Bushkins personal and business relationship with carson stretched from. Henry bushkin was carsons lawyer and closest confidante for. Johnny carson and henry bushkin during a 1981 cruise to the greek isles. The book, simply titled johnny carson, is a major publishing event. Johnny carson, by henry bushkin the new york times. Bushkins account is by turns shocking, poignant, and uproariouswritten with a novelists eye for detail, a screenwriters ear for dialogue, and a knack for comic timing that carson himself would relish. Johnny carson was endlessly witty and enormously fun to be around, bushkin writes in this compulsively readable book about the notoriously. A great deal of palpable hubris shadows the pages of johnny carson, bushkins new book about the 18 years he spent in the employ of the tonight show host. Too much henry, not enough johnny in carson bio usa today. He presents a close up view of a very complex individual that most of us knew only through the tv screen.
In johnny carson, the latenight legends lawyer henry bushkin. Buy johnny carson first printing by bushkin, henry isbn. Johnny carson by henry bushkin is an exceptional biography of the onetime king of late night. This story focuses on carson at the height of his fame. Below, a complete excerpt from bushkins upcoming book, out oct 15, 20. Bushkins book is somewhat well crafted and often compelling. Its easy to approach this book thinking that its author has an ax to grind. In his new book, bushkin who served as carsons lawyer and confidant for almost two decades reveals the. Tonight show secrets, partying in vegas, and helping carson break into his second wifes.
Johnny carson unveils not only the hidden carson, but also the raucous, starstudded world he ruled. In his rambling, haplessly written and arrogant memoir masquerading as a biography, johnny carson, henry bushkin offers a glimpse of only a small slice of carsons life, the 18 years that bushkin served as carsons attorney. It is now payback time for bushkin, whose book johnny carson offers a fallen insiders look at the highmaintenance superstar who dominated the small screen with brilliant monologues. Bushkin is hoping that two decades after carsons tonight exit, and with several books about his former boss already in print, johnny junkies remain insatiable. Johnny carson confidante and book author reveals carsons. Bushkin explains why carson, a voracious and very talented womanizer, felt he always had to be married. Johnny carson by henry bushkin a tellplenty memoir by johnny carsons lawyer depicts the star as a nasty, addictive womanizer. Buy johnny carson unabridged by bushkin, henry, hill, dick isbn. This naive pose deprives the book of some badly needed context. From 1962 to 1992, johnny carson and his tonight show dominated the american consciousness. One thing this book really shows is how different a lifestyle someone like carson has from the normal everyday person.
It is extremely well researched and extremely well written. Henry bushkin could be in trouble for failing to list his bestselling johnny carson biography as an asset in bankruptcy court. Johnny carson by henry bushkiin the washington post. I was his attorney, but more properly, i was his lawyer, counselor, partner, employee, business advisor, earpiece. Fresh out of vanderbilt law school at 23, bushkin began working for carson in 1970 and had, arguably, the closest and sturdiest relationship with carson of the entertainers entire life until its acrimonious end in 1988 johnny terminated our relationship in a mere. Were hearing for the first time from the author of the tellall book, johnny carson that is shocking the nation. Doc severinsen was never one to tone down either his wardrobe or his words when he was the longtime bandleader on the tonight show with johnny carson. He dishes freely about life in the cutthroat world of network television, including his tense, highly successful contract negotiations with nbc brass. With all this, the book is an insightful glimpse into the world of the tonight show and the starstudded life of carson. A book mired in business nonsense, divorces, and contract.
Bushkins account is by turns shocking, poignant, and uproarious written with a novelists eye for detail, a screenwriters ear for dialogue, and a knack for comic timing that carson himself would relish. Theres not much thats known about the talented midwestern comedian and host of the oscars, president reagans inauguration and, of course, the tonight show 19621992. Johnny carson, henry bushkins tellall the new york times. Henry bushkin writes about his complicated relationship with the late johnny carson, his friend, client, and confidante. A hard act to follow, attorney henry bushkins february 19 book about his deeply invested professional and personal relationships with johnny carson, that its difficult to know where to start. Bushkin was carsons personal attorney and business advisor in the 1970s and 80s and saw every private wart there was to see. Perhaps the saddest hollywood bio in recent memory, henry bushkins johnny carson paints a vivid picture of a kind of genius savant. In johnny carson, the latenight legends lawyer henry bushkin writes of his decades with the comedian.
