| Ed McMahon, Johnny Carson's long-time television | | | | struggling strays. He was always there for them. |
| sidekick, and star in his own right, is the latest victim | | | | Where are they in his hour of need? |
| of the mortgage meltdown. $644,000 behind in his | | | | Now that the tables are turned, it is time for them to |
| house payments, he is in imminent danger of losing | | | | give back to their mentor. Since many of the stars |
| his home. | | | | own multiple homes, they could easily hand over the |
| He appeared on the "Larry King Show" to bare his | | | | keys of one of them to Ed and write it off on their |
| soul. Wearing a neck brace, McMahon told a tragic | | | | taxes as a charitable donation. |
| tale of woe, detailing how he had suffered a series | | | | When Ed was on Larry King's show, King, richer than |
| of financial setbacks, from a major mold infestation | | | | God, could have pulled out his checkbook and written |
| that destroyed his health, to a serious neck injury | | | | a check to help out his long-time friend, ending the |
| requiring numerous operations, that has made it | | | | pain and suffering right then and there. |
| impossible for him to earn an income, reducing him to | | | | Or, what about Jay Leno? Megamillionaire Leno's |
| a state of abject poverty. | | | | lavish lifestyle rests squarely on the shoulders of Ed |
| It was a gut-wrenching spectacle to behold, to see | | | | McMahon, first, for making his current television home |
| one of our most-cherished super-celebrities fall so | | | | a highly-lucrative money machine, and second, for |
| low. His faithful wife, Pam, who has stood by her | | | | giving him his big break. Thanks to Ed, Leno now |
| man through thick and thin, sat loyally beside him on | | | | owns an entire fleet of super-expensive |
| the set, visibly distraught, overcome with emotion, | | | | one-of-a-kind classic automobiles. Leno could auction |
| fighting back the tears. At times, it was almost too | | | | off one of them and help the man who made him. |
| unbearable to watch. | | | | Perhaps there is a silver lining in this sad story. If it |
| The $644,000 question in all of this is, where is the | | | | could happen to a celebrity, then it could happen to |
| Hollywood community? Many of them owe their | | | | anyone. Millions of Americans are just one paycheck |
| careers to Big Ed. An avid elbow bender in his day, | | | | away from losing the roof over their heads. Maybe |
| he frequented the nightclubs, finding fresh new | | | | now, the Powers That Be will take the housing crisis |
| talent, giving up-and-comers their first public exposure | | | | seriously and take steps to end the carnage. |
| on "The Tonight Show." He started "Star Search" to | | | | Whereas before, the homeless were just an |
| help out struggling artists break into show business. | | | | anonymous face lurking in the shadows on the |
| Effusively supportive, lavish with both his praise and | | | | fringes of society; now, poverty has an identity. Who |
| his money, Big Ed was generous to a fault. It is no | | | | ever thought that the man we welcomed into our |
| secret that the reason his home had so many | | | | homes every night would become the poster boy |
| bedrooms was because he was constantly taking in | | | | for homelessness? |