Suzen Johnson

Suzen Johnson (born February 1951) is a former flight attendant, businesswoman, and model. Her notoriety stems from being the mistress of Frank Gifford in April and May 1997, the affair making the headlines of several tabloids that year. The two were photographed together, [ [http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,1138,00.html Photos Embarrass Giffords] Elizabeth Johns, "E! Online news", May 16, 1997] bringing shame to Gifford and his wife, Kathie Lee.

Life and career

Johnson was born in Washington, D.C. and later moved to Florida. She married athlete and businessman Harold E. Johnson (born 1930) who made money in the 1950s transforming gyms into fitness centers by adding services and amenities. [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20010807020749/www.suzenjohnson.com/partone2.html My background in the health and fitness industry] SuzenJohnson.com, archived August 7, 2001] In 1989, the couple opened two unsuccessful "Fabulous New Woman" Health Spas in New Bedford and Fall River, Massachusetts. [ [http://www.s-t.com/daily/06-97/06-05-97/c01lo053.htm Gifford scandal hits home] Chris Gonsalves, The New Bedford Standard-Times June 5, 1997]

For many years she worked as a flight attendant for TWA, including being scheduled to work on TWA Flight 800 which crashed in 1996, but swapping shifts the day before. [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20010807020756/www.suzenjohnson.com/partone.html My story] SuzenJohnson.com, archived August 7, 2001]

Affair with Gifford

At the end of April and beginning of May, 1997, Johnson spent a week with Gifford at the Regency Hotel, in Manhattan. [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20010609121642/suzenjohnson.com/mystory2.html The Top 5 Most Asked Questions About the Gifford Relationship] SuzenJohnson.com, archived June 9, 2001] Unknown to either Johnson or Gifford, the weekly tabloid "The Globe" had concealed video cameras and tape recording equipment in the room to document their affair, and published the story that May.

Aftermath

In the November following the Gifford scandal, Johnson appeared on the cover of "Playboy", and appeared in a nude pictorial inside that issue. [ [http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,1580,00.htm Frank Gifford's Mistress Exposed in "Playboy"] Marcus Errico, "E! Online news", Aug 8, 1997]

The extent to which the Globe went "to get the story" became a news issue in itself. [ [http://www.freedomforum.org/templates/document.asp?documentID=7680 'Yellow journalism': quaint concept in today's 'untidy' media world] Paul Eisenberg, Media Studies Center, May 19, 1998, hosted by the Freedom Forum] [ [http://www.ajr.org/Article.asp?id=269 Taming the Tabloids] Darcie Lunsford, American Journalism Review, September 2000] In January 1999, the National Enquirer published a story about the Globe paying Johnson for the story about the affair, [ [http://www.freedomforum.org/templates/document.asp?documentID=7120 Tabloid loses fight to stop rival from publishing Gifford affair story] Associated Press, January 4, 1999, hosted by the Freedom Forum] and in June 1999, she sued the publisher of "The Globe", claiming that she was told the newspaper only wanted to write about their platonic relationship, and the paper had wired their hotel room without telling her. [ [http://www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/News/9906/23/showbuzz/ Gifford's mistress sues tabloid] CNN Showbuzz, June 23, 1999]

In 2001, she ran a website called "SuzenJohnson.com: Frank Gifford's Mistress Tells All", with her image from the Playboy cover. On the site, she wrote about her faith, her battles with the tabloids, had a picture gallery, and intended to have fitness information, a members section, and a store. [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20010201145500/http://suzenjohnson.com/ SuzenJohnson.com] Archived February 1, 2001] The site closed in 2002.

References

Persondata
NAME=Johnson, Suzen
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Flight attendant; Frank Gifford's mistress
DATE OF BIRTH=February 1951
PLACE OF BIRTH=Washington, D.C.
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=