Who was the long time Publishers Clearing House representative?

If you answered: Ed McMahon, then you would be absolutely---------



WRONG!

Many, including myself, clearly remember Ed as the face of PCH. I recall him holding big checks in front of winners doors. Also seeing his face on the envelopes that PCH sent to you in the mail.

According to PCH, Ed McMahon never worked for them, ever... pch.custhelp.com... p/answers/detail/a_id/290/~/was-ed-mcmahon-ever-affiliated-with-publishers-clearing-house%3F

Some have referenced him to working with a competitor called American Family Publishers, which is no longer in business. Yet suposedly, he never held any over sized checks. I have never heard of this company before, seems like most people do not recall ever hearing of it either.

Then we have this video of Johnny Carson. He makes a reference to Ed not being able to make it. It is all a joke, in fun, but if you look at the large check he is holding it clearly says Publishers Clearing House. How could a major network, major TV show make a blunder like this? Did they have it wrong too?



Another video of Carson from 1983.



Another good video, with a clip of CNN even saying he was the spokesperson for PCH.



Another case of the Mandela Effect? Don't know, but it sure is strange.

I did a search, but did not see this on ATS, if it has been done, please forgive me.

Here's a Forbes article on the phenomenon...

Forbes - PCH

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Read that one, as well as some others.

I am not a huge fan of the Mandela Effect, as most things I remember as they were. This one has blown my mind though, as it clearly contradicts my memory. Maybe I am in denial, but I just can't wrap my head around being that wrong, about something I KNOW.

Ya know?

a reply to: MrRCflying

I can't figure this one out either. Even Johnny Carson thought it was PCH.

I remember seeing those commercials and the mailers with his picture. If it was the other company, then why isnt it that brand we remember?

a reply to: MrRCflying

Who would have said Ed McMahon? Isn't it just a voice over and happy people greeting people with large checks and flowers and balloons at their front door?
I can't remember that they ever had a regular spokesperson.

a reply to: Sillyolme

I guess it depends on your age. This was back in the 80s, early 90s.

To me, it was clearly Ed back then. In the 90's sometime it changed to the Prize Patrol.

I remember Ed McMahon with PCH myself. Didn’t he also host like a “America’s got talent” or “American Idol” kinda style show?

originally posted by: RainbowPhoenix
I remember Ed McMahon with PCH myself. Didn’t he also host like a “America’s got talent” or “American Idol” kinda style show?

I remember it was him too and I think it was Star search ....

a reply to: JHumm

Star Search sounds right. Then again, I thought he was the face of PCH. LOL

If you asked me before I looked, I would have said Publishers Clearing House, only because it is the popular/most known one, so I would naturally think it was PCH. However, looking at the commercial (posted below) I now remember it was American Family Publishers.

American Family Publishers Commercial with Ed McMahon:

originally posted by: MrRCflying

Then we have this video of Johnny Carson. He makes a reference to Ed not being able to make it. It is all a joke, in fun, but if you look at the large check he is holding it clearly says Publishers Clearing House. How could a major network, major TV show make a blunder like this? Did they have it wrong too?

Meh......so Johnny Carson got it wrong as well. Just like me, he probably said PCH because PCH was the most known, even back then. Any others (such as American Family Publishers) were copycats. Johnny Carson is not immune to thinking the same way I was thinking.

As for Ed going to the door to hand out checks, that's likely just people mashing up the commercials in their own minds.

a reply to: Soylent Green Is People

I can't discount that. However, I have no recollection of AFP. None, zilch, zip... I don't recall ever seeing that commercial before.

That is what is so disconcerting. Myself, as well as others, do not have this memory while others do.

Again, not a huge fan of the Mandela Effect because most of it I either do not recall, or recall the way it is now.

Berenstein vs Berenstain, I could go either way, I don't recall. Mandela, I don't recall either. Stovetop Stuffing, I seem to recall as Stoufer's, but can't be 100% certain. Position of New Zealand I recall was north of Austrailia, but again I admit it could be that I don't recall correctly.

This one though, just makes my brain hurt, as it is so certain in my memory.

If it is a mix up, the brain does some really funny things.

a reply to: MrRCflying

But everyone knows Publishers Clearing House. That's the company that sticks in people's heads, so it's only natural to associate (in your head) Ed McMahon to PCH.

It's like if a celebrity did a Curad bandage commercial 25+ years ago, you might be inclined today to remember it as a Band-Aid brand commercial. Or a Scott Tissue commercial being remembered as a Kleenex commercial.

a reply to: Soylent Green Is People

I can't discount that... My brain won't let me believe it either.

I can't be sure either way, just what my memory tells me.

originally posted by: MrRCflying
a reply to: Sillyolme

I guess it depends on your age. This was back in the 80s, early 90s.

To me, it was clearly Ed back then. In the 90's sometime it changed to the Prize Patrol.

Neither company had a celebrity actually show up at the door. I remember Ed, but it could just as easily have been for the other company. I clearly remember NOT ever seeing him hand over a check though.

It was definitely AFP not PCH.

Memory can be funny when it gets clouded by time.

a reply to: EchoesInTime

You remember him. You only remember PCH because it's still around and the other one never got so big. So you know Ed did it, and you know the only game in town is PCH, so Ed must have worked for PCH. Your brain is more than capable of filling in gaps, it's actually working as intended when your brain is creating information that doesn't actually exist.