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 Ed McMahon Was an Everyman Till the EndPosted on Jun 23, 2009
Despite his fame, money and extraordinary résumé—he had been a Marine, pitchman, newsboy, ditch digger, talent show host and, of course, the most famous sidekick in the history of television—Ed McMahon came off as a likable everyday guy. Before his death Tuesday at the age of 86, McMahon even experienced the wrong end of the mortgage crisis, albeit with a Beverly Hills mansion. If there’s a talk show heaven, perhaps Jonny Carson is welcoming his old sidekick with a friendly “Heeeeeeeere’s Ed.” Watch classic McMahon “Tonight Show” moments here.
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By Inherit The Wind, June 27, 2009 at 5:56 am Link to this comment
“Geraldo just gives ‘em what they want.”
Rae: No argument there. But Geraldo was one of the first to really dumb it down to National Enquirer level using his rep as an investigative reporter (he broke the Willowbrook story many years ago) which he then sold out on.
He didn’t just give ‘em what they want, he TAUGHT them to want it. Geraldo gave us Ricki Lake and Jerry Springer, to mention a few. His whole shtick forced Donohue to dumb his show down, and Oprah did as well (though she didn’t have to dumb it down much. She liked to NOT prepare for guests so she could keep it “fresh”—what’s with that?)
(I saw Oprah on Chicago local TV before she went national and was TOTALLY unimpressed. Had a Multiple Personality victim on and asked her if she’d show the other “people”. Victim responded coldly “You promised me this wasn’t going to be a freak show.”....and there was the young Oprah fumbling..“Oh yes, you are absolutely right…”. )
Geraldo is the total media whore of media whores. That’s why he signed FOR THE MONEY with Fox, despite being an erstwhile liberal.
Report thisBy RAE, June 26, 2009 at 4:33 pm Link to this comment
Hey there Inherit…
“I think of it as the Geraldoization of American TV.”
Don’t blame the 100 channels of the most vacuous schlock imaginable on Geraldo. Often when a really good series with great writing, acting, directing comes along… it gets cancelled for LACK OF RATINGS. (Judging Amy, Everwood, My So Called Life, etc.)
It almost seems that when an “American” sits down in front of the tube he/she does NOT want to have to THINK. He/she wants “entertainment” to be predictable. He/she wants “news” spoonfed and explained - above all UNCOMPLICATED & SHORT.
Geraldo just gives ‘em what they want.
Report thisBy Inherit The Wind, June 26, 2009 at 2:30 pm Link to this comment
Percy Dovetonsil, June 25 at 11:20 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Sad to be a lefty when I hear such pious boobery.
**************************************
I guess so…but I’m right-handed!
Actually, with the deaths of two very nice famous people, Ed McMahon and Farrah Fawcett, all the media can concentrate on ad nauseum is Michael Jackson’s death. It’s like a re-enactment of Anna Nicole Smith’s death a few years ago.
I think of it as the Geraldoization of American TV.
Report thisBy Percy Dovetonsil, June 25, 2009 at 8:20 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Sad to be a lefty when I hear such pious boobery.
Report thisBy boggs, June 24, 2009 at 9:30 pm Link to this comment
Ed McMahon was, the past few years nothing more then a crook for a couple of big companies who were interested in drawing money out of the little guy with a dream and putting in the pocket of a CEO who owned the dream.
Report thisHim and Wagner, they’ll both rot in hell just like all the rest of us.
By Movie Trivia Game, June 24, 2009 at 10:15 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
RIP Ed McMahon. The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and Ed McMahon is timeless Americana. Let us also not forget that Ed McMahon was the host of the Star Search game show, which was really the original American Idol if you think about it.
Report thisBy RAE, June 24, 2009 at 9:04 am Link to this comment
It was fun, Ed.
But you weren’t any role model for how to live a responsible adult life. Hope you learn in the “next life” how to make better choices in life partners and managing resources.
NO ONE needs or deserves a $5 MILLION mansion. Next time you feel the need to “show off” in this way, how about donating the money to build a women’s shelter or a training center for foster parents or a piece of technology for a hospital… you know… something USEFUL.
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