Ed McMahon Dies | America’s Straight Man Escapes Debt

He rode high, lived high

Fans of late night American television over the years have heard of Ed McMahon. He was the perennial straight man, a foil for the jokes of the all-time king of late night, Johnny Carson. Now like his leader in hilarity, Ed McMahon too has died. He was 86 years old.

If you could go through life with someone announcing your entrance in much the same way that Ed McMahon would joyfully exclaim “Heeeeeere’s… Johnny!”, wouldn’t it be fun? Everybody dreams of being somebody, and having someone like Ed prepping the room for you would be a hoot.

You know what else everyone dreams of being? Financially well off. Ed McMahon did well for himself during his career, but the lavish homes and lifestyle caught up to him in his later years. His mansion was foreclosed and his credit rating took a hit. It seems he even took it upon himself to go to the homes of Publishers’ Clearing House in an attempt to reclaim the giant checks he’d delivered. Sidekick’s gotta have money. I wonder if he ever tried payday loans for fast cash?

“HEY-oooh!”

Mark Silva blogs for Swamp Politics that Ed McMahon was “a sounding board for years of good, clean fun.” In addition, his product hawking was always received with good humor. Without McMahon’s endorsement of Publishers’ Clearing House, that would never have become the national name that it did.

But the Hollywood parties deep-sixed Big Ed’s finances. Instead of living a life of champagne wishes and caviar dreams, Ed McMahon had to rap for FreeCreditReport.com to recoup his losses. Friends don’t let friends rap for money, especially when they’re drunk.

Silva recognizes that we can all use someone to keep us in line now and again. Ed McMahon did that for Johnny Carson on the air. Being a political blogger, Silva thinks some of our country’s top politicians could use the same:

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.

For the president, it seems to be the reverse. He has to keep Joe Biden in line…

“I could give him a little help”

AP television writer Lynn Elber writes in Ed McMahon’s obituary that died at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center after a hospitalization of several weeks. He was in the company of his wife, Pam, and family. Publicist Howard Bragman didn’t identify the exact cause of death, but he did say that Ed McMahon had a “multitude of health problems the last few months.” Apparently, one of the problems was bone cancer. He had also broken his neck in 2007.

Illness made work difficult during Ed’s final years, and a lack of work led to financial difficulties.

McMahon and Johnny Carson had worked together on television since about 1958. He was Carson’s faithful straight man until Carson retired in 1992. In an AP interview the following year, Ed McMahon said that he was happy to have “hitched my wagon to a great star.” Graciously, he always 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.”

You gave more than a little help. Rest now, Ed McMahon. Rest where bill collectors can’t find you. Payday loans for fast cash will be an option for those left behind.

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