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Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Ed McMahon Dies at Age 86


Long-time Tonight Show announcer and Star Search host Ed McMahon has died at age 86. CNN has the story along with memories from Tonight Show bandleader Doc Severinsen and frequent substitute Tonight Show host Joan Rivers and David Letterman (I still say he should have replaced Johnny Carson as host of the Tonight Show).

I met Mr. McMahon a few years back in Branson, MO. Ed was emcee of a ill-fated attempt at a show similar to Star Search. It was a free veterans appreciation show (and free to media too).
Ed came out after the show and talked to me and a co-worker as if we were old friends. He found out we were from Lebanon and he told us how his limo got lost leaving the Springfield/Branson Airport. They took him to Lebanon.

The British satirical puppet show Spitting Image once portrayed McMahon as the head of a secret society of celebrities who were actually running the United States. Of course, that was in the mid-80's when it seemed like Ed McMahon was everywhere. His Budweiser ads earned him a mention on Mystery Science Theater 3000 at the end of a boring promotional film for ice cream freezers made by Anheuser Busch in the 60's. When the Budweiser logo appears on screen, Tom Servo (mimicking McMahon's voice) says "Moms - Be sure a get the kids some of Ed McMahon's Budweiser Flavored Ice Cream. HHHHIIIII-YYYYYYOOOOO!"

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