Goodbye Sweet Ed

So Ed McMahon has passed away. I'm sad, because he was one of the greatest 'sidekicks' in television history, and because he once said some very nice things about me.

It was in 2000 and I had just quit my job at a Las Vegas hotel. It was a truly toxic environment that ate my self esteem to the point that I didn't even like the person I had become. I came home from work each day in tears. I had never quit a job without having another job lined up but one day it reached a breaking point and I quit. No notice, nothing, just walked out.

It felt great to quit, but then I had to go back and get my stuff, which involved human resources and security and all sorts of humiliating stuff. I was to go back at four o'clock one day. I felt awful because even though I had gotten out from under the thumb of my EVIL boss, I still had to face her when I went to collect my things.

Earlier in the day I was reading the local paper (yes, children, once people read newspapers) and a local variety columnist mentioned that Ed McMahon was going to be in town to look for comics to be on his new talent show "Next Big Star" (he was trying to get some of that "Star Search" stuff going again.) It was at The Improv at two o'clock in the afternoon. Since it was pretty close to the hotel I had worked in, I decided to stop by and check it out before my appointment. The deadline for entry had passed but I figured I could find out what was going on for future reference.

When I got to the club the audience was sparse (which is to be expected for an afternoon barely advertised talent showcase) and I took a seat in the back to watch. There were only a few comics and they were, well, awful, for the most part. It seemed like the show was going to be over practically before it started. I decided to approach someone who looked 'in charge" and ask them if I could go onstage. He said sure and gave me a release form. He told me I would go up after the next comic.

I was getting ready to go on when in walked Ed McMahon and Bud Friedman, owner of the Improv, followed by a television crew. Ed said a few words to the audience and then it was my turn to go on. I did my 'standard' routine, keeping it to the five minute time limit, so it was a nice tight set packed with laughs. When I was done Ed came back to the stage and shook my hand. As I left the stage the television crew producer asked me if they could interview me. I said okay but while we were talking I heard Ed McMahon telling the audience how talented he thought I was and that he had seem a lot of comics in his time and he thought I would go far. I turned to the TV crew and said "Did you hear that? Ed McMahon thinks I'm talented!' it was a really wonderful (and surreal) moment.

When I arrived (late) to pick up my things from my former job, I was on cloud nine. Even facing down the evil dragon who had tried to destroy my soul didn't faze me. I picked up my things with the biggest smile on my face and walked out with my pride, dignity and even a bit of "watch me" attitude.

A week or so later I was in my apartment with the television on. I was in another room when I heard my voice coming from the TV. I was so confused. I ran to the living room to see myself on national television (okay, it was a syndicated show but still, it was on all across the country) performing and then being interviewed. It turned out that the television crew was from an entertainment show and so my little performance was being broadcast to the nation. It was amazing, and again, surreal.

Well, I didn't make it into the "Next Big Star: (it was in it's earliest incarnation at that point, which was web based and I didn't have a huge Internet following at that time) and I'm not sure I ever lived up to the potential that Ed McMahon saw in me that day. But I can say that at one of the lowest points in my life, Ed McMahon was there for me.

Anyone who ever performed knows that "The Tonight Show" is one of the biggest moments in any career. And to me, the epitome would have been during the Carson/McMahon era. It was, well, perfect. I never got that chance (Johnny Carson left "The Tonight Show" before I ever started doing comedy) even though I have a lovely rejection letter from the show. But I did get to meet one of my idols and he liked me. You can't ask for much more than that. Forever in my memory will be two pieces of Ed McMahon - him introducing Carson with his famous "Heeeeere's Johnny" and him saying he thought I'd go far in show business.

Thank you Ed. Rest in Peace.