Review of "Johnny Carson" a memoir by Henry Bushkin

Johnny Carson is best known as a comedian and host of the 'The Tonight Show', which he emceed from 1962 to 1992.



When I plucked this (audio) book off the library shelf I thought it was a biography of the entertainer. It's not. Rather it's a memoir written by Carson's lawyer Henry Bushkin, who worked for Johnny from 1970 to 1988.

Bushkin's employment began when he was in his late twenties and not very experienced with entertainment law. The young attorney caught on quickly though and discovered that some of Johnny's advisors and employers were enriching themselves at Carson's expense. (According to himself) Bushkin quickly put all this to rights and soon became Johnny's loyal companion - functioning as 'lawyer, advisor, assistant, companion, fixer, tennis buddy, drinking partner' and so on.


Henry Bushkin (left) with Johnny Carson

On television Johnny came across as genial, intelligent, and funny...and his nightly monologue was 'must-see TV' for millions of people. Off the air though, Carson was uncomfortable with people, prickly, and quick to take offense.


Johnny Carson doing his monologue

In addition, his personal life was turbulent. Johnny married four times but was a distant father and serial cheater who hardly hid his indiscretions.


Johnny Carson and his first wife Jody Morrill Wolcott


Johnny Carson, his first wife Jody, and their three sons


Johnny Carson and his second wife Joanne Copeland


Johnny Carson and his third wife Joanna Holland


Johnny Carson and his fourth wife Alexis Maas

Johnny's problems are often attributed (in large part) to his cold withholding mother, and Bushkin's anecdotes seem to support this view.


Johnny Carson with his mother and father

The book doesn't especially enlighten the reader about Carson but it does provide a little information about his wives, sons, luxurious homes, expensive cars, affairs, agents, managers, visits to Las Vegas, casino performances, production company (which mostly managed to sponsor flop sitcoms and mediocre movies), etc.


Johnny Carson frequently appeared in Las Vegas

Bushkin also details a few visits from Johnny's parents, which never went well. In fact, Carson did not attend the funeral of either of his parents when they died. On the lighter side, Bushkin sprinkles some of Carson's jokes through the book, though they really don't seem to fit the narrative.

The book is largely about Bushkin himself, and being Johnny's attorney/friend/companion provided a lot of perks for the lawyer. These included: a hefty salary; a trip to the Wimbledon tennis tournament every year; cruises on yachts; dining in the best restaurants; access to classy tennis clubs; tickets to the Oscars; hob-nobbing with celebrities; visits to Las Vegas; lucrative business opportunities; etc.


Johnny Carson and Henry Bushkin on a cruise


Johnny Carson, Henry Bushkin, and actress Joyce DeWitt (Bushkin's girlfriend)

Bushkin also describes how - with constant access to beautiful women - he became a cheating husband and neglectful father himself. Looking back Bushkin chides himself about this.....but he certainly seemed to enjoy it at the time. In this vein Bushkin also details how he did his best to manipulate business opportunities so that his and Johnny's future ex-wives would be cut out of the big profits. All this didn't endear the author to me but I guess his honesty should be acknowledged.

Though Bushkin sincerely praises Johnny's immense talent this book is not flattering to the entertainer. Carson is portrayed as pampered, self-centered, entitled, unreasonable, quick-tempered, nasty, vengeful, and so on. Moreover, anyone who got on Carson's bad side was cut off completely; Johnny never spoke to him/her again. In the end, this is what happened to Bushkin.

In 1988 Bushkin attempted to negotiate a business deal that Carson interpreted as trying to cheat him. Johnny immediately fired Bushkin and (except for a misdial) never exchanged another word with him. Even worse, Carson initiated a series of lawsuits that caused tremendous trouble and angst for Bushkin and his law partners. Later, when Carson died of emphysema in 2005, Bushkin asserts that he 'felt nothing.' A sad ending to a once warm relationship.


Henry Bushkin fell out with Johnny Carson after 18 years of friendship and employment

The book is interesting in a kind of voyeuristic, gossipy way. I was aware that Carson had a reputation as a skirt chaser but I was not aware of the rest of his bad behavior, and it detracts from my opinion of him. Still, Johnny Carson was a talented performer who made a lot of people laugh and he deserves kudos for that.

If you're interested in knowing how Henry Bushkin became successful and rich this is the book for you. If you want to know more about Johnny Carson's real life, this book won't be especially helpful.

One more thought: I listened to the audiobook read by Dick Hill. Hill has won awards for his audiobook narration but his VERY DRAMATIC style seems more appropriate for a wartime epic than this celebrity exposé. I found it off-putting.

