Johnny Carson’s Alleged Celebrity Ban List: Leno, Shatner, and More
A new book claims the legendary Johnny Carson maintained a list of celebrities he allegedly barred from appearing on The Tonight Show, revealing a side of the beloved host rarely seen by the public. While never officially confirmed, the existence of this “ban list” has fueled speculation for decades, with names like Jay Leno, William Shatner, and Ellen DeGeneres reportedly included.
The claims stem from recent research conducted by Mark Malkoff and David Ritz for their book, Love Johnny Carson, which features interviews with those who worked closely with the iconic late-night figure. According to the book, Carson’s producer of 22 years, Peter Lassally, revealed the existence of the list, though a physical copy has never surfaced. Lassally stated that “Burt Reynolds and Rich Little have both claimed to have seen a ‘hard copy’ with over thirty names on it.”
One of the most prominent names allegedly on the list is Jay Leno. The future Tonight Show host made his debut on Carson’s show in March 1977 and became a frequent guest. However, the book alleges that after a February 1978 appearance where “audience laughs were so light,” Carson reportedly decided to cease inviting him back. As one source described the situation, “Johnny just doesn’t like him. He doesn’t like his jokes. That’s not going to change… Once he doesn’t like someone, he doesn’t start liking them later.” Despite this alleged temporary ban, Leno would eventually succeed Carson as host of The Tonight Show for a combined 22 years, from 1992 to 2009 and again from 2010 to 2014.
Leno wasn’t the only star reportedly facing Carson’s disapproval. William Shatner, the celebrated Star Trek actor, allegedly ran afoul of Carson’s rules during a 1983 appearance. The book details three specific infractions: speaking “monotonously for four minutes straight” without allowing Carson to interject, turning his back on the host to converse with Buddy Hackett, and violating a rule regarding promotion of non-NBC programming by mentioning both his show, T.J. Hooker, and its network, ABC. (The network mention was reportedly muted during the broadcast.) While Shatner did eventually return to The Tonight Show, it was only during periods with guest hosts, suggesting Carson upheld the alleged ban during his tenure.
Other celebrities reportedly included on the list were Ellen DeGeneres, who allegedly faced repercussions after disregarding a direct request from Carson not to tell a particular joke. Even esteemed scientist Carl Sagan, a frequent guest with at least 24 appearances, reportedly found himself excluded after correcting Carson twice during a discussion about Halley’s comet. SNL star Dana Carvey was allegedly “permanently banned” after a sketch parodied Carson and The Tonight Show.
The alleged list also included the names of Orson Welles, Jerry Lewis, and Steve Allen, each for various, unspecified reasons. While the existence of the list remains unconfirmed, the specificity of the accounts surrounding each celebrity’s final appearances lends credence to the claims.
Despite the potential for a contentious side, Carson remains a highly respected figure in television history. He clearly possessed a strong sense of what he considered worthy of his time and platform. The revelation of this alleged ban list prompts a broader question: do similar, unofficial lists exist within other late-night talk shows?
