Before there was Fallon, Kimmel, or Colbert — there was Johnny Carson, the undisputed King of Late Night. We talk with Howard Smith, author of the book, My Friend Johnny, who was Carson's longtime Malibu neighbor, friend, and tennis partner. Howard pulls back the curtain on Carson’s private world — from secret card games with Steve Martin, Don Rickles, Carl Reiner, and Martin Short, to the personal joke-writing advice Johnny gave Jay Leno. We also get tales of Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Jerry Weintraub, and even a Carson monologue name-drop that sent Howard’s high school friends into a frenzy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices