I was pleased to see the Conan-ized “Tonight Show” paid tribute to Ed McMahon, but it also reminded me that television appealed more easily to a broader audience during the Carson-McMahon days. Even the “Tonight Show” is now hosted by someone who appeals to a niche audience rather than Middle America. And while there are a few shows left with cross-generational appeal — think “American Idol” — those days are probably gone forever.
Before I was allowed to stay up late enough to watch the “Tonight Show,” my first exposure to McMahon was “T.V.’s Bloopers and Practical Jokes,” which he co-hosted with Dick Clark. It was miles away from Ashton Kutcher’s “Punk’d.”
