During some of the television obits I've been hearing about the late, great Ed McMahon, one of the most common misunderstandings about the Tonight Show sidekick's career has been perpetuated: that he worked for Publishers Clearing House, handing out big checks to unsuspecting sweepstakes winners.

Well, Ed did work for one of those sweepstakes-and-subscriptions houses, but it was PCH's main rival, American Family Publishers. He often appeared in the AFP's ads and mailings with his Bloopers and Practical Jokes buddy Dick Clark.

Not once did McMahon work for PCH, but as Bob pointed out in his obituary, jokes about his sweepstakes work often kept the mistake alive.

I wonder how it got started? My guess is that PCH was much better known than AFP, and the joke just had more impact and recognition when used with the more familiar sweepstakes company. It's just too bad the joke made its way into the man's list of life achievements.

Luckily, most printed obits got it right. Oh, well. As long as people remember him for "Heeeere's Johnny," nothing else matters, right?