Ed McMahon became that rare pop cultural mainstay – more recognizable for the sound of his voice than any transcendent artistic talent. First and foremost, his nightly introduction of late-night TV icon Johnny Carson with his inimitable “He-eeeeeere’s Johnny!” his “Hi-yo!” and unmistakable off-camera laugh made him one of the most lovable sidekicks in television history. McMahon came to engender the “second banana” – the professional co-host and the star’s set-up man – leveraging his genial, Everymanesque celebrity into a raft of side projects and high-profile commercial spokesman jobs. His
Ed McMahon, the loyal "Tonight Show" sidekick who bolstered boss Johnny Carson with guffaws and a resounding "H-e-e-e-e-e-ere's Johnny!" for 30 years, died early Tuesday. He was 86.
