CLEARING HOUSE, INDEED "Ed McMahon, who for decades appeared as Johnny Carson's sidekick on The Tonight Show, is fighting to avoid foreclosure on his multimillion-dollar Beverly Hills home, according to published reports. The former Star Search host was $644,000 behind on payments on $4.8 million in mortgage loans when a unit of Countrywide Financial Corp. filed a default notice Feb. 28 with the Los Angeles County Recorder's Office … McMahon, 85, has been a pitchman for the American Family Publishers' sweepstakes. However, he has been unable to work as a pitchman for various products since he broke his neck 18 months ago …"