Dating 1971
(September 30, 1972 - 1985) divorced
Joanna and Carson first became acquainted in 1971 through designer Molly Parnis at New York’s “21” Club. According to Parnis, they were immediately attracted to each other. They had a brief whirlwind romance, of which even people close to them had little to no knowledge. At the Carson Tonight Show’s 10th-anniversary party on September 30, 1972, he revealed that they had tied the knot in a secret ceremony earlier that day. This predictably came as a surprise to many. However, in the ensuing years, friends of the couple came to believe that Joanna was a positive influence on the host of ‘The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson’ (1962–1992). She convinced him to take frequent trips to Europe, which brought him immense joy, as he was rarely troubled by the fans there. Parnis even hinted that Joanna brought a new level of sophistication to Carson’s life.