The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was a staple of its time. It was the most modern format of live television and is what we now know as the late-night talk show. But while the Johnny Carson Show was historical, it also had its fair share of problems. From his jokes to his personal life, Carson wasn’t perfect. Some of his real-life interactions and disputes with people might surprise you, including his four failed marriages and the guest that Carson couldn’t stand! He was even known to make jokes at the expense of other celebrities.
Unhappy Husbandry
While he is a beloved television icon, Johnny Carson was no saint. Carson is known to have treated some of those around him with disrespect. And you would assume that when someone gets married, they are happy and in love, right? Well, one of Carson’s worst displays was from a time he publicly embarrassed his new wife on their honeymoon.
In 1987, after Carson marrying Alexis Maas (his fourth wife), the honeymooning couple traveled to Italy for a yacht trip. Carson quickly fell into a foul mood and he took it out on his new wife. At one point, he told her in front of others, after some inconsequential remark he didn’t care for, “We’ve been married for three weeks. If you say something like that again, this marriage won’t last another three weeks.”
Another Strained Relationship
Johnny Carson has three sons from his first marriage, and he never had any other children with his other three wives. His son, Rick Carson, had struggled mentally. Back then, mental illness was not spoken of or even really known of. Rick Carson was eventually committed to a mental hospital and his dad refused to visit, according to Johnny’s former manager and agent Henry Bushkin.
Unfortunately, his story doesn’t have a happy ending. On June 21, 1991, Rick was driving his vehicle near the scenic coastal town of Morro Bay, California, when it plummeted 125 feet down an embankment. He died instantly. Johnny paid tribute to his son on his show but it didn’t change the fact that their relationship was strained.
Carson Unleashed
Johnny Carson, was known to enjoy his beverages and he also a bad attitude that went along with that habit. In October 1987, NBC threw him a swanky 25th-anniversary party. It was aboard the Queen Mary, and Carson’s son Rick (who also had a significant problem) was in attendance.
Rick was totally sloshed, and when Johnny went to check on him, they got into a big screaming fight. This was on a ship packed with network executives, media and Carson’s family and friends, too. Witnesses recall that Carson was the aggressor. He lost his temper and began yelling. Johnny even pulled back his fist to slug his son but somebody stepped in and pulled him away.
Put Down The Bottle
Johnny Carson’s worst qualities came out when he was drinking, and that was much of the time so many of the people he encountered remember him as being mean.
In 1982, Carson was caught driving his DeLorean while under the influence of alcohol. He pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge. Carson received a sentence of three years’ probation. As part of his probation, he was required to attend an alcohol program for drivers. He was permitted to use his car only to drive to work and back, and he could not transport any persons or animals in his vehicle.
Carson Spills All In 60 Minutes
Carson wasn’t in denial when it came to his addiction. He regularly avoided the media and press so he wouldn’t have to confront his issues or respond to questions, but he knew he had a problem. It changed his approach to his show and how he joked about addiction.
In a 1977 interview with 60 Minutes, Carson admitted there was a time when he used to drink, and he didn’t handle it well. “I don’t handle alcohol well at all, no. Really don’t,” said Carson. “Oh, Ed [McMahon] and I have had some wonderful times in the past.” Interesting ideology around alcoholism. His more mean-spirited jokes about others didn’t go over so well, though.
Johnny And Joanne: Doomed From The Start
One of the most infamous relationships Johnny Carson had was with his second wife, Joanne Copeland. Copeland first worked as a stewardess for Pan American World Airways. She went on her first date with Johnny in 1960, when he was working as the host of a game show, Who Do You Trust?
The Carsons’ nine-year marriage ended in 1972 and was often discussed publicly so it is no surprise the couple followed through with their divorce. Despite the dissolution of their marriage, she still helped preserve her ex-husband’s TV legacy. She was dedicated to his professional career and helping him succeed.
An Affair To Remember
In 2013, Johnny Carson’s former agent, Henry Bushkin, wrote a tell-all book about Johnny Carson. One of the explosive disclosures inside the book claimed Johnny’s second wife, Joanne Copeland, had an affair with Frank Gifford.
Henry alleges that rather than file for divorce Johnny asked him to go to the apartment they were shacking up in and find evidence. Henry also said that Johnny began sobbing at the thought of his wife cheating on him, and that Johnny was wearing a revolver on his hip although he made no claims about why he had the gun.
