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212: Mark Malkoff KNOWS Entertainment, Comedy, Late Night TV, Obsessive Behavior & Johnny Carson

ON THE KNOWS with Randall Kenneth Jones

Release Date: 12/11/2025

215: Patrick Ryan KNOWS Fiction, Wordplay, the Human Condition, Literary Success, Jenna Bush Hager and BUCKEYE show art 215: Patrick Ryan KNOWS Fiction, Wordplay, the Human Condition, Literary Success, Jenna Bush Hager and BUCKEYE

ON THE KNOWS with Randall Kenneth Jones

Listening to the ON THE KNOWS podcast with master interviewer Randall Kenneth Jones as he sits down with acclaimed author Patrick Ryan is a must for fans of literary fiction, family sagas, and deep-dive storytelling.   This 2026 interview explores the creative process behind Ryan's expansive 2025 novel, Buckeye, a "Read With Jenna" book club pick that spent multiple weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.   Patrick Ryan's book "Buckeye" was named the #1 Best Book of the Year for 2025 by Amazon editors. This top honor recognizes his novel as the leading title on their annual list...

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214: Scott Eyman KNOWS Hollywood, Perception, Reality, Film History, and Joan Crawford show art 214: Scott Eyman KNOWS Hollywood, Perception, Reality, Film History, and Joan Crawford

ON THE KNOWS with Randall Kenneth Jones

Film historian and acclaimed New York Times bestselling biographer Scott Eyman has written the definitive biography of Hollywood icon Joan Crawford, drawing on never-before-seen documents and photos from the Crawford estate.

Joan Crawford flourished for decades, working for multiple studios in every genre from romance to westerns ("Mildred Pierce," "Johnny Guitar"), musicals to noir ("Torch Song," "A Woman's Face"), and being directed by a young Steven Spielberg in one of her last appearances. Along the way, she accumulated four husbands, an Academy Award for Best Actress, and the...

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213: John Abendshien KNOWS Movies, Healthcare, Curiosity Gone Wild, Human Nature, Kevin McCallister & Home Alone Home Ownership show art 213: John Abendshien KNOWS Movies, Healthcare, Curiosity Gone Wild, Human Nature, Kevin McCallister & Home Alone Home Ownership

ON THE KNOWS with Randall Kenneth Jones

Imagine your home suddenly transformed into a Hollywood icon.   That's precisely what happened to John Abendshien, whose real-life house became the star of "Home Alone." More than just a film set, it turned into a character of its own, filled with traps and slapstick chaos that helped make the movie a global hit.   Decades later, the house remains legendary. Tourists visit, merchandise abounds—even gingerbread replicas exist. In his new book, "Home But Alone No More," Abendshien shares the fascinating behind-the-scenes story: how the location was chosen, what filming was like, and...

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212: Mark Malkoff KNOWS Entertainment, Comedy, Late Night TV, Obsessive Behavior & Johnny Carson show art 212: Mark Malkoff KNOWS Entertainment, Comedy, Late Night TV, Obsessive Behavior & Johnny Carson

ON THE KNOWS with Randall Kenneth Jones

Mark Malkoff is a comedian, writer, and podcast host. He has been featured on Today, Good Morning America, CNN, NPR's Weekend Edition, and for eight years hosted the popular podcast The Carson Podcast.   His new book, "Love Johnny Carson," is a wildly entertaining account by one of the world's most obsessed and informed fans of TV icon Johnny Carson, setting the record straight on Carson's legacy and shining a light on the personality behind the legendary comedian and talk show host.   Carson aficionado Mark Malkoff has amassed more Carson stories from original sources than anyone in...

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211: Robin Hauser KNOWS Documentaries, Egg Freezing, Human Nature & Courageous Women show art 211: Robin Hauser KNOWS Documentaries, Egg Freezing, Human Nature & Courageous Women

ON THE KNOWS with Randall Kenneth Jones

Once a niche medical procedure, egg freezing is now a billion-dollar industry that promises women the ability to pause their biological clocks and extend their reproductive choices.    For some, it’s a path to empowerment; for others, it’s a costly gamble in an unregulated system with no guarantees. Through the experiences of three American women navigating the process, this documentary examines the realities behind the growing trend—who has access, who profits, and what’s at stake.    With insights from medical experts, ethicists, and industry leaders, the film...

