For decades, insiders insisted that Johnny Carson never kept a formal blacklist of celebrities barred from The Tonight Show. But according to a new biography, the truth was more nuanced – and far more revealing. In Love, Johnny Carson, author Mark Malkoff reveals that while Johnny may not have maintained an official printed “do not book” document, he did keep a running mental – and occasionally documented – record of guests who were never invited back to the iconic late-night program.
Several people close to the show had long denied such a list existed. However, both Burt Reynolds and Rich Little previously claimed they had seen a physical copy, lending weight to Mark’s findings. According to the author, the list eventually encompassed more than 30 high-profile names from across entertainment – including Hollywood stars, musicians and even former hosts of The Tonight Show.
“There were more than thirty big-name guests whom Carson at some point banned,” Mark writes, noting that some of these figures were still permitted to appear – but only when a guest host, rather than Carson himself, was behind the desk.
© Getty ImagesThe reasons for being quietly blacklisted varied widely. In some cases, the offence was relatively minor: a poorly received joke, an underwhelming musical performance or disrespectful behaviour toward the show’s crew. Among those who fell out of favour were comedians Jerry Lee Lewis and Dick Shawn, along with musicians Billy Preston and Wayne Newton.
Other bans stemmed from more personal disputes. Barbra Streisand, for example, reportedly clashed with Johnny after cancelling a scheduled Tonight Show appearance at the last minute in 1975 – a move that did little to endear her to the famously exacting host.
© Getty ImagesThe book also details the cold silence between Johnny and his former permanent guest host Joan Rivers, revealing that he felt her move to Fox wasn’t just a business decision, but a personal betrayal.
Johnny’s scepticism also played a role. An accomplished amateur magician himself, he had little patience for performers who claimed their tricks were the result of genuine psychic powers. As a result, illusionists Uri Geller and The Amazing Kreskin were banned, while Orson Welles reportedly lost his standing after planting audience members to assist with magic tricks.
© NBCUniversal via Getty ImagesEven Johnny’s predecessors weren’t immune. Former Tonight Show host Steve Allen continued to guest-host intermittently until 1982, but was ultimately barred from appearing while Johnny was on air after joking about him in a monologue and inadvertently offending the show’s crew.
Taken together, the revelations paint a picture of a meticulous, fiercely loyal host who valued professionalism above all else – and who, quietly but decisively, controlled who earned a seat on late night’s most famous couch.
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