Ed McMahon appears in Memories of the Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson at 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, Nov. 10-11, in Yardley Hall of the Carlsen Center, Johnson County Community College.
McMahon takes audiences on a funny and often moving journey through years of a business partnership and personal friendship between Carson and himself. Using comedy, conversation and stunning audio-visuals, McMahon recounts the Tonight Show’s memorable moments from 1962 to 1992. He talks about behind-the-scene anecdotes and shows clips of famous guests (from Richard Nixon to Tiny Tim) and bloopers.
The extroverted McMahon was always the perfect foil for the shy Carson. In 1959, MacMahon was hired as the announcer/straight man on Who Do You Trust?, a daytime quiz program hosted by Carson. When Carson succeeded Jack Paar on NBC's Tonight Show, he took McMahon with him; both men remained with the show until Carson's retirement in 1992.
On his farewell show, Carson said, “A lot of people who work together on television don’t like each other, but Ed and I have been good friends. You can’t fake that on TV.”
After Carson’s death, McMahon is returning the compliment. He wrote a book, Here’s Johnny, and is now on tour with his live show. In addition to outtakes from the Tonight Show, McMahon reminisces about the two men’s confidential conversations and out-of-studio tales, showing a genuine fondness and admiration for his late partner.
Tickets for McMahon are $45 and $35 available by calling the Carlsen Center box office, 913-469-4445, or online at www.jccc.edu/CarlsenCenter.
