Growing up as a huge fan of both him and Johnny Carson, it was nothing short of a thrill to have him sitting right next to me one afternoon in Beverly Hills, California.
It's actually a neat story. Every afternoon, we use the old "Tonight Show" theme song for the opening of my joke segment. In the Fall of 2002, I had plans to be at the Museum of Television & Radio in Beverly Hills. I thought that it would be pretty cool if I could convince Ed McMahon (who I knew lived very close by) to come down and introduce me on the air. I think secretly, or perhaps not so secretly, every broadcaster dreams about having a guy like Ed McMahon introduce you on stage.
After getting in touch with one of Ed's assistants and telling her who I was, she told me she would find out if my request was possible. I was certainly not expecting the phone call I got the following day from his personal assistant, Julie. (Who wound up becoming a very dear friend, by the way.)
Julie called and instructed me to call Mr. McMahon when I arrived in California and tell him the time, etc. This particular task was pretty nerve wracking for a 22 year old. I can remember being in my parents house, when I made the call. They were making a bunch of racket and my Mom was badgering me, asking who was on the phone. She didn't believe me when I whispered that it was Ed McMahon. As if I wasn't anxious enough, I had to run around the house with the cordless phone trying to escape the noise.
Finally, the next afternoon, Ed arrived at the museum just as I had asked him to and he couldn't have been nicer. We took a couple of photos. Then, walked into this tiny glassed in studio, with tourists looking in, as Ed introduced me on the air.
You can listen to the entire segment by clicking: HERE.
Yours truly at age 22 sitting next to a broadcast legend. 
