She was a struggling model and he was the host of a TV game show who shyly asked her if she wanted to watch some film clips of his comedy. It was the first date in 1960 in New York City for the future Joanne Carson and Johnny Carson, long before he became the king of late-night television ... Joanne Carson, 83, who later in life became a close confidant of Truman Capote, died Friday at home in Los Angeles. She had been in declining health and was in hospice care ...