Merv Griffin and Johnny Carson were bitter rivals who fought over celebrity guests for years

Merv Griffin and Johnny Carson were bitter rivals who fought over celebrity guests for years

Talk show hosts Merv Griffin and Johnny Carson evolved from bitter rivals fighting over celebrity guests in the 1960s to close friends by the 1980s, author Steve Randisi reveals.

Merv Griffin and Johnny Carson were bitter rivals who fought over celebrity guests for years – Democratic Accent

Merv Griffin and Johnny Carson spent years as bitter rivals on competing talk shows. During a recent episode of the “Nostalgia Tonight with Joe Sibilia” podcast, Steve Randisi, author of the book, “The Merv Griffin Show: The Inside Story,” spoke about the history behind the show, as well as the host’s competitive relationship with Carson. “It began, believe it or not, in 1962, when they were both starting their respective talk show careers on NB…