Rating: 3 stars

Review of "Very Nice: A Novel" by Marcy Dermansky

3.5 stars This droll novel brings to mind the game 'Six Degrees of Separation' - based on the theory that any person on the planet can be connected to any other person on the planet through a chain of acquaintances that number five or fewer. The characters in this story have only one or two degrees of separation so it's easy to get from A to B to C, etc. Okay, pay close attention now. One of the main characters in the book is Rachel, an undergraduate student at a college in New York City. Rachel has crush on her creative writing instructor Zahid Azzam, a handsome, award-winning writer from Pakistan. Summer break is about to start and Rachel, who's going home to Connecticut, has agreed to care for Zahid's standard poodle Princess while the professor goes to Pakistan - to be with his dying grandmother. Zahid has other troubles as well. He's spent the big advance for his second novel and hasn't made much progress on the book. Before Zahid leaves Rachel seduces him, concluding that the mutually enjoyable sex means the professor returns her passion. Lovestruck Rachel takes Princess to her family home in Connecticut - a lovely large house with a swimming pool. As it happens Rachel's mother Becca is living there alone because her beloved standard poodle Posey just died, and her (not so beloved) husband Jonathan recently left her for another woman. Becca immediately becomes enthralled with Princess, who returns her affection. Becca is an elementary school teacher who's off for the summer. So she spends her time painting, shopping at Whole Foods, cooking gourmet meals, musing about Hillary Clinton's sad loss, and caring for the dog. In the meantime, Rachel works as a day camp counselor. One of Rachel's campers, Amelia, comes from a troubled family and Rachel gets more involved with them than she should. Zahid returns from Pakistan after only two weeks because his grandmother died. He has nowhere to live now, however, because he sublet his apartment for the summer. Zahid's tenant is a gorgeous black lesbian named Khloe who works as financial analyst for Rachel's father Jonathan. Khloe is also a twin sister to writer Kristi, the 'burr' who pushes Zahid to get going on his book, advance his career, etc. When Khloe's not at work in Jonathan's firm, she's drinking in upscale bars and making plans to seduce her childhood babysitter Jane, whom she's been in love with since the age of five. As it happens Jane is Zahid's new editor, and - being starstruck by the famous writer - likes to go to Khloe's sublet and snoop through Zahid's clothing, shoes, accessories, etc. Since Zahid has nowhere to lay his head (so to speak) he decides to go to Connecticut to visit his dog Princess. To make a long story short - he stays. Zahid finds he's able to make progress on his new book in this environment, and he and Becca enjoy eating together; walking the dog together; swimming together; and so on. Becca and Zahid embark on a torrid affair, while poor oblivious Rachel waits for the professor to sneak into her bedroom at night. And waits and waits and waits. Meanwhile, Jonathan's relationship with his much younger girlfriend Mandy, who's an airline pilot, isn't going well. Jonathan doesn't like living in Mandy's tiny New York apartment and he misses the comforts of home. In addition, when Jonathan gets sick, Mandy doesn't coddle him like Becca would have. When Jonathan happens to be in Connecticut he spots Becca and Zahid walking Princess on the beach and thinks that's not okay....so he decides to do something about it. The novel is narrated in the rotating voices of Rachel, Becca, Zahid, Khloe, and Jonathan, so we get insight into what each one of them is thinking and doing. The characters' motivations and interactions are, in turn, selfish, funny, sad, disturbing, surprising, quirky, and so on. Rachel is the most likable of the bunch, since she's honest and the others are deluded about how 'decent' they are.

This droll novel brings to mind the game 'Six Degrees of Separation' - based on the theory that any person on the planet can be connected to any other person on the planet through a chain of acquaintances that number five or fewer.



The characters in this story have only one or two degrees of separation so it's easy to get from A to B to C, etc.

Okay, pay close attention now.

One of the main characters in the book is Rachel, an undergraduate student at a college in New York City. 




Rachel has crush on her creative writing instructor Zahid Azzam, a handsome, award-winning writer from Pakistan. 



Summer break is about to start and Rachel, who's going home to Connecticut, has agreed to care for Zahid's standard poodle Princess while the professor goes to Pakistan - to be with his dying grandmother. Zahid has other troubles as well. He's spent the big advance for his second novel and hasn't made much progress on the book.



Before Zahid leaves Rachel seduces him, concluding that the mutually enjoyable sex means the professor returns her passion.

Lovestruck Rachel takes Princess to her family home in Connecticut - a lovely large house with a swimming pool.



As it happens Rachel's mother Becca is living there alone because her beloved standard poodle Posey just died, and her (not so beloved) husband Jonathan recently left her for another woman. Becca immediately becomes enthralled with Princess, who returns her affection.



Becca is an elementary school teacher who's off for the summer. So she spends her time painting, shopping at Whole Foods, cooking gourmet meals, musing about Hillary Clinton's sad loss, and caring for the dog.



In the meantime, Rachel works as a day camp counselor. One of Rachel's campers, Amelia, comes from a troubled family and Rachel gets more involved with them than she should.

Zahid returns from Pakistan after only two weeks because his grandmother died. He has nowhere to live now, however, because he sublet his apartment for the summer. Zahid's tenant is a gorgeous black lesbian named Khloe who works as financial analyst for Rachel's father Jonathan.



Khloe is also a twin sister to writer Kristi, the 'burr' who pushes Zahid to get going on his book, advance his career, etc.