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210: Kevin Goetz and Bob Levin KNOW Movies, Storytelling, Creative Instinct, Audience Insight & Box Office Success show art 210: Kevin Goetz and Bob Levin KNOW Movies, Storytelling, Creative Instinct, Audience Insight & Box Office Success

ON THE KNOWS with Randall Kenneth Jones

Dive into the behind-the-scenes world of the movie business, where entertainment strategist Kevin Goetz reveals the pivotal intersection of creative instinct and audience insight. This is the sweet spot where the business of film meets the art of storytelling. When it comes to cinematic success, every detail matters—from early concept to the final marketing push.   "How to Score in Hollywood" is a playbook for guiding movie-making decisions at every turn. Drawing from nearly four decades of experience, Goetz shows how films can be made and marketed to turn a profit by aligning creative...

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209: B.A Crisp KNOWS Empathy, Resilience, Spirituality, Cognition & Ghost Management show art 209: B.A Crisp KNOWS Empathy, Resilience, Spirituality, Cognition & Ghost Management

ON THE KNOWS with Randall Kenneth Jones

This episode will help you start to understand how to embrace your emotional ghosts and transform them into catalysts for healing and growth.   Her third appearance with Randall Kenneth Jones, B. A. Crisp is a strategist at Crisp Concepts, Inc., in Herndon, VA. Her professional portfolio ranges from psychiatric assessment specialist to adviser with the Department of Homeland Security’s Science & Technology Directorate, where she collaborated on anti-human trafficking research. She also lent her expertise to Homeland Security Investigations on Illicit Finance Crimes and Gangs. ...

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208: David M. Lubin KNOWS Art, Film, Subtext, Motivation, Education, Human Nature & Sunset Boulevard show art 208: David M. Lubin KNOWS Art, Film, Subtext, Motivation, Education, Human Nature & Sunset Boulevard

ON THE KNOWS with Randall Kenneth Jones

This episode will help you understand how art—specifically cinema—can grow in importance over time, and our ongoing exploration of art continues to shed valuable light on the human condition. #ArtIsLife   Today, more than 70 years after it premiered, "Sunset Boulevard" remains the finest ever movie made about the pathology of fame: those who lose it, those who abuse it, and those who never attain it at all.    Great films are born of great collaborations, and "Sunset Boulevard" represents one of the most extraordinary confluences of cinematic talent in film history. Still,...

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207: Brian Edwards KNOWS Friendship, Loyalty, Entertainment, Media & Brian Edwards show art 207: Brian Edwards KNOWS Friendship, Loyalty, Entertainment, Media & Brian Edwards

ON THE KNOWS with Randall Kenneth Jones

This episode will help you KNOW more about the value of thoughtfully capturing and sharing one's legacy, accepting your past, including the highs and the lows, and giving credit where credit is due. In the mid-1980s, LGBTQ+ trailblazer Edwards carved his path alongside icons like Donna Summer and Joan Rivers. Over the decades, he built a reputation as a multi-award-winning talent executive, client relations rep, producer, writer, and occasional performer – working with some of the most recognizable names in show business: Cindy Crawford, Susan Sarandon, Melissa Rivers, Whoopi Goldberg,...

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206: Michael Seth Starr KNOWS Entertainment, Wordplay, Comedy, Exploration & Rodney Dangerfield show art 206: Michael Seth Starr KNOWS Entertainment, Wordplay, Comedy, Exploration & Rodney Dangerfield

ON THE KNOWS with Randall Kenneth Jones

This episode will help you KNOW more about the value of thoughtfully capturing and sharing one’s legacy—and giving credit where credit is due.   Michael Seth Starr covered television at the New York Post as a reporter, columnist, critic, and editor for over 28 years. He has written a filmography of Peter Sellers and biographies of Rodney Dangerfield, Don Rickles, Bob Newhart, Art Carney, Joey Bishop, Bobby Darin, Raymond Burr, William Shatner, Redd Foxx, and Ringo Starr. He has made frequent appearances on television, including The Today Show, Access Hollywood, Good Morning America,...

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More Episodes
Mark Malkoff is a comedian, writer, and podcast host. He has been featured on Today, Good Morning America, CNN, NPR's Weekend Edition, and for eight years hosted the popular podcast The Carson Podcast.
 
