In Hollywood, there is an unwritten law of survival that every star must engrave in their mind. ] You can get caught in a sex scandal. You can fall into addiction, but you absolutely must not anger Johnny Carson. With the Tonight Show Empire, Johnny Carson wasn’t just a witty host. He was the godfather of American television.

 A nod from him could turn a nobody into a superstar ] overnight. But conversely, a shake of his head was powerful enough to send an illustrious career into the abyss. Who were they? The one who owed Johnny Carson everything but dared to betray him after ] 20 years of loyalty. The gangster singer who dared to storm into the dressing room to threaten violence.

The frauds, the arrogant bullies, and even living legends with rotten characters. ] Today, let’s blow the dust off this top secret file to name and shame the nine people who committed the ultimate taboss and received the most brutal sentence from Johnny Carson. Permanent eraser, Joan Rivers, the ays who betrayed.

During his 30-year reign over the Tonight Show Empire, Johnny Carson was likened to an uncrowned king of American television. Thousands of stars passed through his living room, but only one woman was publicly considered family by him, the most worthy successor. That was Joan Rivers. Their friendship was as beautiful ] as a Hollywood fairy tale.

 In 1965, Joan was still an unknown comedian struggling to find her footing. ] But right after her first performance on the show, Johnny Carson wiped tears of laughter from his eyes and declared on air, “You’re going to be a star. You are terrific. That sentence changed her destiny. Johnny not only mentored her but also gave her the ultimate privilege, becoming the permanent guest host.

 Whenever the king went on vacation, Joan was the only one allowed to sit in that power chair. All of America believed she was his spiritual child. But the deeper the trust, the sharper the pain. In 1986, fearing NBC would replace her with Younger Faces, Joan Rivers made a fatal mistake. She secretly signed a contract with rival network Fox to do her own show competing directly with Johnny.

 What made Johnny Carson, an old school gentleman who always valued loyalty, feel disgusted wasn’t that she wanted to fly high, but the deception she had negotiated behind his back. Johnny Carson, who had lifted her from zero, ironically, was the last to know, and he found out through the press, not from his little sister’s mouth.

 He felt stabbed in the back by the person he loved most. The moment deciding the fate ] of this 20-year relationship happened through a brutally short phone call. ] When the news broke, Joan Rivers called Johnny’s private number to explain. She hoped two decades of affection would help him understand. She trembled as she spoke.

 “Johnny once wasn’t an angry shout, ] only a calm voice, icy and strange like a total stranger. I heard you got your own show. Congratulations.” And then a dry click. ] Johnny Carson had hung up. He didn’t give her a chance to say a second sentence. No argument, no holding ] back. to Johnny.

 The moment Joan decided to hide from him to sign with a rival, she had erased her name from his life with her own hand. From the moment the phone was put down, Johnny Carson executed a cruel ] death sentence, eternal silence. He ordered Joan Rivers banned from the Tonight Show for life. ] Her name was never mentioned. Her old clips were sealed.

 Even when Joan’s own show failed miserably, even when her husband committed suicide due to debt pressure, Johnny maintained that coldness for 19 years until he died. Joan Rivers sits in the first chapter of this blacklist as the most painful lesson. With Johnny Carson, you ] can make mistakes, but once you betray trust, you will cease to exist ] forever.

Wayne Newton, the flamboyant gangster. Wayne Newton, also known as Mr. Las ] Vegas, was a symbol of flamboyance. With a soaring voice, groomed hair, and trademark mustache, he was the king of nightclub stages. But that somewhat polished, dandified appearance made him tasty bait for Johnny Carson’s sharp jokes.

 In the early 80s, Johnny Carson began a habit of mocking Wayne Newton in opening monologues. Johnny frequently hinted at Wayne’s sexuality, calling him a girl or making sarcastic comments about the singer’s masculinity. The audience roared with laughter every night. But in Las Vegas, one man’s blood was boiling.

 Wayne Newton tried to endure. He contacted producers to complain gently, but the jokes continued, even becoming more vicious. ] Johnny Carson believed he was king, and a king has the right to tease anyone. But Johnny picked the wrong opponent. Behind the glittering sequin jacket, Wayne Newton was a man of extremely high self-esteem and the defiant character of a veteran in the nightlife industry.

