Ed McMahon Heads Back To Work Alongside Jimmy Kimmel

Tags:

Celebrities,Ed McMahon ,TV
 
 

FIRST PUBLISHED: July 25, 2008 8:02 PM EDT
LAST UPDATED: July 25, 2008 8:09 PM EDT

LOS ANGELES, Calif. --

Ed McMahon has a job.

The former “Tonight Show” sidekick is reprising his role as pitchman with several comical commercial segments during “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” The first of four spots, which were filmed Thursday evening and feature McMahon and Jimmy Kimmel together, will air Monday during the late-night ABC talk show.

“It felt very good to be out of the brace and working again,” McMahon, who recently underwent a third neck surgery, said during a telephone interview Friday morning. “I spent my whole life doing commercials, so here I was back doing a commercial again. It was very comforting. Believe me.”

In the four segments for Pontiac, McMahon and Kimmel point out the various amenities of the Pontiac G8, G5, G6 and Vibe. One of the spots features McMahon — who once pitched Budweiser and the American Family Publishing sweepstakes — teaching Kimmel how to
properly sell a product. Another has the duo preparing for a road trip to Mexico.

“I went in like a professional to do a commercial, like I’ve done a million times in my life in my long career,” McMahon said. “That’s what I went in to do. Of course, we had fun with it. There’s one where Kimmel’s locked up in the trunk, and I’m pretending to be Jimmy Kimmel. It was fun, but we’re still selling a product.”

The 85-year-old former “Star Search” host is currently embroiled in a lawsuit against Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, two doctors and the owner of a home where he says he fell during a dinner party in March 2007 claiming negligence, battery, elder abuse and intentional infliction of emotional distress. He is seeking unspecified damages, claiming the injury left him unable to work — until now.

“I’m optimistic,” he said. “I feel we’re going to get this straightened out. I look forward to those days.”

Last month, McMahon revealed he was fighting foreclosure after falling $644,000 behind on mortgage payments on his Beverly Hills home. His financial woes also include a lawsuit against him by Citibank, which is trying to recoup nearly $200,000 it said it loaned McMahon and his wife, Pam.

“I’m sure things are going to work out,” McMahon said.

Copyright 2009 by Associated Press. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Keep your Access to everything in Hollywood! Breaking news and personal commentary from Nancy, Billy, Tony, Shaun, Maria & all of our producers! Follow us on and now!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

What Do You Think?

How many times will you see ‘New Moon?’

  • Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson in ‘New Moon’
     
  • Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart chat during the presentation of their new film ‘The Twighlight Saga: New Moon’ during the HVB youth event at the Olympic Hall on November 14, 2009 in Munich, Germany
     
  • Taylor Lautner and Robert Pattinson arrive at the afterparty for the premiere ‘The Twilight Saga: New Moon’ at the Hammer Museum on November 16, 2009 in Los Angeles, California
     
  • Robert Pattinson runs his fingers through his hair as he hits ‘The Twilight Saga: New Moon’ premiere red carpet, LA, Nov. 16, 2009
     
  • Michael Sheen in Summit’s ‘New Moon’
     
  • Alex Meraz, Kiowa Gordon, and Chaske Spence as werewolves in ‘New Moon’
     
voteview results & comments