored by Samsung Galaxy, tips off January 5th on TNT, True TV, and HBO Max. Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously.
On Public, you can build a multi-asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto, and now generated assets, which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high-free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one-of-a-kind index, and lets you backtest it against the SP 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks.
Generated assets are like EFTs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com/slash podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com/slash podcast. Paid for by Public Investing, Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc., member F-I-N-R-A-S-IPC. Advisory Services by Public Advisors LLC, SEC Registered Advisor.
Generated assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures available at public.com/slash disclosures. This is Sophie Cunningham from Show Me Something. Do you know the symptoms of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea or OSA in adults with obesity?
They may be happening to you without you knowing. If anyone has ever said you snored loudly or if you spend your days fighting off excessive tiredness, irritability, and concentration issues, it may be due to OSA. OSA is a serious condition where your airway partially or completely collapses during sleep, which may cause breathing interruptions and oxygen deprivation. Learn more at don'tsleep on osa.com. This information is provided by Lilly, a medicine company.
Okay. Only ten more presents to wrap. You're almost at the finish line. But first. In the night, shining bright.
There. The last one. Enjoy a Coca-Cola for a pause that Are you fresh as? Healthcare can feel complicated. That's why Optum uses technology to connect the people and processes that make healthcare easier, more affordable, and more effective.
We're making it clearer for you to know exactly what your benefits cover. And to help you better manage your health, we're coordinating care between your doctors and your technology. We believe better, simpler healthcare is always possible. That's healthy optimism. That's optim.
Visit optum.com to learn more. This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed human. Mm-hmm.