One afternoon, after hearing another insulting ] joke on TV, Wayne Newton decided enough is enough. ] He didn’t call a lawyer. He didn’t call a manager. Wayne Newton drove a loan straight to the NBC studio in Burbank. With his fame, he easily passed security checkpoints to go straight into the backstage area.

 Considered Johnny Carson’s inviable sanctuary. ] Johnny was sitting in his dressing room preparing the script for tonight’s show. The door burst open. Wayne Newton walked in without a social smile. The air in the room froze. Before Johnny could utter a greeting, Wayne Newton lunged. According to Wayne’s own recounting, ] later he grabbed Johnny Carson’s lapels, pinning the king to the chair.

The eyes of Mr. Las Vegas no longer held their usual romantic look, but were full of murderous intent. He gritted out each word in Johnny’s face. “Listen here, ] Johnny. I don’t care who you are. If you tell one more joke about me, I won’t sue you. I will find you, and I will beat the hell out of you right in front of everyone.

” Johnny Carson was stunned. Throughout his career, he had faced all kinds of people, but never had he been threatened with violence face to face like this, right in his own lair. Johnny looked into Wayne’s eyes and realized, ] “This guy isn’t joking.” [snorts] Johnny, a man who hated physical conflict and was smart enough to know when to stop, nodded.

Wayne Newton let go, straightened his jacket, and walked out of the room as coldly as he entered. The result? Wayne Newton won that duel. From that night on, Johnny Carson absolutely never mentioned Wayne Newton’s name or made him a joke again. Silence reigned. But Johnny Carson also had his own way of retaliation, the retaliation of a man holding media power.

 He didn’t fight Wayne back. He erased Wayne. Wayne Newton was blacklisted. The doors of the Tonight Show slammed shut forever in his face. For an artist, being banned from appearing on America’s most popular show was a huge loss in fame and revenue. Chevy Chase, The Arrogant Bad Boy. If the Joan Rivers case was a tragedy, and the Wayne Newton case was an action movie, the Chevy Chase case was ] a profound moral lesson on attitude.

This is the clearest proof that in Johnny Carson’s kingdom, ] outstanding talent cannot save you if your character is zero. In the mid70s, ] Chevy Chase was the hottest name in America. As the brightest star of the hit comedy show Saturday Night Live, with handsome looks and a ] reckless demeanor, Chevy was likened to a new rebellious breeze.

 Initially, ] Johnny Carson was also attracted. He saw in this young man the shadow of a potential successor generation. But that brief honeymoon ended quickly. Johnny Carson, with the keen eyes of a man who had been in the business for 30 years, soon realized behind Chevy Chase’s dashing exterior was a personality he hated to the core.

 The arrogance of a bully. Unlike other comedians who poked fun to bring joy, Chevy Chase often used humor to degrade others. He came to the NBC studio with the attitude of a little prince. He despised the backstage staff, yelled at makeup artists, and mocked assistants. Johnny Carson considered the production crew family.

 He treated the cable puller with as much respect as a senator. Therefore, upon hearing complaints about Chevy’s imperious attitude backstage, Johnny began crossing out his name in his head. But Chevy Chase’s scumbaggery was also evident right on air. When sitting opposite Johnny, Chevy frequently had a condescending ] oneup attitude.

 He put his legs up, leaned back in the chair with a smug face, ] gave Kurt answers, or deliberately broke Johnny’s rhythm to prove he was smarter than the host. While legends like Bob Hope or Frank Sinatra always maintained humility before Johnny, Chevy Chase behaved as if his presence was a favor. granted to the show.

 The peak causing Johnny to freeze the relationship was the cruelty in Chevy’s words. He frequently mocked the appearance, weight, or failures of other colleagues. Johnny Carson was a master of laughter, but he never accepted humor that trampled on others pain. Johnny Carson didn’t need a noisy argument like with Wayne Newton.

 He chose a much more terrifying punishment, oblivion. No official ban document was issued. Johnny simply whispered to producer Fred De Cordova, “I don’t want to see this guy anymore.” And so the doors of the Tonight Show quietly closed. While contemporaries like Steve Martin or Robin Williams were ] continuously invited back, becoming regulars and seeing their careers sore thanks to Johnny’s Launchpad, Chevy Chase gradually disappeared.

