On my way into work the other night, I heard a report on the radio that former Tonight Show sidekick, Ed McMahon, is being financially rescued by none other than Donald Trump. Ed suffered a neck injury that has prevented him from working for some time. I was reminded of when Ed McMahon was a semi-regular guest here at The Shopping Channel in 1994. Along with chef, Jean-Luc Touchard, Ed appeared on-air selling Le Dome cookware by Sitram. He also wrote a great book that we sold and he was a guest for the Johnny Carson “Best Of” video tapes. He always brought his wife, Pam, with him.I’ve been asked many times over the years who my favourite guest has been and I always have many different answers because I have many favourites. However, in the celebrity grouping of guests, I always say that Ed McMahon is my all-time favourite. This is a man, who while working for so many years with Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show and with Jerry Lewis on the Muscular Dystrophy telethons, had rubbed elbows with almost every notable house-hold name in the world!

Actors, singers, politicians, and people who have been famous for being famous. Many of today’s biggest stars were first launched into stardom on The Tonight Show. The stories that this man would tell every time I spoke with him were always entertaining and plentiful. Despite his place in Hollywood, he was always so down to earth and walked the halls of The Shopping Channel like a regular employee. I have a framed letter sent from him after we appeared together for the first time. A donation was made in my name to one of his favourite charities as a Christmas offering that year. The following Christmas, I received a beautiful picture frame from Ed that, today, holds a picture of 3 generations of my grandmothers and is in my dining room. I was, and still am, so grateful for his kindness and friendship he showed all of us back then. There’s something about hearing one of the most recognizable voices in the entertainment world booming out your name from down the hall, even just casually greeting you.

But of all the memories I have from Ed McMahon appearing at The Shopping Channel back in the 90’s, my most cherished is a video tape of my show with Ed. I only need to watch the first minute, really. The show started with the camera opening up only on Ed McMahon. (You know what’s coming next, don’t you?) He started by humbly stating how much of a thrill it was for him to be here in Canada, and at The Shopping Channel. Then came the thrill of a lifetime for me, as he introduced me with a flawless and powerful, “HEEEEEEEEEEEERE’S NORMIE!!!” I remember how not-worthy I felt of this most grand introduction. If I never worked another show at The Shopping Channel, I was happy to shake Ed McMahon’s hand, take my taping of the show and go home!

Here’s hoping one of the nicest guys in Hollywood keeps filling our airwaves with his vocals (and his smile) for many years to come! Thank you so much for reading this! I believe that every day we are ‘shopping’ for something. So, that is why I say…

Shopping is life,
Norm Murray