Newton Lays Into 'Mean-Spirited' Carson

Talk Show Icon's Gay Jokes Infuriated 'Danke Schoen' Crooner

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Posted: 2007-11-30 16:48:17

(Nov. 30) - Las Vegas performer Wayne Newton brought up painful memories of his feud with Johnny Carson during a visit to "Larry King Live" on Thursday, calling the late "Tonight Show" host a "mean-spirited human being."

(Note: Newton and King begin discussing Carson at the 02:20 mark.)

Carson made questioning Newton's sexuality a regular part of his monologues. "Implying you were gay?" asked King. "Yes. A lot," the singer responded.

Newton, who said he had considered the talk host a friend, said he was deeply offended and decided to confront Carson in person at his Burbank office after being unable to reach him for over a year.

"I said to Mr. Carson, I said, I don't know what friend of yours I've killed, I don't know what child of yours I've hurt, I don't know what food I've taken out of your mouth, but these jokes about me will stop and they'll stop now or I will kick your ass."

KING: You had a rough time, did you not, with Johnny Carson?

NEWTON: I did.

KING: Because he made fun of you too much?

NEWTON: Well, what happened is I had done his show many, many times and considered him a friend of mine. And all of a sudden, a whole new brand of humor started to be displayed by him. And he was in that humor questioning my masculinity.

KING: Implying you were gay? NEWTON: Yes. A lot. And...

KING: Did you call him?

NEWTON: I called his agents, I called his manager, I called his attorney. I went through probably a year-and-a-half of trying to reach him. And when none of that worked, I went to see him.

KING: And?

(LAUGHTER)

KING: Now you know I'm not going to leave it there.

NEWTON: I went to NBC, Burbank, and walked down the halls into his office, and Freddy de Cordova, his producer, was in the office with him. And I walked in, unannounced, I said to Freddy, I said, would you excuse us, please?

He was so shocked that he did get up and leave. And I said to Mr. Carson, I said, I don't know what friend of yours I've killed, I don't know what child of yours I've hurt, I don't know what food I've taken out of your mouth, but these jokes about me will stop and they'll stop now or I will kick your ass.

KING: And what did he say?

NEWTON: He started to mumble, and I think he said something like, Wayne, I'm your biggest fan. I said, don't give me that crap. Don't give me that. I am here to straighten out whatever your problem is. And whichever way you want to straighten it out is fine with me.

KING: Do you think he was using -- just he wanted more jokes?

NEWTON: I'm going to say something I've never said on television, Mr. King. Johnny Carson was a mean-spirited human being. And there are people that he has hurt that people will never know about. And for some reason at some point, he decided to turn that kind of negative attention toward me. And I refused to have it.

KING: Do you think it hurt your career?

NEWTON: In retrospect, no. I think, probably, there was a time that it could have hurt my career. But I think ultimately, the whole thing that evolved later on, around 1980, where I was accused of fronting for the mafia and being a member of the mafia and then being extorted by the mafia and all of that, all of that emanated from Johnny Carson's influence.

KING: You think, you know?

NEWTON: I know so.

KING: Sinatra had that same bum rap too, image.

NEWTON: Well, I can tell you that when it started with me, my name was put on a hit list, which was told to me by the FBI. And they said the six people on this list, five of them are dead.

KING: Who would want to hit you?

NEWTON: Well, because NBC had said that I was going to be a star witness against the mafia in court.

KING: Oh.

NEWTON: I don't know anything about it. I'm an Indian boy from Virginia. You know, I don't know about that kind of stuff.

KING: Well, you didn't get killed.

NEWTON: I didn't get killed and the FBI handed me a bulletproof vest and said, call us if anything happens.

CNN.com: Read the Whole Transcript

Newton has three children from two marriages. He and Kathleen McCrone have been married since 1994.

The "Danke Schoen" crooner said he wasn't the only one hurt by Carson, who died in early 2005 from complications of emphysema.