 His phone ] stopped ringing. He was pushed to the margins of Hollywood’s most prestigious playground. This ] silent punishment by Johnny Carson was a fatal blow. [snorts] It sent an implicit message to the entire ] entertainment industry. This guy has a character problem. Chevy Chase’s film career was still successful for a time after, but the bad reputation regarding his attitude spread far and wide.

 ] You can be the funniest person in the room, but if you are a jerk, eventually you will be the only one left in that room. Jim Garrison, the conspiracy theory peddler. In the late60s, America was still bleeding after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Amidst public confusion, Jim Garrison, New Orleans District Attorney, appeared as a savior.

 He grandly declared he held shocking evidence to expose the true conspiracy behind JFK’s death. He promised to bring the hidden perpetrators to light. Johnny Carson, though an entertainment host, possessed a sharp intellect and always cared about current affairs. Out of curiosity and also wanting to bring the truth to the audience, Johnny broke the rule.

 ] He invited Jim Garrison to the Tonight Show on the night of January 31st, 1968, giving this prosecutor an unprecedentedly long duration to present evidence. But that night, Johnny Carson realized he had made a huge mistake. ] Jim Garrison walked onto the stage looking dignified and confident. But when Johnny started asking core questions, ] “What is your specific evidence? On what basis do you accuse this person? Garrison began to show his true colors.

 ] Instead of presenting valid legal evidence, Garrison started pulling out blurry photos, vague hypotheses, and baseless accusations aimed at government officials. He rambled on, dodging Johnny’s direct questions with roundabout answers. Johnny Carson sat there, eyes narrowing with suspicion. He realized the man opposite him didn’t want to find justice for JFK.

 Garrison was using the Tonight Show, America’s largest media platform, as a podium to sell books, polish his name, and seow fear for personal gain. What made Johnny’s blood boil ] most was Garrison’s contempt for the audience’s intellect. He thought just speaking loudly and saying sensational ] things could lead Johnny and millions of viewers by the nose.

 But Johnny Carson wasn’t a fool. He quickly switched from interviewer to judge. Johnny constantly interrupted, breaking Garrison’s loose arguments right on air. He pointed out contradictions in the prosecutor’s words, causing Garrison to start sweating bullets and fumbling. After that broadcast, Johnny Carson felt deeply insulted.

 He felt he had been used to spread toxic lies. To Johnny, prophetering on the death of a president was the height of immorality. As soon as the studio lights went out, Johnny told his producers, “Never let that charlatan back here again.” Jim Garrison was permanently banned. Although he continued to make noise in other papers later, the most prestigious door of NBC slammed shut in his face.

Johnny Carson considered Garrison a cheap conspiracy theory peddler, someone unworthy of sitting at the same table with honest guests. Yuri Geller, the fake superpower. Exposed among those who made Johnny Carson hate them, Yuri Geller holds a special position. He wasn’t a thug like Wayne Newton. Didn’t betray like Joan Rivers.

He violated a much more personal taboo for Johnny. He insulted the art of magic. Few remember that before becoming the king of television, Johnny Carson was a young magician with the stage name the great Carson. He loved skillful transformations, but he hated those who used cheap magic tricks and deceived the audience that it was divine superpower.

In the early 70s, Yuri Geller was a global phenomenon. This Israeli man claimed to have telepathic abilities, able to use mind power to bend spoons, make broken watches run again, or ] guess drawings in sealed envelopes. The whole world believed at Hook, line, and sinker. ] But Johnny Carson didn’t.

 In 1973, Yuri Geller accepted an invitation to the Tonight Show. He eagerly walked into NBC believing this would be an easy performance like many others where the MC would marvel and the audience would applaud. He didn’t know he was walking into a trap set extremely meticulously. ] Before the taping, Johnny Carson secretly called James Randy, ] a legendary magician specializing in exposing psychic frauds.

 Randy gave a fatal piece of advice. Johnny, prepare the station’s own props. Don’t let Yuri or his team ] touch anything before going on air. Johnny did exactly that. He directed the logistics team to prepare a table full of brand new spoons, jars, and envelopes, ] strictly supervised. When the lights went up, Yuri Geller walked out, confident and flashy.

