10 quick facts about the late Ed McMahon, one of pop culture’s all-time greatest sidekicks …

1. His full name: Edward Leo Peter McMahon, Jr.

2. McMahon is best known for The Tonight Show and his role as the American Family Publishers sweepstakes spokesman, but he was also a spokesman for Budweiser, co-host of the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon and hosted Star Search from 1983-1995, where he helped launch the careers of Search contestants like Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Drew Carey, Brad Garrett, Dave Chappelle, Kevin James, Martin Lawrence, Dennis Miller, Alanis Morissette, Rosie O’Donnell, Ray Romano, Adam Sandler and Usher.

3. The Tonight Show wasn’t the first McMahon/Johnny Carson co-starring gig. McMahon was hired as the announcer on the ABC game show Who Do You Trust?, hosted by Carson, in 1958.

4. Among his other jobs: a circus clown on a Philadelphia TV show, veggie slicer salesman on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, door-to-door cookware salesman, shoe shiner, dry cleaner, bingo caller and a World War II flight instructor and Korean War pilot.

5. His great-great-great-grandfather, Patrice de Mac-Mahon, duc de Magenta, served under Napoleon and later served as the President of France from 1873-1879.

6. McMahon claimed that mayonnaise was originally called “Macmahonaise” and was named after his great-great-great-grandfather, who loved the condiment.

7. McMahon’s classic “Heeeere’s Johnny!” catchphrase inspired the Weird Al Yankovic song “Here’s Johnny,” a parody of the El DeBarge Short Circuit movie soundtrack hit “Who’s Johnny.”

8. McMahon was a fan of The O.C.

9. He also co-hosted a TV Land talk show with ALF.

10. McMahon played Duncan, the big baddie who was causing trouble for Jim Brown‘s titular character in the 1973 blaxploitation flick Slaughter’s Big Rip-Off. “They’re gonna get Slaughter, or get slaughtered!” says the announcer in the movie’s trailer.

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• Filed in Late Night, TV List o' the Day
• Tags: Ed McMahon, Johnny Carson, Star Search, The Tonight Show

I haven’t caught the Dancing With the Stars or So You Think You Can Dance bugs, but I love the idea of ABC’s Let’s Dance, the upcoming reality series in which celebs will be asked to re-create famous dance routines, like Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze‘s Dirty Dancing number or Britney Spears‘ dance from the “Oops, I Did It Again” video (which Jack and Grace also memorably performed on an episode of Will & Grace).

What other famous dances might the celebs on Let’s Dance shake their groove thangs to? How ’bout these memorable TV toe tappers …

– Turk’s re-enactment of the Bel Biv DeVoe “Poison” video on Scrubs – As Janitor says, “He’s so damn talented.”

– The Batusi – He may have been the Caped Crusader, but he’s one big spazzoid on the dance floor.

– The Charlie Brown Christmas Pageant Dance – Give yourself extra points if you’ve seen the “Hey Ya” and Psych versions.

…Read more

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• Filed in Reality, TV List o' the Day, Ya Gotta See This!
• Tags: Ally McBeal dancing baby, Balki, Barack Obama Ellen dance, Batman, Bel Biv DeVoe, Brady Bunch dance, Brady Bunch Keep on Movin, Brady Bunch Silver Platters, Britney Spears, Carlton dance, Carlton Oprah, Charlie Brown Christmas, Charlie Brown Christmas dance, Charlie Brown Hey Ya, Dance of Joy, Dancing With the Stars, Dieter Sprockets, Dirty Dancing, Do the Bartman, Elaine dance Seinfeld, Elaine little kicks, Ellen Show, Elvis Ed Sullivan, Elvis hip swivel, Elvis the Pelvis, Fred Flintstone dance, Fred Flintstone The Frantic, Huxtables anniversary, Huxtables dance, Jack Will & Grace, Jennifer Grey, Let's Dance, Michael Jackson Billie Jean dance, Michael Jackson moonwalk, Michael Jackson Motown special, Obama, Oops I Did It Again, Patrick Swayze, Scrubs, So You Think You Can Dance, The Batusi, Turk Poison dance, Urkel, Urkel dance

I’m ridonkulously excited to see just how this season of 24 will wrap up tonight (8PM ET, Fox), though, of course, the season finale also means the kick-off of a new seven-month wait for season eight. Glass half full … glass half empty.

Will Jack be able to save Kim? Is there possibly another twist that will serve to make Tony not the bad guy he sure seems to be? Will Jack and Girl Jack, a.k.a. Renee, share a smooch? And will Jack Bauer, terrorist-thwarting hero, finally meet his match in the devastating bioweapon that has infected him?

By the way, be careful what you read at this point … I just accidentally stumbled upon a Website that claims to have spoilers for tonight’s episode. I surfed away quickly before I read anything, and no, I’m not going to give you the link. Resist the urge people. It’s a mere few hours away … why would you wanna spoil it now?!

