A Hard Act to Follow Book Blast
Thanks for the drop by, it's a pleasure to be a stop on this blog tour and below I would like to share with you an Exerpt from the book A Hard Act to Follow:
“How would you like to meet Carson?” “Carson who?”
“Johnny, you jerk.”
“Like on The Tonight Show?”
“The same.”
“Look Arthur, I’m up to my neck in contracts. I’m not much interested in padding the
audience at some taping.”
“No, my friend, nothing like that. How would you like to go up to his offices at NBC and
talk to the guy?”
Actually I thought maybe Arthur was playing some kind of joke, but that really wasn’t his
style. “Why would anyone like Johnny Carson want to meet me?”
“You’re a lawyer, aren’t you?”Arthur then explained that Mr. Car- son and his wife were
going through a rough patch in their marriage. ‘‘I told Johnny that you were just the man
who could help.’’
‘‘That’s ridiculous,’’ I said. ‘Carson could have every high-priced matrimonial attorney in
Manhattan standing in his office at the snap of a finger. He’ll take one look at me and
throw us both out.”
“You’d be surprised,’’ Arthur said. ‘‘Carson doesn’t trust lawyers— not any he’s met,
anyway. I convinced him that you’re a straight shooter and the two of you should talk.”
Skeptical but excited, I agreed to a meeting with Arthur and Johnny the next day. I
couldn’t wait to tell my bosses.
It was almost comic to see the surprise on their faces. ‘‘Why you?’’ Kushnick asked
out loud, booming the obvious question. But they had both been in entertainment long
enough to know what a funny business it was. Every year people showed up out of
nowhere to be- come major stars, and they brought all sorts of peculiar ideas with
them. ‘‘Enjoy yourself,’’ Howard Beldock advised in his gravelly voice. ‘‘Just don’t be too
disappointed if nothing happens.’’
"A Hard Act to Follow," is a non-fiction literary account of Henry Bushkin's tenure as Johnny Carson's lawyer, business partner, and friend. The book gives genuine insight into the 'Carson behind Johnny' with candid personal vignettes about the two, during the rollicking years when Johnny was the undisputed king of television. This is an engaging, eye-opening, anecdote-packed story about a young lawyer and his client, one of the biggest celebrities in the country. This funny, unfiltered account gives readers a look at the Johnny Carson that none but a select few really knew.
What readers had to say:
"The book is full of tough love, humor, cultural history, sadness, humor, love, loss, well I guess I am saying it is full of life." ~Rupert Garcia
" Henry's portrayal of Johnny was spot on. I highly recommend this book which is the closest the reader will ever get to know the real Carson." ~ Ed Weinberger, former Tonight Show writer and Producer for Carson Productions
"A beautifully easy read that pulls you in to an effortless journey through Johnny Carson’s effortful life. The glamour the fellow celebrities behind the curtain, the loyalties, and the betrayals. It certainly provides new insight on decisions and the lives that are behind the scenes." ~Kathy Davis, Kathy Takes on Books
""I have read this book and it is FAB! If you love reading about celebrities, this is awesome. It is also a great memoir as well. I am a huge memoir fan so this one was a real treat and one of the best I have read in this genre in a long time" ~Mary, Bookhounds Blog
"Bushkin's easy, unpretentious style allows the reader to be a fly on the wall as this inside story plays out in the rarified air on which Johnny thrived. "A HARD ACT TO FOLLOW" is a must read whether you grew up on Johnny or never heard of him. And then there are the supporting characters -- from the Rat Pack to Johnny's Ice Queen mother ranging around the pages disturbing the peace. I read it straight through in 90 minutes and was left wanting more." ~Sandy Ignon, Screenwriter (RANSOM).
"The tales are epic in nature and stretch from the first page to the last. “A Hard Act to Follow” is an honest appraisal of Carson and shows his dark side. In this, Bushkin strikes the right blend of salacious detail with an appropriate dose of discretion. Sure, you’ll learn more detail about Carson’s marriages-- in a tasteful way. Bushkin will leave you wanting more. Great books will do that." ~Barry Mordis, Senior VP at Merryl-Lynch
Thanks for the drop by!
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