by Mark Silva
Hey-oh!
Everyone should have a straight-man.
Like Ed McMahon, who played as the affable sounding board for Johnny Carson's late-night humor for years of good, clean fun.
MSNBC reports this morning that McMahon, best remembered as Carson's "sidekick" on the Tonight Show, has passed away. He was 86.
McMahon died just past midnight at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, according to agent Howard Bragman.
McMahon may be remembered as much for the peddling of products as humor, and in recent years his financial hardships exposed how difficult it can be to maintain the high-flying Hollywood lifestyle that comes and sometimes vanishes with fleeting fame.
But, for "Carnac the Magnificent," McMahon was the perfect straight-man, an example for "sidekicks'' everywhere:
President Barack Obama's sidekick could take a few lessons in best-supporting actorhood, perhaps. Sen. John McCain, star of countless Saturday Nights Live, could use a straight-man. Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, enacted so often on SNL, could use one too. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi could definitely use one.
We all could use someone to keep us in line, laugh at our jokes and never question our good judgment. Here's to Ed McMahon: Hey-oh!
Here's an obituary from an AP television writer:
By LYNN ELBER, AP Television Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Ed McMahon, the loyal "Tonight Show" sidekick who bolstered boss Johnny Carson with guffaws and a resounding "H-e-e-e-e-e-ere's Johnny!" for 30 years, died early Tuesday. He was 86.
McMahon died shortly after midnight at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center surrounded by his wife, Pam, and other family members, said his publicist, Howard Bragman.
Bragman didn't give a cause of death, saying only that McMahon had a "multitude of health problems the last few months."
McMahon had bone cancer, among other illnesses, according to a person close to the entertainer, and had been hospitalized for several weeks. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to release the information.
McMahon broke his neck in a fall in March 2007, and battled a series of financial problems as his injuries preventing him from working.
McMahon and Carson had worked together for nearly five years on the game show "Who Do You Trust?" when Carson took over NBC's late-night show from Jack Paar in October 1962. McMahon played second banana on "Tonight" until Carson retired in 1992.
"You can't imagine hooking up with a guy like Carson," McMahon said an interview with The Associated Press in 1993. "There's the old phrase, hook your wagon to a star. I hitched my wagon to a great star."
McMahon, who never failed to laugh at his Carson's quips, kept his supporting role in perspective.
"It's like a pitcher who has a favorite catcher," he said. "The pitcher gets a little help from the catcher, but the pitcher's got to throw the ball. Well, Johnny Carson had to throw the ball, but I could give him a little help."
Comments
Hopefully, Johnny will introduce him at the gates of Heavan with a big "Heeeeeeeere's Eddie".
Posted by: David J | June 23, 2009 9:02 AM
It's too bad, this Dynamic Duo were not the President and Vice-President, instead of the nightmarish, Bush&Cheny. They would have been far more competent, to govern and a lot more mellow !! No slaughters in Baghdad, for them. They had the nation laughing, and they weren't even in Office !!
Adios, Mr. McMahon, you and your sidekick were a ton of laughs. I know, you and Johnny got 'em rolling in the aisles, up there !!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | June 23, 2009 9:37 AM
Good grief, Don, how do you get a political attack in an item about Ed McMahon? You need some serious mental help, like most on on the Left.
Anyway, Ed McMahon was a fine man. He will be missed just like Johnny is missed. The best late night duo ever. Rest in peace, Ed. God Bless.
Posted by: John D | June 23, 2009 11:21 AM
I remember sneaking out of bed to watch Ed and Johnny...even though I didn't understand half of the jokes at the time.
RIP
Posted by: lochnesssmonster | June 23, 2009 11:26 AM
I remember sneaking out of bed to watch Ed and Johnny...even though I didn't understand half of the jokes at the time.
RIP
Posted by: lochnesssmonster | June 23, 2009 11:26 AM
You make me feel so old. Rest in peace Ed!
Posted by: bill r. | June 23, 2009 11:51 AM
RIP Ed. Who knew that it was Johnny drinking all those Budweisers all those years?! Enjoy a cold one for yourself up there.
John D, as for TV duos, I took you for a Beavis & Butthead fan, with emphasis on the latter because of your empathy.
Posted by: Kenny Bunkport | June 23, 2009 1:20 PM
So long Ed. Say heeeyyyyy OOHhhhh to Johnny for me.
(Or say 'Hey Now!!' if you are really
Hank Kingsley.)
KB,
BTW, Beavis and Butthead; One of the funniest shows ever on TV.
Posted by: C.Morris✧ | June 23, 2009 6:59 PM
Oh Dear Ole Kenny, I began watching Johnny as a little kid, and I mean like 8 years old (when I could stay up later on Friday nights and I believe at that time they often showed a repeat on Saturday nights at 10:30). By the time I was in 6th grade, I watched Johnny just about every night. I even have the Best of Carson series that came out 10-15 years ago. Never was a Beavis and Butthead fan. That's for all the lefty loons that like stupid humor.
Posted by: John D | June 23, 2009 7:16 PM
I began watching Johnny as a little kid, and I mean like 8 years old (when I could stay up later on Friday nights and I believe at that time they often showed a repeat on Saturday nights at 10:30). By the time I was in 6th grade, I watched Johnny just about every night.
- John D
And thus was paved the road to Francine's School of Cosmetology rather than the path to the University of Chicago. (I didn't know Francine offered Political Science).
Posted by: Kenny Bunkport | June 23, 2009 8:17 PM
John D,
Of course, Johnny was a lefty. You seem to have missed that one. He loved to nail Nixon and RR.
Posted by: C.Morris✧ | June 23, 2009 9:10 PM
John Devola is clueless.
JC and Letterman were close friends. Dave, the liberal, was JC's pick to replace him on Tonight Show. The NBC pin head empty suits picked Jay.
Posted by: TheLeninSisters | June 23, 2009 9:13 PM
Oh the deranged world of the Lefty Loons. Lets look at some facts, here.
Carson was liberal, yes,
McMahon was a conservative.
Some of Carson's closest friends and folks he admired greatly were Bob Hope and Jimmy Stewart, two conservative stalwarts.
Yes, Carson favored Letterman over Leno. Not really sure what that has anything to do with the discussions above, anyway. Until recently, Letterman really wasn't political, at least not like he has become the last few years. Leno is a liberal too. Leno, though, has shown to be fairer to other points of view than Letterman.
With jokes, Carson joked about all presidents, whether Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush I. Carson, like Bob Hope, was an equal opportunity jokester. Generally speaking, one could not figure out Carson's political leanings on his show.
Carson was a liberal, but he didn't choose his friendships based on ideology like many liberals do today. That fact was most evident in that the li beral Carson loved his friend the conservative McMahon.
Posted by: John D | June 23, 2009 11:48 PM
John D evidently has never heard what D.L. has said, and still says, about Carter, Clinton, and Obama. He gets after them all. Ditto Jon S. and S. Colbert.
Posted by: C.Morris✧ | June 24, 2009 1:57 PM