Conan O'Brien Pays Tribute To Ed McMahon During 'Tonight Show' Monologue

Updated 11:00 PM EDT, Tue, Jun 23, 2009

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New "Tonight Show" host Conan O'Brien has paid tribute to former veteran of the late night program, Ed McMahon, who passed away on Monday.

McMahon, who died at Ronald Regan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles on Monday, was best known as Johnny Carson's "Tonight Show" sidekick, so it was only fitting that Conan acknowledged the television legend during his Tuesday night monologue.

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"Ladies and gentlemen, before we go any further tonight we're going to change gears here because there's something very important I do need to talk about. As you've probably all heard, Ed McMahon passed away last night and this is obviously a very sad day," Conan said. "It is impossible I think, for anyone to imagine the 'Tonight Show With Johnny Carson' without Ed McMahon. Ed's laugh was really the soundtrack to that show."

Conan went on to point out that Ed's presence on the show helped make the show with Johnny so "iconic."

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"For 30 years Ed played his part perfectly, he played it with effortless joy and sitting alongside Johnny, Ed was an indelible part of what I think is the most iconic two-shot in broadcasting history," Conan said. "There will never be anything like that again. Now everybody here at the 'Tonight Show' mourns the lose of this warm and really truly funny man. Our thoughts go out to his family and to his fans everywhere… Ed, you will be missed."

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