Entertainer Ed McMahon never worked for Publishers Clearing House. This is an example of a false memory, known as the “Mandela Effect.”
Reason #1: Old Television Commercials
Some readers might fondly remember Publishers Clearing House television commercials from past decades where sweepstakes winners were notified at their doorsteps by that they had won large cash prizes, sometimes with a big check. However, McMahon never appeared in the ads. Here’s an example of one such commercial:McMahon appeared in television commercials for a company similar to Publishers Clearing House that was named
. The word “Publishers” appeared smaller than “American Family,” perhaps because the company knew that some American households had confused the two brands.American Family Publishers , a drawing of McMahon’s face appeared on envelopes that were sent to American households. However, his face never appeared on Publishers Clearing House envelopes, because again, he never worked for the company. McMahon hinted at the competition and his face on the envelopes in this