Scandals From The Johnny Carson Show

Frank Sinatra’s Personal Favor

Frank Sinatra produced President Reagan’s 1981 Inaugural Gala. He requested that Johnny Carson host the event and he would consider it a “personal favor”—meaning that if Carson refused, Sinatra would take it as a personal insult.

Carson reluctantly agreed. But he was not pleased about how the event was proceeding. When he was told that the hosting request actually came from Reagan himself, Carson, who had served in the Navy during World War II, replied, “Ronnie does know that I answered my country’s call once already, doesn’t he?” The anti-social host was was miserable at the event. Carson slammed Sinatra behind his back every chance he had. And his final straw was when Dean Martin showed up drunk. Carson refused to introduce him at the inaugural.