Johnny Carson left ‘Tonight Show’ partly due to ‘SNL’ parodies, book reveals

Johnny Carson superfan Mark Malkoff has written a new book detailing the life and career of the famous talk show host.

Portions of the book detail Carson’s dislike of the popular sketch comedy show “Saturday Night Live” and how the many skits they did to parody his show contributed to his decision to leave the show.

There were many references throughout the book to Carson’s dislike of the show; actor and director David Steinberg told Malkoff: “[Johnny] “He watched ‘SNL’ a few times and didn’t like it at all,” and Malkoff wrote that in the late 1970s, Carson never booked any “SNL” cast members as guests “because he didn’t like the show.”

In 1991, some of the network’s choices and “SNL’s” continued jokes about him led to Carson’s termination as host of NBC’s “The Tonight Show.”

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“Leno, one of the guests that night, overheard Johnny in the hallway saying, ‘If they’re going to make fun of me, it’s time to go,'” Malkoff wrote of a May 1991 taping, after receiving word that Carson was planning another sketch parodying “SNL” itself.

Two days after Carson allegedly made that comment, Malkoff writes, “SNL” aired the “Carsenio” sketch; in which Dana Carvey portrayed Carson as if he were channeling rival talk show host Arsenio Hall. Five days after the sketch was released, Carson announced that he was resigning and that his last performance would be in May 1992.

The new book discusses Carson’s decision to end his run on the “Tonight Show.” (Carson, 1960, Archive Photos/Getty; Carson, 1969, Ron Galella/Getty; Carson, 1985, Donaldson Collection/Getty; Carson, 1964, Keystone Features/Getty; Carson, 1992, Jim Smeal/Getty)

Although this seemed to be the sketch that drove Carson crazy, it wasn’t the first time “SNL” made fun of the famous host.

“In 1977, Jane Curtin joked on ‘Weekend Update’: ‘In a sudden change of policy, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson will not be broadcast live starting next week as previously announced,’ Malkoff wrote. “‘The decision was based on California’s new euthanasia law, which states, ‘A program need not be kept alive by artificial means and is entitled to a dignified death.'”

Curtin joked about the “Tonight Show” in a 1977 “SNL” episode. (Alan Singer/NBCU Photo Bank)

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Carvey later began portraying Carson in a series of sketches written by Robert Smigel in the 1980s. Many of his sketches emphasized the idea that Carson was “old and disconnected”, while some implied that “Johnny was losing his grip”.

In recent months as host of the “Tonight Show,” Carson has begun hitting back at those who’ve made him laugh over the years, including Carvey, who recently joked about Carson’s struggles with alcohol.

“But Johnny had the last laugh,” the book reads. “In his monologue on May 20, two days before his last show, he said: ‘We’ve been with this network for thirty years, and this fall… [new] they make programs and they come up with really great, innovative programs. “They’re going to try a comedy version of Saturday Night Live.”

Carson’s last show aired on May 22, 1992, and Malkoff writes that out of respect for the legendary talk show host, Comedy Central went dark for the entire hour of his show and Arsenio Hall ran reruns of his show throughout that week.

Carson hosted his last show on May 22, 1992. (Alice S. Hall/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images)

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“And it’s come to this. I’m one of the lucky people in the world. I found something I’ve always wanted to do and I’ve loved every minute of it,” Carson said in his final outro, according to the book.

He continued: “I want to thank the gentleman who shared the stage with me for thirty years, Mr. Ed McMahon; Mr. Doc Severinsen. And to you people watching – I can only tell you that it has been an honor and a privilege to come into your homes for all these years… I wish you a very sincere good night.”

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