For nearly 30 years, Johnny Carson sat behind the desk as host of The Tonight Show and interviewed thousands of guests. While he had his favorites, Carson also reportedly disliked one comedy legend enough for him to be considered the late-night TV star's least favorite guest.
Whether they've publicly admitted it or not, every late-night TV host has a guest they disliked or just didn't connect with. Johnny Carson was no different, and he carried an ego and status that could make it difficult for any guest that didn't gel with Carson.
Bob Hope fit that category according to the book Hope: Entertainer of the Century by Richard Zoglin. The inside story reveals that while Hope was Carson's most frequent Tonight Show guest, the host didn't care much for Hope or his act.
"Carson never warmed to Hope, either personally or professionally," Zoglin wrote. "The Tonight Show host would often mimic and pay homage to the classic comedians he adored — Jack Benny, Groucho Marx, George Burns. He almost never referenced Hope."
Zoglin also included a quote from Tonight Show producer Peter Lassally indicating that Carson appreciated Hope's place in comedy. However, Carson did not enjoy Hope's routine or sense of humor.
Part of the animosity stemmed from Hope's status and pull at NBC. The comedian was the network's biggest star for at least a decade before Carson came on the scene. That meant Hope could essentially book himself on The Tonight Show whenever he needed it.
Johnny Carson didn't consider Bob Hope to be a good Tonight Show guest
If it wasn't bad enough that Bob Hope could come on The Tonight Show at any time, he also wasn't the kind of guest Johnny Carson appreciated. The late-night host prefered a more relaxed, conversational approach to the interview. But Hope came prepared.
"There was nothing spontaneous about Hope," said Carson's co-writer, Andrew Nicholls. "He was a guy who relied on his writers for every topic. Johnny was very quick on his feet. Very well read. He was a guy who learned Swahili, learned Russian, learned astronomy. He appreciated people who he felt engaged with the real world. There was nothing to talk to Bob about."
And even as he aged, Hope never stopped coming by for interviews. Zoglin's book outlines the frustration on Carson's end as an elderly Hope tried to make good television.
"[Hope] often had trouble picking up Carson's questions, and Johnny had to stick precisely to the notes his staff gave him: if he asked a question out of order, Hope might answer a different question. Still, Hope kept coming on the show, his frailties on full display for the national TV audience."
Hope appeared on Carson's Tonight Show over 100 times. That's a lot of time spent together even for two entertainers who get along. But for two comedians who didn't click? That was no easy task for Johnny Carson.