Ed McMahon's Home for Sale ... Again

In some people's eyes, recognizing that someone as rich and accomplished as a celebrity could face financial troubles "would really say something traumatic about our society and our economic status," Friedland said.

A person might wonder, "If they can make bad deals, then there's no hope for me as the normal person," she said.

Happily Ever After?

Some celebrities have managed to avoid foreclosure in unconventional ways.

In Jackson's case, it was an investment company that came to the rescue. Colony Capital bought the loan on Jackson's storied Neverland Ranch in May, allowing the pop star to avoid foreclosure.

How Holyfield avoided foreclosure was more mysterious. A foreclosure notice for the boxer's Georgia home appeared in a local paper in early June. Two days later, a lawyer representing Holyfield's lender told the The Atlanta Journal-Constitution the property was no longer up for auction but wouldn't say why.

While Jackson and Holyfield didn't talk much about their real estate woes, McMahon's public discussion -- and resulting publicity -- for his problems seem to have helped his prospects for selling his home.

Bragman and Davis, McMahon's realtor, said that more people started inquiring about the home after McMahon went public.