Jacqueline Susann's Open Door 30, 1951, ""Jacqueline Susann's Open Door" (via WABD) is human-interest at its heart-tuggiest." No episodes are known to exist today. Jacqueline Susann's Open Door Jacqueline Susann's Open Door is an American discussion show hosted by Jacqueline Susann, later to become famous as the author of "Valley of the Dolls". It aired nationally on the DuMont Television Network between May 7 and June 18, 1951. Each week Susann would interview celebrities. Sam Chase's review of the program in the June 2, 1951, issue of "Billboard" illustrated the significance of the program's title: "Purpose of the show is to try to open
Jacqueline Susann out. Let's just say that now we're not speaking louder." Referring to Philip Roth and his best-selling novel "Portnoy's Complaint", notorious for its graphic descriptions of masturbation, she said to Johnny Carson, "Philip Roth is a good writer, but I wouldn't want to shake hands with him." Not everyone, of course was a fan. Gore Vidal said, "She doesn't write, she types." In July 1969, Truman Capote appeared on "The Tonight Show" and announced that Susann looked "like a truck driver in drag." On Susann's next visit to the show, Johnny Carson, gave her a chance to respond to Capote