 But upon seeing the pile of props on ] the table, his face began to change. He realized these weren’t the presoftened or treated spoons he was used to using. Johnny Carson with a deadly calm smile invited Geller to show his skills. Come on, Yuri. The stage is yours. Show us your power. And then the tragedy began.

] Uri Geller picked up the spoon, rubbed it, grimaced, focused intensely. ] But the spoon remained stiff. It didn’t bend even a millimeter. He switched to trying to guess the drawing in the envelope, but also failed. Sweat began to pour on the psychic’s forehead. Instead of salvaging the situation by changing the topic, Johnny Carson performed the crulest act an MC could do.

 He let the ] silence kill the guest. Johnny sat leaning back in his chair, tapping a rhythm, calmly watching Yuri Geller ] struggle in despair. He didn’t cover for him, didn’t joke to gloss it over. He let the camera zoom in on the clumsiness, ] confusion, and panic of the fraudster. Yuri Geller began making ] excuses. I don’t feel strong tonight.

I’m under too much pressure. The energy isn’t coming. Johnny just replied ] coldly. Well, that’s a pity. We’re still waiting. ] That mental torture lasted for 22 minutes, a time as long as eternity ] on live television. The studio audience and millions of viewers watching through the small ] screen gradually realized the truth. There was no miracle.

 Without prior preparation, Yuri Geller’s superpower ] completely vanished. After that horrifying night, Yuri Geller left the studio in humiliation. Although he later continued his career making money off the gullible. For Johnny Carson and wise viewers, Yuri Geller was exposed as a charlatan. Milton Burl, the king who lost his throne and the tactless Mike Hogging in the list of guests who gave Johnny Carson the biggest headaches.

 Milton Burl is a paradoxical case. He wasn’t an enemy. He was a legend. Dubbed Mr. Television, Milton Burl was America’s first superstar in the 50s. The man who made millions of families spend money to buy TVs just to watch him perform comedy. Ideally, the meeting between Johnny Carson, ] current king of TV, and Milton Burl, past king of TV, should have been a respectful crown transfer.

But in reality, it turned into a cold war of egos. Milton Burle’s problem lay in the fact he never accepted ] that he was no longer the center of the universe. When entering the Tonight Show studio, Milton brought the habits of an old stage star. Loud, overwhelming, and always finding ways to hog the spotlight.

 He didn’t understand or deliberately didn’t understand Johnny Carson’s unwritten rule. This is my house. I’m the host. And you ] are the guest. The annoyance started with small details, but carried high damage for someone who liked cleanliness ] and order like Johnny. Milton Burl frequently appeared with a huge cigar on his lips.

 He smoked continuously, blowing thick smoke into Johnny’s and ] other guests faces despite Johnny frowning and coughing lightly many times. But what truly drove Johnny ] crazy was Milton’s habit of hijacking the forum. Whenever Johnny was speaking or trying to interview another guest, Milton Burl wouldn’t sit still. He would make faces, wink at the audience, pretend to fall off the chair, or interrupt with stale jokes ] to pull attention to himself.

 He considered Johnny Carson not the host, but just a sidekick supporting his solo act. There was an immutable rule for Johnny Carson. Do not touch him. Johnny was extremely protective of personal space. But Milton Burl, with excessive familiarity, frequently patted his shoulder, slapped his thigh, or even poked Johnny to emphasize a joke.

 Each time, observant audiences could see Johnny’s body ] stiffen, the smile on his lips become forced, and his eyes glint with suppressed annoyance. The peak of endurance was when Milton Burl tried to ] teach Johnny how to do comedy right on air. He corrected Johnny, criticized the script, and behaved as if he were still the boss of NBC.

After every taping with Milton Burl, Johnny Carson often returned to the dressing room exhausted ] and irritated. He complained to producer Fred de Cordova, “This old guy wears me out. He sucks all the air out of the room. Don’t invite him anymore.” Although there was no official written ban out of respect for Milton’s legendary status, his frequency of appearance decreased and then stopped completely.

 Johnny Carson chose to freeze out this ] elder. Raymond Burr, the silent rock and the ihake nightmare of dullness. If Milton Burl or Wayne Newton exhausted Johnny Carson with noise and aggression, ] the character in this chapter tortured him with a weapon a thousand times more terrifying. Absolute silence. That was Raymond Burr.