When Khloe's not at work in Jonathan's firm, she's drinking in upscale bars and making plans to seduce her childhood babysitter Jane, whom she's been in love with since the age of five. As it happens Jane is Zahid's new editor, and - being starstruck by the famous writer - likes to go to Khloe's sublet and snoop through Zahid's clothing, shoes, accessories, etc.



Since Zahid has nowhere to lay his head (so to speak) he decides to go to Connecticut to visit his dog Princess. To make a long story short - he stays. Zahid finds he's able to make progress on his new book in this environment, and he and Becca enjoy eating together; walking the dog together; swimming together; and so on.

Becca and Zahid embark on a torrid affair, while poor oblivious Rachel waits for the professor to sneak into her bedroom at night. And waits and waits and waits.

Meanwhile, Jonathan's relationship with his much younger girlfriend Mandy, who's an airline pilot, isn't going well. Jonathan doesn't like living in Mandy's tiny New York apartment and he misses the comforts of home. In addition, when Jonathan gets sick, Mandy doesn't coddle him like Becca would have.



When Jonathan happens to be in Connecticut he spots Becca and Zahid walking Princess on the beach and thinks that's not okay....so he decides to do something about it.



The novel is narrated in the rotating voices of Rachel, Becca, Zahid, Khloe, and Jonathan, so we get insight into what each one of them is thinking and doing. The characters' motivations and interactions are, in turn, selfish, funny, sad, disturbing, surprising, quirky, and so on. Rachel is the most likable of the bunch, since she's honest and the others are deluded about how 'decent' they are.

All in all, an entertaining book with a touch of frivolity.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review of "Not My Father's Son: A Memoir" by Alan Cumming

Alan Cumming

Alan Cumming is a Scottish actor who's probably best known in America for hosting "Masterpiece Theater" on PBS and playing Eli Gold on "The Good Wife."


Alan Cumming as Eli Gold on 'The Good Wife'

He's also a very successful stage and movie actor, now happily married to his husband Grant.


Alan Cumming (right) and his husband Grant

Alan's life wasn't always so bright though. In this memoir Alan talks about growing up with a father, Alex Cumming, who was physically, psychologically, and emotionally abusive.


Alan Cumming (center) as a young boy with his parents Alex and Mary

The book starts off with a bang as Alan describes a childhood scene where his vicious father yanked him out to the barn, threw him down on a table, and roughly shaved his head with sheep shears. Alan and his brother Tom lived in constant fear of their dad, who perpetually criticized and banged them around.


Alan Cumming (left) and his brother Tom

The impetus to write this book came from Alan's planned 2010 appearance on the British TV show "Who Do You Think You Are?". Celebrities who go on the show have aspects of their ancestry/past revealed, things that are often a surprise to them. (In an American version of this show, for example, Ben Affleck was shocked to learn his ancestors owned slaves.)


Alan Cumming on the British TV show 'Who Do You Think Your Are?

In Alan's case, he hoped to find out more about his maternal grandfather, Tommy Darling. Tommy survived fighting in World War II but didn't come home when hostilities ended. Instead Tommy became a police officer in Malaya, where he was supposedly killed by an accidental gunshot wound.


Alan Cumming's grandfather Tommy Darling became a police officer in Malaya

Tommy left behind his wife, Mary Darling, and four children. The Darlings struggled to get by without Tommy's income or pension. Alan wanted to find out more about this mysterious granddad, as well as other aspects of his own past.

While Alan was filming "Who Do You Think You Are?" - which required traveling around the world with the show's production team - Alex Cumming dropped a bombshell. He revealed that he wasn't Alan's father. Alex claimed that he had caught his wife leaving a bedroom with another man nine months before Alan was born, and that this man was Alan's father. According to Alex he wanted to give Alan a heads-up so the actor wouldn't be blindsided when this news came to light on the TV show.

The book jumps back and forth between Alan's youth and adulthood. In the 'then' sections Alan describes childhood incidents where his father yelled at him, threw him around, hit him, degraded him, embarrassed him, and so on.


Alan Cumming (right) with his brother Tom


Alan Cumming as a young man

Alan also talks about his father's constant public infidelities, which humiliated his wife and sons. In fact Alex sometimes took Alan along when he was meeting other women. These parts of the book are very disturbing.

In the 'now' sections Alan reveals the residual anxiety he feels from his childhood. He also writes about his acting gigs; professional successes; ex-wife; fears about having children (he has none); nervous breakdown; therapist; husband; friends; beloved mother, brother, and granny; parties; dinners; wine; etc. - in short, his life as an adult.

Alan also discusses his reaction to Alex Cumming announcing that he isn't the actor's biological father. Could this explain why Alex was always so cruel and hateful? Or did Alex just make this up to cause Alan more pain? Alan makes sure to find out the truth!

The book is well-written, enlightening, entertaining, and uplifting. It's good to learn that children with awful childhoods can go on to live happy, successful lives.


Alan Cumming is grown up and happy

I highly recommend this book to people who enjoy celebrity memoirs. This is a very good one.

Rating: 4 stars