A generation is coming up that never connected with Ed McMahon, nor recognizes his impact on pop culture. But as the longtime sidekick to Johnny Carson during the legendary years of the Tonight Show, McMahon and his catch phrases still are instantly recognizable to millions:
"Hi-yoooooo!"
"You are correct, sir!"
And probably the most recognizable phrase in the history of television: "Heeeeeere's Johnny!"
McMahon died early Tuesday at age 86, after securing his place in the entertainment firmament as television's ultimate sidekick, alongside Carson for 30 years on Tonight, from 1962 to 1992. His everyman, conversational counterbalance to Carson's dry wit provided a template that nighttime talk shows follow, unconsciously or not, even today. Conan O'Brien, the newly minted host of Tonight, has Andy Richter as a sidekick. David Letterman patters with bandleader Paul Shaffer. E!'s Chelsea Handler has Chuy Bravo.
But there will be only one Ed McMahon. His hearty laugh after nearly every one of Carson's jokes is unforgettable. His presence served as a sounding board that helped shape a brand of entertainment that late-night talk show hosts view today as a historical benchmark.
And McMahon's face for years was familiar to anyone who received a contest entry form in the mail from American Family Publishers, or saw the widely syndicated TV talent show Star Search . Few celebrity faces today are as friendly or as trusted.
And now that face, and all the ebullience behind it, permanently is in television's past -- a pity, considering how too much of TV programming is devolving into a talent-starved future.
Comments
It is worth mentioning that he was a Marine pilot who served his country during WW2 and Korea, retired as a Colonel in the USMC Reserve and was a BG in the California Air National Guard. That tells an entirely different story about the kind of man he was.
Like losing an uncle. Ed McMahon also taught America the right way to pour an ice-cold Budweiser.
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