In Smith’s debut book, My Friend Johnny: The Last 20 Years of a Beautiful Life with Johnny Carson and Friends, Smith celebrates his longtime friend’s true friendship and the “magic of knowing someone beyond their fame.”
? SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox ?
Courtesy of Howard Smith Publishing
Related: Parade Classic: Johnny Carson's Favorite Jokes
John was a private, meat-and-potatoes, average guy. However, and this is public record, the man’s salary was $25 million a year to host The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He gave away millions of dollars, but some would say he also lived a lavish lifestyle. Those who knew John well knew him to be a car enthusiast. He invested in the DeLorean Motor Company and was gifted a 1981 DeLorean DMC-12 with a 2.85-liter V6 engine he loved driving. He also had a mint-condition 1939 Chrysler Royal that his father originally owned. John loved Jay Leno; in fact, Jay replaced him as the host of The Tonight Show with John’s eventual blessing. So, although it was unexpected, it wasn’t all that surprising that John left Jay the Chrysler Royal in his will. Jay Leno featured the 1939 Chrysler Royal many years later on his show, Jay Leno’s Garage.
I was blessed to have been on this “boat” several times. Sometimes, it would be just John and me. Sometimes, we would be there with our wives. John loved to be out on the open sea. In another life, he would be a sailor for sure, although he was too nice to be a pirate. The most memorable time I had on The Serengeti was when my little family — Jane, myself, and our son, Scott — spent an afternoon with John. We didn’t go out to sea, but still, the entire day was peaceful and serene. The weather and wind were perfect. The highlight of the day was that John himself grilled hamburgers for us! John loved being on the water, it was his “peaceful place.”
My Friend Johnny: The Last 20 Years of a Beautiful Life with Johnny Carson and Friends is published by Howard Smith Publishing LLC. Copyright © 2025, Howard Smith. All rights reserved.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( New Johnny Carson Book Reveals What Life Was Like on His ‘Mega-Yacht’ (Exclusive Excerpt) )
Also on site :