Anyhoo, as we head into tonight’s season seven finale – and the kick-off of the countdown to season eight – 8 ways to celebrate the TV goodness that is 24 …

1. Read Mary Lynn Rajskub‘s (Chloe O’Brian) Twitter posts, which frequently includes comments on 24. A post from today: “24 is going to blow the lid off! And in 2 wks we start season 8!”

2. Read 24 director Jon Cassar‘s Twitter posts, which also includes comments on 24, his support for Kiefer Sutherland during the ridiculous HeadbuttGate and Cassar’s awesome photos, including personal photography you can purchase at his Website.

3. Ditto Annie Wersching, a.k.a. Renee, a.k.a. Girl Jack, on Twitter.

4. Buy the 24 Clue board game or come back to TVScreener.com tomorrow for your chance to win a copy!

5. Pre-order 24 season seven on DVD – it comes out tomorrow! How’s that for instant gratification?

6. Read why “Jack Bauer Is God.” Reason 104: “Jack Bauer arm once wrestled Superman. The stipulations were the loser had to wear his underwear on the outside of his pants.”

7. Visit Agent Aaron Pierce‘s (Glenn Morshower) MySpace page. PS – Tony Almeida‘s soul patch has its own MySpace page.

8. Speaking of Mr. Almeida, read Carlos Bernard‘s Q+A at TVGuide.com, where he reveals that there will be a showdown between Jack and Tony in tonight’s finale.

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• Filed in 24, TV List o' the Day
• Tags: 24, 24 Clue, Aaron Pierce, Annie Wersching, Carlos Bernard, DVD, Glenn Morshower, Jack Bauer, Jon Cassar, Kiefer Sutherland, Mary Lynn Rajskub, season eight, season finale, season seven, Tony Almeida, Twitter

In honor of tonight’s season finales of The Office and 30 Rock, here’s a link to TV Guide.com’s Terrible TV Bosses round-up. Anyone they left off? How ’bout Bob Kelso from Scrubs? House on House? Gordon Ramsay on any of his shows?!

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• Filed in 30 Rock, The Office, TV List o' the Day
• Tags: 30 Rock, Gordon Ramsay, House, Montgomery Burns, Mr. Burns, Scrubs, The Office, The Simpsons, TV bosses

I’ve recently become bored with my WALL-E action figure, my Dwight Schrute bobblehead and my talking Napoleon Dynamite pen. In other words, I am in need of some new desk toys, which sent me on a hunt for a few craptacular TV-themed tchotchkes to help bring the fun to my workspace and, most importantly, give me the oh-so-important procrastination tools that every person who works at a desk every day needs.

So, my top 10 TV desk toy finds …

The Chef Duff Minimate
A 2-inch representation of Ace of Cakes master baker Duff Goldman, with 10 accessories, including two mini cakes, a spatula, a guitar and a chainsaw (hey, it’s Duff).
Cost: A mere $8. (Hours of procrastination it will provide: Priceless).

30 Rock Kenneth the Page Talking Bobblehead
Says phrases like “Frankly, LaDonica, you have not been real helpful,” “It’s gonna get raw in here like sushi, so haters to the left” and “I just love television so much.” Amen, Ken.
Cost: $22

SNL More Cowbell Kit
“Guess what?! I’ve got a fever, and the only prescription … is more cowbell!”
Cost: $20

Psych Pineapple Stress Toy
Because squeezing a real pineapple could be considerably more painful.
Cost: $6

Lost Dharma Rubik’s Cube
Easier to solve than the show’s intricate plotlines!
Cost: $19.95

Dayman Heat Sensitive Mug
Add hot water, and The Nightman appears. Brilliant! Don’t just want this It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia mug. I need to own this.
Cost: $14.95

Jack Bauer 12-inch Action Figure
A foot-tall Jack Bauer. He’ll make sure all the other desk toys toe the line.
Cost: $39.99

Talking Hurley Reyes Action Figure
Dude.
Cost: $14.99

American Idol Microphone Pops
They light up, they play music, they have a lollipop and fruit-flavored gum inside and are shaped like microphones. It’s the toy that has it all. Good favors for an AI finale party, too.
Cost: $2.99

Jack Bauer iPod Shuffle
I’d like one in pink. What … are you suggesting a real man like Jack Bauer would be uncomfortable spinning tunes from a pink device? Say that to his face, punk.
Cost: $89

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• Filed in 24, 30 Rock, American Idol, Me Likey, TV List o' the Day, TV Toys
• Tags: 24, 30 Rock, Ace of Cakes, action figure, American Idol, bobblehead, candy, Chef Duff, Dayman, desk toy, Dharma, Duff Goldman, Dwight Schrute, Hurley, Hurley Reyes, iPod, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Jack Bauer, Kenneth the Page, Lost, microphone, Minimate, More cowbell, Nightman, pineapple, Psych, Rubik's Cube, Saturday Night Live, SNL, stress toy, The Office, toy, TV toy