The AP reports that legendary Johnny Carson sidekick Ed McMahon passed away shortly after midnight this morning at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, surrounded by his wife, Pam, and other family members. The entertainer, a Marine who served in WWII and Korea, was 86. Though his publicist declined to divulge the exact cause of death, it's known that McMahon suffered from multiple illnesses, including bone cancer, and sustained a neck injury caused by a 2007 fall. Recent years had been financially difficult for McMahon, whose Beverly Hills home was nearly foreclosed upon last year after he defaulted on a $4.8 million loan. But he didn't seem bitter while explaining his problems to Larry King (video), and still had fond memories of his 30-plus years on The Tonight Show. Other co-hosting gigs during his long career included Star Search, TV Bloopers And Practical Jokes, and, who could forget, Alf's Hit Talk Show. 
McMahon and Carson
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While the Tonight Show was too late for me, I used to be obsessed with TV Bloopers and Practical Jokes when I was little. RIP, Ed.
30-plus decades on the Tonight Show? Good God, he was old but not that old.
It takes a lot to be second banana for that many years. He was terrific at what he did. It's a lost art, now replaced with adorable dolts serving as comic foils to often-equally doltish hosts. RIP, Ed.
Hiyo!
It takes a lot to be second banana for that many years. He was terrific at what he did. It's a lost art, now replaced with adorable dolts serving as comic foils to often-equally doltish hosts. RIP, Ed.
Hiyo!
How can someone who worked for thirty years doing commercials and acting as a, I don't know what to call it, to Johnny Carson, end up defaulting on a $4.8 million loan. Did he borrow it from the mob and the vig was killing him or what?
Did his ex wives take him to the cleaners?
It was probably the cancer...and all those magazine subscriptions he took out to increase his odds of winning.
The guy was a total dolt. Didn't he realize that if he took the DC shuttle he could pick up free magazines in the terminal?
But then again as you mentioned, the lure of big bucks probably led him astray.
A member of that generation that did their duty for their country (and world) and then moved on. It's funny to imagine him, as a Marine bomber pilot, diving towards his target while yelling "HIYOOO!".
Rest in Peace Funnyman.
Nice one.