Ed McMahon was the kind of guy you went to to learn about other people. He was a great “keeper of the flame.” Ask about Johnny Carson and he could fill dozens of notebooks with commentary. Ask about his contributions and he clammed up. On the three or four occasions that I interviewed him, he was always great at deflecting the attention to others. I’d ask about his life and he’d just say, “I’m the luckiest guy in the world. I get to sit on the same stage as Johnny Carson and watch him work.”
Still, McMahon’s talents can’t be underestimated. He solidified the role of sidekick, making it tough for folks like Regis Philbin, Andy Richter and Paul Shaffer to follow in his footsteps. He knew just when to laugh, just when to applaud, just when to shine.
Even though he had his own success (with “Star Search” and other shows), he was always known as Johnny’s right-hand man. Even when life didn’t deal him winning cards, he remained a sharp player.
And that’s how we’ll remember him — warm, supportive and self-effacing.
Ed McMahon? He was a stand-up guy who made everyone around him — Johnny included — just a little bit better.

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