McMahon one of a kind

A couple of years ago, I had a chance to chat with Ed McMahon.

It was after he appeared at the July 2007 Television Critics Association press tour to promote his appearance on a PBS show about the history of television. He was charming and gregarious — and seemed to be having a good time being back in the spotlight for a bit.

"I know that when they write my obituary, the words 'second banana' will be right at the top," McMahon said — completely without resentment or regret.

And, while "second banana" wasn't necessarily right at the top of the obituaries after McMahon passed away on Tuesday, the phrase was indeed in most of them.

He wore it as a badge of honor. As well he should — McMahon turned being a sidekick into an art form.

Not that he didn't ever take center stage. He hosted "Star Search" and co-hosted "TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes," and he had a long list of acting credits.

But he will always be remembered as Johnny Carson's second banana.

Not only was McMahon the announcer and sidekick to Carson on "The Tonight Show" for three decades, but he performed pretty much the same function for the five years Carson hosted the game show "Who Do You Trust?" leading up to that.

Two people working together for 35 years in any business is rare — in show business, it's all but unheard of.

More often than not, somewhere along the line, ego gets in the way. Either the top banana feels threatened or the second banana feels slighted.

It says something about both Carson and McMahon that that never happened to them.

Two years ago, McMahon told TV critics, "My specialty is 'Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.' That's what I handle."

Well, not exactly. McMahon got his share of laughs on "The Tonight Show." And while a lot of his acting gigs were sort of silly, the man could handle a decent role when he was given one.

I remember him in the original, 1977 movie "Fun With Dick and Jane," opposite George Segal and Jane Fonda — and he was darn good.

And yet McMahon never seemed to make it about himself. Appearing before TV critics two years ago, he downplayed his own contributions and lauded his friend.

"Everybody wanted to see Johnny Carson ... That's the power of that show. And no one has even come near it," McMahon said. "The fact that I was on it, I'm not bragging about that. I'm telling you the facts. No one will ever come near Johnny Carson, as far as I'm concerned.

"He was really the king of late night. He was the best."

So was McMahon. I doubt we'll never see his like again.

e-mail: pierce@desnews.com