Love Johnny Carson: One Obsessive Fan's Journey to Find the Genius Behind the Legend
4.7 | 176 ratings
Price: 18.9
Last update: 02-17-2026
Product details
- Listening Length : 13 hours and 38 minutes
- Author : Mark Malkoff, see all
- Narrator : Mark Malkoff
- Publication date : October 21, 2025
- Language : English
- Publisher : Penguin Audio
- ASIN : B0DW5D9PTS
- Version : Unabridged
- Program Type : Audiobook
- Best Sellers Rank:#865 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
- Film & TV
- Television Performer Biographies
- Television Comedy
- Customer Reviews:4.74.7 out of 5 stars(171)
Top reviews from the United States
- Steven KendallA great book about Johnny CarsonThis is a terrific book about Johnny Carson and is the result of years of research by the author. He interviewed numerous celebrities and staff to reveal things no one ever knew about Johnny Carson. It is well written, intriguing, and fun to read.
- WEGThis book had a lot of information about Johnny Carson I didn’t knowThere has been a lot of books written about Johnny Carson, but this book contains a lot of details I didn’t know. Well written and very entertaining!
- Chad CGreat inside scoop on the Tonight Show yearsThis is a wonderful account of Carson's 3 decades hosting the Tonight Show, compiled from interviews with dozens of individuals who worked on and appeared on the show. It's incredible how many people credit a huge portion of their commercial success to Johnny and being on the show. It was a different world. It's fun to read about the behind the scenes commentary on classic episodes, and then to go to youtube and be able to watch them.
This is a great read for anyone who loves show business and late night. Note that it's not a biography -- though you'll pick up some personal pieces. It's an all-in focus on Johnny's Tonight show, the ups and the downs. - Robert W Tucek JrMemory Lane!Johnny Carson was the host of The Tonight Show from 1962 to 1992. While I became a huge fan of David Letterman in my high school years, Johnny was a staple in my life until he retired at the end of my freshman year in college.
This book brought back so many fun memories of the shows that I watched when I was young and gave many behind the scenes stories. The stories are told through quotes by famous actors, actresses, musicians, and the cast and crew of the show. It also spent a great deal of time on the end of the show, both in how the decision was made for Jay Leno to take over, and the extremely emotional end to his historic run.
The minute I finished the book, I hopped on YouTube and rewatched the final two episodes of the show, episodes that I haven’t watched since 1992. This book is a sure bet for any fan of Johnny Carson, helped me appreciate all that he did for the late night genre, and I will surely be watching more clips in the coming days! - Richard GoodmanLove Johnny Carson BookThis is a great book with some great stories about the one and only best night time talk show host
- Robert W. KatesThis is a must read for Carson fans, it's fascinating.I have read 15 books about Johnny Carson and have studied his life extensively. This book is outstanding, and has so much information that I did not know about. I read the whole book in 10 days which is highly unusual for me. It's is written in a down-to-earth, optimistic fashion that keeps the reader engaged. Malkoff is known for his extensive research on his Carson Podcast and this book was the same way. It was highly enjoyable to learn so much about an entertainment icon, Johnny Carson. There are a lot of urban legends or rumors about Carson, but this book sets the record straight. It reveals his impressive generosity through his philanthropy work. Some saw Carson as cold and aloof, but this book explains why a superstar like him needed to keep people at an arm's length.
- Amazon CustomerI love Love JohnnyMark Malkoff knows perhaps the most about Johnny Carson than anyone. He has done thousands of hours of research for hundreds of hours of interviews for the Carson podcast. All this has allowed this fan to write a well rounded biography about all aspects of Carson’s life. He doesn’t shy away from talking about some of Johnny’s controversial sides like his dealings with Rivers, Bushkin, and his drinking at times. All the while bringing Johnny to life and full of the warmth. This is the best book about Johnny I have read. Everyone who likes Late Night or Carson should read this book.
- michaelFunny and entertaining.Many stories, never heard before. My wife is a big fan of Johnny and is laughing right now reading it.