Last week, the news about Ed McMahon possibly losing his Hollywood home spread across the airwaves. Surprisingly, there were many comments here that were downright unsympathetic to the former Tonight Show sidekick. Apparently, people in show business are sympathetic. Current Tonight Show host Jay Leno has vocally offered to help Ed with his financial problems. Jay, who is in the last year of manning the desk that Johnny Carson manned for years with Ed right by his side, promises to come through for Ed. According to Leno's PR man, "Everybody loves Ed. Jay and others on the show are discussing how they can help him."
Ed has been unable to work since breaking his neck 18 months ago, but now there are offers coming in. Once people learned that McMahon was in need, the jobs materialized. Howard Bragman, who represents Ed said, "A lot of people have shown generosity. Things are going to work out."
Good for Ed. Good for Jay. Maybe Jerry Lewis should find some coin to lend to Ed considering his years of service on the MD Telethon.
As for those who are wondering cynically why Ed didn't save his money, apparently he's suffered through some very expensive divorces over the years.















Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-09-2008 @ 11:45AM
Riley Freeman said...
reading through the comments there are some very cold people. yes he should have done better with his money. nevertheless it sucks for anyone to lose their home. especially one of the few in hollywood that looks likea generally nice guy.
I dont get how Jay has to discuss how he can help him? isnt jay worth welll over a few hundred million? was 600k to him. dinner?
Reply
6-09-2008 @ 11:46AM
Ric Kaysen said...
Warms my heart when millionaire celebrities can band together to help other millionaire celebrities stay in their multi-million dollar mansions. The spirit of giving brings a tear to my eye. I have to get back to worrying about paying my mortgage now.
Reply
6-09-2008 @ 11:58AM
0megapart!cle said...
You callous pig, he obviously isn't a millionaire if he is having trouble staying in his 600K home. You are not only callous, but stupid.
6-09-2008 @ 3:22PM
David said...
It's a $4.8 million home, not a $600k home. McMahon is $644k in arrears.
6-09-2008 @ 11:57AM
richard said...
I wonder when all those same rich white people are going to pitch in and help Evander Holyfield with his foreclosure issues.
Reply
6-09-2008 @ 12:08PM
Ric Kaysen said...
Omega....In which part of the 90s' were you born? McMahon has been in the business since the mid twentieth century and has amassed a fortune you could only dream about behind the deep fryer at McDs'. So, he's recently had to wear a neck brace...He's well past the age of retirement and if he didn't put any of the millions he's made away by now, there's no hope for him. It's not like we're talking about a disabled, homeless vet. Oh...wait, yes we are! Don't be an idiot...Ed's made millions over the years and you're crying for him?
Reply
6-09-2008 @ 8:37PM
Brendan said...
All-in-all, the idea of other celebrities with whom Ed's worked getting together to help him out isn't so different from having your own friends and family help you out if you were in a similar position.
I should know - after having spent 6 months out of work, my wife and I were about to bounce off of the bottom of our savings account hard enough to bounce. I was on the verge of not being able to make our house payments and watching the specter of foreclosure draw near.
Fortunately, I got a new job and (with some timely financial help from our family) was able to scrape together enough to keep going... for now.
Ed's experience isn't different in context. Only in scale.
Reply
6-09-2008 @ 4:04PM
bsgfan2003 said...
I don't relish the suffering or embarrassment of a rich or poor person. Where is the compassion of my fellow posters?
Reply
6-09-2008 @ 4:28PM
Adam Bodnar said...
Guess Ed needs to win the Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes now. :D
Reply
6-09-2008 @ 4:38PM
Ric Kaysen said...
The point is; Ed doesn't need compassion. He's worth millions, recently won a seven-plus million dollar court settlement and only owes 644K on a 4.5 million dollar home that he's trying to sell. If the bank takes the house, he doesn't need to spend any of the millions he was awarded in fixing it up and he still has way more money than all of us put together. I've known a lot of people who've had spinal fractures and had to wear a brace temporarily. It's not like he's a quad. The sympathy I'm hearing on this site is misplaced. Sounds more like a land deal scam to me with a little theatrics thrown in.
Reply
6-09-2008 @ 7:39PM
Abby said...
I lost any all respect for him when he was shilling for American Family (?) sweepstakes (and any other advertising he could pimp himself out for including insurance policies). My grandmother was taken to the back by that operation. They kept sending her letters that she had won; she just needed to buy a few more things ... pretty soon she had a room filled with junk she couldn't afford and still her children couldn't get her to believe it was a scam because the letters looked so authentic. It's not like it used to be where you can just send in an entry; they keep after you, week after week, pressuring you. And they get the most vulnerable people. After a lot of bad stuff started coming out via lawsuits and press, McMahon still didn't drop out. He didn't care what he was shilling for as long as he got his payment.
Reply
6-18-2008 @ 4:39PM
crosus said...
It seems McMahon got swindeled in the process as well.
Like your grandma Ed should have been smarter about his finances.
People your comments are rants. Do not be surprised when you get yourselves into jams that there will be people who can not wait for your foreclosure.
Karma anyone?
6-09-2008 @ 10:51PM
Jimmy said...
Sure-fire plan to get Ed back on track:
1. Sell expensive house.
2. Buy cheaper house.
Reply
6-09-2008 @ 11:29PM
MERVE-THE-PERVE said...
Oh no. Ed can't sell his big over-sized house. Where will his wife store all her fancy clothes, shoes, and jewelry and where will they put all their fancy furniture, antiques and heirlooms that tie every room together? Besides, if they moved then they would have to re-decorate the new place with all new stuff and poor Ed will just fall behind again on his next mortgage. I figured that this story was leaked to the news intentionally to reel in some rich sucker to pay his bills for him. In swoops JL to get him some good publicity. All poor Ed had to do was swallow his pride to get his bills payed for him. Be careful poor Ed, that should only work once for you. You'll have to go to plan B next time, actually paying your own bills - on time.
Reply
6-10-2008 @ 12:26AM
marina said...
Sorry, but still no sympathy for Ed. Now, if he gets help with the money that is in the rears, then what happens when in a few months he can't pay again. Giving him the $ is not showing him any responsibility. Does this mean every homeowner these days that are facing foreclosure will get help from some celebrities ? If you are a hardworking, family person that works your butt off, you are considered nothing these days.
Reply
6-10-2008 @ 4:57AM
Ric Kaysen said...
I'm still not buying that McMahon is destitute. He's trying to make an end run around a mortgage on a house he doesn't want and can't sell in todays' market. People expressing sympathy for him falling on hard times are being had.
Reply
6-10-2008 @ 8:44AM
Jimmy said...
You are correct, sir!
6-10-2008 @ 6:33PM
kathleen smith said...
hey jay..... my house is close to foreclosure...wanna help me? i'm only 5000 bhind! drop in the hat compared to ed. tell ed have a yard sale..sell some goodies! try helping the working class,we are the ones who watch your show.
Reply
7-10-2008 @ 4:49AM
Pedro said...
I commend Jay for the act of helping someone in need be it a rich person or poor. He's doing more than our government and he really doesn't have to!
Reply