How Bob Newhart Upset Johnny Carson's Writers: 'Whenever He Hosted, a Lot of Writers Phoned in Sick'
How Bob Newhart Upset Johnny Carson's Writers: 'Whenever He Hosted, a Lot of Writers Phoned in Sick'
Virginia ChamleeTue, February 24, 2026 at 10:16 PM UTC
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Bob Newhart; Johnny Carson
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Some of Johnny Carson's writers have said that of all the Tonight Show's guest hosts, Bob Newhart was the most difficult
Writer Mark Malkoff details how Newhart substitute hosted for Carson over 100 times through the course of the show's history in his book, Love Johnny Carson: One Obsessive Fan's Journey to Find the Genius Behind the Legend
Some of the writers said Newhart expected them to not just write his monologue for the show, but for his own stand-up routines later
Bob Newhart was one of the most prolific guest hosts of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson — but the writers weren't all fans of how he worked.
Writer Mark Malkoff details how Newhart substitute hosted for Carson over 100 times through the course of the show's history in his book, Love Johnny Carson: One Obsessive Fan's Journey to Find the Genius Behind the Legend.
Malkoff interviewed some 400 people for his book, including Carol Burnett, Michael J. Fox, and Jay Leno — as well as some of Carson's writers.
Carson writer Jim Mulholland said of the show's various guest hosts: “Bob Newhart was the most difficult."
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Bob Newhart and Johnny Carson
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"He expected us to write an entire Bob Newhart routine every day, and then, if it worked, he incorporated it into his nightclub act. Whenever he hosted, a lot of writers phoned in sick. Newhart said, ‘Why is there always a flu epidemic when I come to New York?’” Mulholland added
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Carson writer Michael Barrie explained further: “As a kid, I loved Newhart, grew up on his albums. Newhart came in once to guest host. Someone had found an article about a psychiatrist who did group therapy in the nude, both patients and doctor naked. He asked the writers to contribute lines and turn it into a ‘Newhart bit’ to open the show."
"Then he came back and asked for more lines. Then again, more lines. Finally, he used the piece to open the show, and it went over big," Barrie added. "So he puts the bit in his act without credit or remuneration."
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Newhart, an award-winning actor who starred on the CBS series The Bob Newhart Show from 1972 to 1978, died on July 18, 2024. He was 94 years old.
Carson died on January 23, 2005, at age 79 from respiratory failure.
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