"Johnny Carson was a mean-spirited human being. And there are people that he has hurt that people will never know about. And for some reason at some point, he decided to turn that kind of negative attention toward me. And I refused to have it. "

Did Carson's sexually-charged jokes hurt him professionally? Newton doesn't think so, but he does believe the TV legend played a part in NBC's report alleging him of partnering with the mafia to buy a Vegas casino.

"I think, probably, there was a time that it could have hurt my career," he said. "But I think ultimately, the whole thing that evolved later on, around 1980, where I was accused of fronting for the mafia and being a member of the mafia and then being extorted by the mafia and all of that, all of that emanated from Johnny Carson's influence."

He later sued NBC for libel.

Newton was recently featured on hit reality show "Dancing With the Stars" before being voted off in the third week.

It was revealed on Nov. 16 that Newton has cardiomyopathy, a viral infection of the heart muscle. The condition forced the Vegas icon to call off his engagements for the remainder of 2007 while he rests. His spokesman said at the time that Newton has been previously treated for the virus.

2007-11-30 12:02:55

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648 comments

Emilylop 05:12:46 PM Dec 04 2007

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Yesterday, I saw him joined the celebrity and millionaire dating site billionairecupid.com. Seems he is dating someone there.

Violetdks 04:43:52 PM Dec 03 2007

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ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LOOK AT HOW A MAN TREATS HIS FAMILY AND IT WILL PRETTY MUCH TELL YOU THE STORY OF THEIR LIFE, CAN'T SAY THAT CARSON EVEN HAS ONE MEMBER OF HIS FAMILY WHO WOULD EVER HAVE SHED A TEAR FOR HIM, NOT TO MENTION HOW THEY TURNED OUT, WITH NO HELP FROM THEIR LOVING FATHER, GRANDFATHER, HUSBAND IF THEY REALLY NEEDED IT, AND I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT SUPPORTING THEM EITHER, MEDICAL AND OTHER NEEDS COME UP AND CAN PUT A PERSON DOWN, JOHNNY WAS KNOWN FOR THINKING OF HIMSELF, HE WASN'T EVEN CIVIL TO ED, WHO WAS A JERK FOR STAYING WITH CARSON SO LONG.

Violetdks 04:43:42 PM Dec 03 2007

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meusaoh 02:46:00 PM Dec 03 2007

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((noblewin 03:52:49 AM Dec 03 2007

Ah, poor "meusaoh" is mad because he can't openly hate gay people anymore. ))

So you admit that I am right. Freedom of speech has been replaced by political correctness. YOU have the right to spew out your hatred for Christians, but Christians don't have the right to speak out against a lifestyle that they believe is wrong. Talk about double standards.

RichStan4d 02:16:00 PM Dec 03 2007

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There's a Pay-per-view that never was. Wayne Newton vs Johnny Carson. Carson would have fallen over from his emphysema and Wayne would have beaten him with his purse.

dondegeorge9 11:58:29 AM Dec 03 2007

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I never had much respect for either one of them>> Wayne, has been a jerk since the old days, for the crap he pulled on his brother and Tommy??? As far as Carson goes...THEY KICK HIS ASS OUT OF VEGAS be he was so bad.

orlandolife 10:07:21 AM Dec 03 2007

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Bing Crosby, Sinatra, Carson. All powerful movers in Hollywood. All of them hard nosed SOB's. What else is new. Get over it, Wayne. You are supposed to be resting.

Bormanathome 09:31:37 AM Dec 03 2007

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webexperts 04:56:55 AM Dec 03 2007

We liked the Carson show but have no doubts Carson was not a Angel
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CARSON NEVER PROFESSED TO BE "A ANGEL." HE'D LAUGH HIMSELF TO DEATH IF COULD HEAR THAT. HE WAS A COMEDIAN, WITH BAGGAGE, LIKE WE ALL HAVE - TO SOME DEGREE.