If you were a regular viewer of Johnny's monologues you're aware of his references to "my manager, 'Bombastic Bushkin', who was Henry Bushkin, the author of this can't-put-it-down profile. Henry worked for the New York law firm that also spawned Jay Leno's agent/manager Helen Kushnick, and by sheer dumb luck, Bushkin was hired on a sudden whim by Johnny during a particularly stormy period in his life: He wanted his second wife, Joanne, investigated because she was cheating on him.
With Frank Gifford.
Yes, that Frank Gifford. Kathie Lee's "love machine".Bushkin describes how his own mob-aligned enforcer accompanied him and Johnny --- with a .38 in his belt --- in persuading the apartment manager to letting them into the apartment Joanne was secretly renting for her trysts. That was where they found photos of Gifford with Joanne on her nightstand and walls. They stashed "evidence" they would need for proof of her infidelity into pillowcases and fled the apartment while she was out of town...presumably with the former NY Giants and "Monday Night Football" star.
When I read of Jack Buck's history I was stunned to see some of the associations Jack had made in St. Louis with many unsavory characters. Those who always regarded Jack as some kind of saint would be shaken back into Reality.
Same goes with Johnny, who had an unquenchable thirst for the ladies. Once in a late-night New York watering hole he hit on a woman at the bar only to see her boyfriend --- a mobster --- come back from the restroom with a couple of friends, who threw Johnny down a flight of stairs.
When Johnny was using his "Tonight Show" bully pulpit to frequently ridicule the C-list actor Keefe Braselle, he was met at his dinner table by one of Braselle's thuggish aides, who bruised Johnny's ribs and liver with devastating punches.
Johnny's mother must reside in hell. He often described her as brutally cold and unfeeling, who could never bring herself to utter a compliment or a simple "Thank you" for so many of the undeserved kindnesses Johnny bestowed on her, including a month-long, all expenses paid tour of Europe with his Amex card as their ticket to buy to their desires. Nope, not one word of thanks or gratitude.
Bushkin candidly describes Johnny in so many contradictory terms, from the sweetest, most generous and helpful friend to the meanest, coldest, and most vicious enemy. Johnny himself told him many times what an utter failure he was as a husband and father with three sons he ignored.
Johnny, ignored by his parents, was so desperate for acceptance that he was an easy mark for predators. When he was hosting "Tonight" in Manhattan (1963-72) his neighbor at the United Nations Plaza condos was Sonny Werblin, best known as the New York Jets owner who lured Joe Namath away from the St. Louis Football Cardinals, who had also drafted him in 1964. Werblin was an entertainment executive who knew all the ropes and rules, and mastered how to get around them, amassing great wealth by ripping off Johnny time and time again.
Because they were neighbors, and Johnny had no close friends in New York, he pretty much treated Werblin as his agent and manager. NBC was paying Johnny very well even in the early days of "Tonight", but Werblin negotiated a horrific deal by which Johnny only saw $3,000 a week...still great money in those days, but Johnny's luxurious lifestyle left him with virtually nothing, since 90% of his earnings were deferred, as Werblin mulled over ways to fleece Johnny of the millions NBC held in his name.
Since Johnny was such a cool, elegant figure on national TV every weeknight, Werblin negotiated a modeling deal with Hart, Schaffner & Marx for Johnny to wear their suits on the show every night in return for a 6-figure annual modeling fee....most of which Werblin kept in a secret account. He set Johnny up in a shady company called Raritan Enterprises, actually set up to make Werblin even richer.
Johnny completely trusted Sonny Werbln, and it wasn't until Henry Bushkin, quickly becoming Johnny's closest confidante and daily tennis partner during the Joanne infidelity investigation, looked deeply into his business and personal affairs that Johnny finally realized Sonny Werblin was a serial predator, not a friend or manager.
Bushkin was only 27; Johnny 45 when the association went into high gear. Bushkin essentially saved Carson from himself. When Johnny's talent agency William Morris threatened to not let him out of his representation agreement, agreed to back when Johnny hosted the game show "Who Do You Trust?", Henry told them, "Let's make a deal. You don't let Johnny out of his contract; we never book another William Morris client on the 'Tonight Show'. Capiche?". Deal done.
Johnny never liked the limelight, and one reason he was almost always married was because it kept his name out of the gossip columns, boringly showing up at social and entertainment events with his wife on his arm instead of the Starlet of the Month.
His first wife, his Nebraska first love Jody, had three children by him. As part of their divorce, Johnny made sure, out of guilt for constantly cheating on her, that she was taken care of financially.
It was when Johnny and Joanne were invited to a Hollywood A-list party at Henry Mancini's house that Bushkin realized he was now the agent, manager, fixer, accountant, and best friend of the biggest name in show business. When Bushkin, whom everyone knew as Johnny's agent and manager arrived at the party, everyone had one question for him: "Where's Johnny?".
Unbeknownst to them Johnny had called Henry that morning claiming Joanne had thrown him out of his own house, and he needed Henry to file a petition for divorce. By late afternoon they had reconciled
and Johnny was already moving back in, and Johnny and Joanne arrived, belatedly, at the Mancinis' party. All of the famous men's wives gathered around Joanne. All of the superstar men gathered around Johnny, who immediately, as always, looked for a quiet chair away from the gossip and biz talk.From a week after their wedding, Johnny and Joanne constantly fought. By the end of the marriage Johnny promised Joanne $6,000 a month for the rest of her life if she'd divorce him, and she did. And she lived on that monthly stipend until Johnny died in 2005.
Then Johnny, as Hollywood's most desired bachelor, laid eyes on the astonishing beauty of Joanna (note the "a") Holland. She grew up in style, was well-traveled and refined, cordial, witty, and became dear friends with Henry Bushkin and his wife Judy. The Carsons and Bushkins regularly socialized and traveled together. Johnny was completely smitten. He told Henry "This is the one."
He plotted to secretly marry Joanna, but because he abhorred publicity he would not announce it until at a party attended by their closest friends, at Bushkin's Beverly Hills house, for which Johnny had provided the down payment to persuade the Bushkins to leave New York and join Johnny in L.A..
As the date and the secret wedding party drew near, Johnny, Henry, and Joanna agreed on a very generous, but smart, pre-nuptial agreement, since Johnny's new contract with NBC, and his other lucrative businesses, all negotiated and set up by Bushkin, were making him prodigiously wealthy. The very morning of the secret wedding party time was flying by, Johnny and Joanna were running late, and Henry brought the pre-nup contract with him, to be signed by the happy couple just before taking their vows.
Then Johnny did the unthinkable: He told Henry "The hell with the pre-nup. We're getting married. She's the one."
Years later, when they divorced, Bushkin estimated that sudden decision cost Johnny $35 million.
I'm now at the 100-page mark of this sensational 260-page book. Since the "Tonight Show", at this point, had just moved to Hollywood, NOW the real fun begins.