TV audiences of the ‘ 60s7s worshiped ] Raymond Burr. He was the embodiment of justice. The brilliant lawyer Perry Mason who never lost a case. ] The wheelchairbound detective Ironside with supreme intellect. On screen, he was authoritative, eloquent, and sharp. ] Therefore, when NBC announced Raymond Burr would be a guest on the Tonight Show, the audience eagerly awaited ] thrilling stories from this great man.

 But they and Johnny Carson were sorely mistaken. There is an ironic truth in Hollywood. An outstanding actor is not necessarily an interesting guest. Raymond Burr was the most eloquent proof. He was an ] extremely private, serious, and humorless man. The interview between Johnny Carson and Raymond Burr went down in history as a classic TV disaster of mismatch.

 From the first minute Raymond sat in the chair, the air in the studio seemed sucked of oxygen. Johnny Carson, with his usual charm, started throwing out open questions, witty jokes to break the ice. He hoped Raymond would talk about backstage stories about cases or at least play along. But responding to Johnny’s enthusiasm were only answers Kurt to the point of cruelty.

 Yes, no, or ] I don’t think so. Johnny asked, “Did you have any difficulty playing a person in a wheelchair?” Raymond replied, “No.” And silence. ] Johnny tried steering to private life. What do you usually do in your free time? Raymond stared at Johnny with Perry Mason’s stern eyes. I ] grow orchids. The end.

 Johnny Carson started sweating. For a talk show host, dead air is enemy number one. Johnny’s task was to keep the conversation ball juggling continuously. But with Raymond Burr, Johnny felt like he was throwing a ball at a wall of ] cotton. It never bounced back. The studio audience started shifting in their seats.

 Awkwardness ] spread through the space. Johnny Carson had to use 200% of his power. He constantly tapped his pencil ] on the table, glanced at sidekick Ed McMahon for help, and even joked about his own failure to salvage a laugh. He felt like he was pulling teeth, not ] interviewing. Raymond Burr sat there like a giant rock, ] sullen, emotionless, refusing all efforts to connect.

 He wasn’t rude. He was simply dull. And in Johnny’s glamorous entertainment world, dullness was an unforgivable crime. ] After ushering Raymond Burr into the wings, Johnny Carson collapsed onto the table, pretending to faint. It was a funny act, but also a real feeling. He turned to the audience, also sending a message to the production team.

I’d rather have a root canal without anesthesia than go through this again. Raymond Burr wasn’t banned for morals or character. He was a good person and a great actor, but he was crossed off Johnny Carson’s priority list for professional reasons. He didn’t know how to play the TV game. Ryan O’Neal, the snobish prince and the price to pay.

 In the 70s, Ryan O’Neal was the prince of Hollywood. ] After the resounding success of the tearjerker love story, he became the most desired man in the world. With romantic blonde hair, a reckless half smile, and a long list of lovers, ] Ryan was the embodiment of bad boy handsomeness. When Ryan O’Neal accepted the invitation to the Tonight Show, female audience members in the studio went crazy.

 They waited for a sweet and charming Romeo. But Johnny Carson, ] the man sitting behind the desk, felt a cold aura of arrogance as soon as Ryan walked onto the stage. Unlike humble legends like James Stewart or Carrie Grant, Ryan O’Neal brought to the show an attitude. ] I’m too classy to sit here.

 He didn’t view this as an opportunity to interact with the audience. He viewed it as a boring obligation he was forced to do to promote a movie. Ryan flopped into the chair, put his feet up high tactlessly, ] his gaze wandering around the studio as if looking for an emergency exit.

 The interview ] began, and Johnny Carson’s nightmare arrived. Johnny asked about the new movie. Ryan ] answered with a shrug. “Hey, it’s okay.” Johnny asked about Private Life. ] Ryan replied curtly, “Nothing special.” Johnny tried to throw out his signature comedy bits to stir the atmosphere. Ryan didn’t bother to smirk, face cold as stone.

 Raymond Burr’s silence came from social clumsiness, while Ryan O’Neal’s silence came from arrogance. He made Johnny feel like a clown trying to entertain a board king. Ryan ] O’Neal radiated a wordless message. TV talk shows are cheap stuff, and I’m just doing you a favor with my presence. Johnny Carson was a serious artistic worker.

