Taut entertainer Wayne Newton lamented the lost love between him and Johnny Carson on Larry King Live last night. Make no mistake, however, Newton’s no queer.
Calling Carson a “mean-spirited man,” Newton explained how the Tonight Show host got his giggles by questioning his sexuality and, quite frankly, Newton didn’t like it. So, after Carson ignored his messages and peaceful pleas, Newton headed to the NBC studio in Burbank and threatened Carson. Says 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.
We’ve never really had any opinion of Newton in the past, but we do now – and it ain’t good.
Diana, The Late Princess of Wales
Good for Wayne. Carson was a bully and it was hurtful. Kinda like the gradeschool kids calling you a Fag, when your just a clueless kid. I see nothing wrong with calling creeps out.
jack jett
I never thought he was gay..I just thought he was an ugly woman.
Although, far be it from be to disagree with Diana, The Late Princess of Wales.
jack jett
Nitesurf
Wayne seems to be very proud of this moment, he’s recounted it many times over the years. I, like Johnny Carson, always suspected he was gay.
NG
Good lord, man; that whole business occurred back in the 70’s. On the other hand, of late, Republicans seem to be back in the habit of digging up one’s old skeletons for personal gain, except that Wayne’s digging up his.
ProfessorVP
The stories and hints about Wayne Newton didn’t begin with Johnny Carson, but long, long before, and yes, it is probable that Wayne is gay.
He was a teenage performer made popular on TV, especially by Jackie Gleason. Wayne did, in fact, look and sound like a girl. And if you listen to his biggest hit, “Danke Schoen,” he certainly sounds like a female. His figure was then soft and round, his hair naturally red. And I’m not saying this as an insult, but just as fact- his demeanor was that of a gayboy, like Clay Aiken. Carson was not the only one to pick up on this. Wayne married a Japanese airline stewardess, and, as with Rock Hudson’s forced marriage, Wayne wound up beating the crap out of his wife. I know he remarried and had kids, but that, in itself, proves nothing. He also lost weight, grew a mustache and dyed his hair black and wore western
drag to reinvent himself. The quote he said about “what friend of yours I’ve killed” was originally, “what child of yours I’ve killed,” so outraged was Wayne, who did get into a tug of war with Carson about who owned what in Vegas. Carson had an act and was very popular, doing the blue jokes that he couldn’t do on TV. But Newton was much bigger then. It is absolutely true that Carson was mean as hell, and like many of the great comics, a miserable loner. It’s likely true that Newton was gay and Carson knew which button to press to hurt him. As I remember, Wayne threatened to confront Carson, but I don’t recall anything about “ass-kicking.” Carson, who had served in WW2 and had been a bantam-weight boxer when he was young, could have creamed Newton.
I know all this because I was a grown man then, same as now.
Rex
Hey Wayne…STOP with the plastic surgery…YIKES man, you’re looking scarier everytime Ive seenyou…STOP IT, YOU AREN’T 40 ANYMORE!
That Darn Cat
There have been rumors for years that Wayne was a hermaphrodite. If you see footage of him when he was 16 he looks like a young KD Lang.
I agree with Rex…..he needs to stop with the plastic surgery-very scary!
Ed
Newton still looks and sounds gay plus he was staring blantanty at a friend of mine in Vegas.
Paul Lynde
You mean he’s NOT gay???
David
I thought he was hooked up to an endless supply of helium.
His voice always stuck me as annoying.
The best singing voice I’ve ever heard was Vaughn Monroe. He’s the guy who recorded the 1940’s “Let it Snow.”
L.
@Rex: Why? Don’t tell me you think this isn’t a thing of beauty:
http://cdn2.maxim.com/maxim/files/2007/10/29/scariest-celebrity-faces/scariestFaces_wayneNewton_l1.jpg
…on some planet.