His new book, "Love Johnny Carson," is a wildly entertaining account by one of the world's most obsessed and informed fans of TV icon Johnny Carson, setting the record straight on Carson's legacy and shining a light on the personality behind the legendary comedian and talk show host.
 
Carson aficionado Mark Malkoff has amassed more Carson stories from original sources than anyone in entertainment history, speaking to over four hundred individuals, and now, in "Love Johnny Carson," he sets the record straight in this comprehensive portrait of Carson's life, career, legacy, and character. 
 
The book covers the debuts of stand-up comics like David Letterman and Ellen DeGeneres, the never-before-detailed reasons why Johnny stopped talking to Joan Rivers, why he banned guests like William Shatner and Orson Welles, the true origins of Carnac the Magnificent (it wasn't stolen from Steve Allen), the part Johnny played in getting Nixon elected president, the beloved comedian who the Carson writers dreaded guest-hosting, and many other behind-the-scenes stories of the funniest and most beloved Carson moments of all time.
 
"ON THE KNOWS with Randall Kenneth Jones" is a podcast that features smart, funny, and heartfelt conversations with celebrities, innovators, and everyday heroes. The show is designed to entertain, enlighten, and offer listeners new insights into the world, others, and themselves. 
 
The podcast is hosted by Randall Kenneth Jones, a bestselling author, speaker, and creative communications consultant. The announcer is the celebrated voice actor Susan Bennett, widely known as the original voice of Siri.
 
The podcast offers a unique spin on knowledge and education, emphasizing the importance of conversation, laughter, listening, and critical thinking. It is often described as an "antidote to today's anxiety-ridden media landscape."
 
Podcast Highlights:
 
• Based on Mark’s new book, this episode is an introduction to Mark’s outstanding behind-the-scenes look at Johnny Carson’s 30 years as leader of The Tonight Show.
• Randy introduces a new “game show” entitled "Does Wikipedia Lie?” to introduce Mark and the various comedy stunts he has pulled off with Starbucks, Ikea, Netflix, & AirTran.
• Let the name-dropping begin (from both guest and host): David Letterman, Michael J. Fox, Stephen Colbert, Joan Embery, Tiny Tim, Tommy Newsome, Rodney Dangerfield, Merv Griffin, Joey Bishop, Steve Lawrence, Don Rickles, Buddy Hackett, Jennifer Tilly, William Shatner, Diane Carroll, Lola Falana, Redd Foxx, Diana Ross, Gwen Verdon, The Pope, Dick Cavett, Buddy Rich, Steve McQueen, Shirley Jones, Jimmy Stewart, Jack Webb, Jimmy Cagney, Kate Capshaw, Jerry Lewis, Richard Nixon, Joan Rivers, Martin Luther King, Jr., Sammy Davis, Jr., 
• Mark and Randy both share touching, personal anecdotes about Regis Philbin. 
• Mark credits Carson’s Midwest roots and his “likability” as major contributors to his success.
• Randy's take-away from the book: “Carson is a combination of ego, paranoia, compassion, and above all, loyalty.”
• Mark discusses Carson’s pet peeves (being corrected, someone turning their back on him).
• The pair discusses the impact of being young white kids and the benefit of being introduced to black entertainers via the show.
• The pair discusses their definitions of “star quality.” Mark talks about the power of someone’s “aura,” onstage and offstage. Randy tells his personal story about interviewing Chita Rivera and how she shaped his view of star quality. 
 
Best Quotes:
 
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• Mark Malkoff: "For thirty years, Carson would become the one man who could calm a nervous nation during those anxious moments between wakefulness and sleep."
• Mark Malkoff: He could listen to the guest, anticipate what he wanted to ask next, and, at the same time, scroll through the joke Rolodex in his mind to find the right quip."
• Mark Malkoff: “That was Carson’s brilliance. He knew what the audience wanted.” 
• Mark Simone: "When you were a little kid growing up, Carson taught you this is how to be an adult. This is how to have a personality. This is how to conduct yourself in life."
 
ON THE KNOWS is produced and edited by Kevin Randall Jones. 
 
 
 
 
Mark Malkoff: www.MarkMalkoff.com  
Randall Kenneth Jones: www.RandallKennethJones.com 
Susan Bennett: www.SusanCBennett.com
Kevin Randall Jones: www.KevinRandallJones.com