 He prepared carefully for each show and respected every minute on air. Therefore, Ryan’s hollow and lazy A-listister attitude was a direct insult to Johnny’s profession. He felt ] disrespected right in his own home. The peak of annoyance was when Johnny realized Ryan O’Neal wasn’t listening at all. He just stared at the monitor to admire his hair or fix his collar.

 To Johnny, that was a lack of minimum respect between humans. After that taping, Johnny Carson didn’t explode in anger like with Wayne Newton. He just felt fed up. He told the production crew a short but weighty ] sentence. Who does this guy think he is? If he doesn’t want to be here, don’t invite him next time.

 We don’t need that soulless, handsome face. >> ] >> Ryan O’Neal subsequently became scarce on the Tonight Show. When his film career began to decline in the 80s due to an unlikable ] personality and private scandals, he had even less chance to return to that power chair. Bob Hope, the legend who came without invitation.

We will close this file with a big shock to loyal NBC viewers. If you turned on the TV in the 70s80s, you would see Bob Hope appearing on the Tonight Show ] constantly. They laughed, they bantered, they looked like soulmates of the comedy ] world. But the brutal truth behind the curtain was a completely different story.

 Bob Hope wasn’t on the band list because he was too powerful and NBC’s Cash Cow, ] but he sat firmly at number one on the list of people Johnny Carson never wanted to see. For Johnny Carson, ] Bob Hope was the embodiment of fatigue and artificiality. Bob Hope’s problem lay in the fact. He never really talked.

 He was a pre-programmed comedy machine. Every time Bob Hope walked onto the stage, he didn’t bring the mindset of a friend coming to chat. He brought a thick script written by his massive team of writers. Here is the script familiar to the point of haunting Johnny. Johnny would ask, “How’s your health lately, Bob?” Bob should answer about health.

But no, he would ignore the question and throw out a memorized joke about the US president or about golf unrelated to what Johnny just asked. Bob Hope didn’t listen. He just sat there waiting for Johnny to stop speaking to fire out the next punchline like a pre-wound cassette player.

 For Johnny Carson, a master of improvisation and subtle listening, interviewing Bob Hope was mental torture. Johnny felt he wasn’t a host, but just a rack for Bob Hope to hang advertising stories for his upcoming special. The studio audience rolled with laughter at Bob’s sharp jokes, but they didn’t see the pain in Johnny’s eyes. ] Longtime staff at the Tonight Show knew a secret.

 The smile for Bob Hope was Johnny Carson’s fakest ] smile. He smiled out of politeness, out of obligation to the network, but inside ] he was screaming with boredom. Johnny complained bitterly many times to producer Fred Dordova. Him again? ] I can’t stand it anymore. He has nothing new. He’s not human. He’s a walking billboard.

But Johnny’s tragedy was that he couldn’t ] refuse Bob Hope. Bob Hope was too big a monument and he had a habit of inviting ] himself. Whenever Bob had a new movie or show, he would call NBC’s top executives directly and Johnny was forced to yield airtime. Every time Bob Hope left, Johnny often exhaled sharply, loosened his tie, and shook his head in weariness.

 He respected Bob’s contributions to America, but he despised how Bob turned the art of conversation into a soulless monologue. Bob Hope sits in this final chapter as a heavily ironic low note of the glamorous entertainment world. It shows that even a powerful king like Johnny Carson sometimes had to bow to the pressure of money and fame.

 Bob Hope was the only guest Johnny couldn’t kick out, but also the only one who never touched the true heart of the great Carson. Nine chapters, nine names, nine painful lessons. From Joan Rivers’s betrayal ] pain, Wayne Newton’s thuggery to Chevy Chase’s arrogance. They were all illustrious stars, but all fell before Johnny Carson’s sanctuary.

 ] Through this black book, Johnny Carson left an eternal truth for Hollywood. ] Talent can take you to the peak, but only kindness keeps you sitting in that chair. Johnny’s chair wasn’t just a seat. It was a soul scanning machine where every fake mask was stripped away mercilessly. Please like the video, share your thoughts in the comment section, and subscribe now to continue exploring with me the top secret files of Hollywood’s golden age, never before published.