Though early readers have been shocked, just shocked, by mr. Though carsons 20year friendship with bushkin ended around 1987, when bushkin began to see johnnys cruel side more often, alex stayed married to the talk deity till his death in 2005. The book is well written, moves along briskly and is the kind of book that as soon as you crack the cover, you cant put it down. This book by johnny carsons longtime lawyer and friend henry bushkin tells the good, the bad and the ugly about a man who was televisions biggest star for decades.
He was inducted into the television academy hall of fame in 1987. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Henry bushkins aston martin, with the daimler limo behind it that johnny carson drove to london, shirtless, during a horrible heat wave. Johnny carson is an account of the career and personal life of the king of late night at the height of his fame and influence, shared from the perspective of his lawyer, wingman, fixer and.
Joan rivers in conversation with henry bushkin about the. Henry bushkins johnny carson is that rare celebrity tellall by an author who knows whom. A revealing and incisive account of the king of late night at the he. Henry bushkin, who worked as a lawyer for johnny carson, has written a gossipy, breezy memoir about the latenight host. So when he was asked about a controversial tellall book on carson by carsons longtime attorney, henry bushkin. The day after he was hired by johnny carson, an obscure young lawyer named henry bushkin tagged along with him and some thugs in the night as. Bombastic bushkin reveals the man behind the tonight. And the idea that anybody would ask any single person to write a book about johnny carson and have it be bushkin is beyond disgusting.
A great deal of palpable hubris shadows the pages of johnny carson, bushkins new book about the 18 years he spent in the employ of the. Bombastic bushkin, as carson called his onetime lawyer, filed for ba. But after reading this book, let me suggest that traitor bushkin or turncoat bushkin would be a better nickname. Instead of focusing on johnny carsons craft as a comedian, which bushkin admits himself was carsons true passion in life, the story mostly revolves around johnnys business and marriage troubles, with a few stories thrown in just to illustrate how johnny carson was a star among stars. Bushkin also tells us about an upcoming television limited series about carson, a vegas musical based on carsons life and their bitter ending. Bushkin sounds shocked at the fiasco surrounding carsons role as host of a. He is best known as the host of the tonight show starring johnny carson 19621992. Original tonight show host johnny carson was deeply. Bushkins personal and business relationship with carson stretched from 1970 until their contentious public breakup in 1988, a period that covers the. Doc severinsen blasts attorneys book on johnny carson. John william carson october 23, 1925 january 23, 2005 was an american television host, comedian, writer, and producer. Bushkin refers to himself as carsons swiss army knife of a companion, attorney, manager, agent, henchman, crony, tennis pal. Read an exclusive excerpt from henry bushkins johnny carson.
Bombastic bushkin, as carson called his onetime lawyer, filed. For 18 years he was johnny carsons personal legal adviser, fixer, confidant, and close friend. Bushkin has written a very entertaining book on his time working for carson. Johnny carson unveils not only the hidden carson, but. Carson author omitted bestselling book in bankruptcy. A new biography of johnny carson by the lawyer he fired, henry bushkin, is ultimately too shallow and calculated to be credible. Johnny carson and millions of other books are available for instant access. Loyal carson fans will recall that bushkin was often hilariously referenced in johnnys nightly monologues as bombastic bushkin. Bushkin is hoping that two decades after carsons tonight exit, and with several books about his former boss already in print, johnny junkies. He was with carson constantly, playing tennis, traveling on vacations and many more chores than just his lawyer.
Carson received six emmy awards, the television academys 1980 governors award, and a 1985 peabody award. Henry bushkin s johnny carson is that rare celebrity tellall by an author who knows whom and what hes talking about. When joan rivers guest hosted recently for wnycs leonard lopate, she sat down with author and attorney henry bushkin to remember their friendships with. As the attorney for carson, bushkin has an unprecedented insight into the comedian. Bushkin was carsons lawyer and close confidant for about 15 years and saw carson in his prime as the tonight show host.
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