and one night johnny tried to pick up the wrong young lady who happened to be the wife of a well-known mob figure at the time. that led to johnny getting spirited out of the place. and the husband coming into the joint several minutes later, actually. and johnny hid out at home for three days until nbc got the boys to call the hit off, if you will. >> reporter: bushkin who had a falling out with carson in the '80s knows some fans will consider his account a betrayal of the friendship. >> if you consider it a betrayal to learn how he was and how i was and how life was and how television was and how las vegas -- fine. feel that i've betrayed him, but i'm not betraying him. i'm just telling you what happened. whatever i've said doesn't take away his genius.