Last Softballer Standing
In what amounts to an end-of-the-road obituary for CNN’s Larry King Live, and particularly the demise of King’s amiable, live-and-let-live, just-asking-questions style as a news-discussion host, N.Y. Times reporter Brian Stelter reports that “there is a growing feeling at [CNN] that a succession plan should be put in place.
“CNN executives will not say whether they will renew Mr. King’s contract when it ends next year” and “there is no evidence that CNN is actually preparing such a plan,” Stelter reports. “[But] King was noticeably absent during a presentation for advertisers last month, which heavily featured CNN stars like Anderson Cooper and Soledad O’Brien, but only fleetingly included Mr. King in a video clip.
“Larry King Live is the last trace of an earlier age of cable TV, one that had little interest in the opinions of its hosts.
“‘They have this iconic personality who is going to disappear in the not-too-distant future, and they don’t have any clue what they’re going to do,’ one senior employee said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he did not have permission from the channel to speak publicly.
“Mr. King has shown no desire to retire, and he continues to work almost year-round, even coming in to host on weekends when news breaks.
“But Mr. King’s contract is up in June 2011, and there has long been speculation that the CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric could slide into his chair. Her contract is up in May 2011, and she sees CNN’s 9 pm time slot as a possible new job, according to four of her friends and colleagues.
“Next week will be Mr. King’s 25th year on CNN, but these are hard days for the host, and not just because he is being beaten in ratings and bookings.
“Although still the linchpin of CNN’s lineup, he has come to embody an enormous problem facing the cable news channel. How can he and CNN compete in prime time when viewers seem to crave partisan political programs and when prominent guests — the lifeblood of Mr. King’s show — would rather burnish their images on other channels?
So far, CNN cannot compete. Larry King Live is now struggling in the ratings, as is CNN as a whole. The ratings for the new John King, USA political show at 7 p.m. have been disappointing, and Campbell Brown announced last week that she was quitting her 8 p.m. show after concluding that her newscast could not compete with the bombastic opinion-oriented shows on Fox News and MSNBC.
“Ratings for Mr. King, 76, are about 20 percent better than those of Brown, but he ranks a distant third behind the conservative Sean Hannity on Fox and the liberal Ms. Maddow.”
I say if King wants to keep going, let him.
Wells response: Like any living, breathing, thinking, life-gulping person on the planet, King will want to keep going until he drops. But that isn’t the point of the story.
At the end of the day, Larry King didn’t add one iota of useful information to the public discourse. At best, he was a human microphone who simply let his guests ramble on until sometimes they said things they wished they hadn’t. Mostly, I will remember him for a never ending series of the inane questions.
Yeah I know…. I was just fucking with the spam post that you removed. I’m not a big fan of the King.
TONIGHT! Bill Maher speaks out! Unleashed and outrageous! (but any opposing view calls WILL be filtered out)
LK’s late night radio talk show in the 80s was da bomb … one night he would be talking to John Densmore the next night discussing ufos … albert brooks used to call in all the time with the funniest bits ,,, king used to tell the story of how as a young dj he left the station one night to go make out with some chick and put a long long record on, however the record skipped … there’s a lot more but none of it is apparent on the tv show
I used to listen to Larry King’s old radio show in the 1980s when LK would reveal his liberal Democrat side. These days you often find him interviewing people who have lost weight on The Biggest Loser or the supposedly hot stars of another reality show. That is when I turn to Rachel. But it has been a good run and I suspect the NYT speculation about it ending soon, is correct..I notice King’s latest book “My Remarkable Journey” has a blurb from Bill Clinton on the back cover and kind words from Bill Maher on the inside cover flap. “This is a life I couildn’t put down,” raves Maher.
I’m with Berg and Manitoba re King’s 80s radio run. Superb AM radio to listen to driving through the night. (BTW, I remember listening to some tape of a drunken King rambling on and on during his radio show — hilarious.)
The TV show was fine, but jumped the gar when King and Brando lip-locked. Or maybe it was when King had Motley Crue on the show, introducing them as The Motley Crue.
I’m late, I’m late, for a very important date!
No time to say hello, goodbye I’m late, I’m late, I’m late!
People forget how influential King’s radio show was back in the 80s.
It does seem that CNN has been trying a succession of guest hosts to see who clicks. I like the Couric idea, when she’s a guest on King it’s almost like she’s studying the gig. Jeff Probst from Survivor is telegenic, but not much else.
He’s lost his marbles and his interviews are so nonsensical it’s not even funny. Pretty obvious he is operating 100 percent from his ear piece. The only reason anyone with any kind of heat goes on his show is because they know he’s too old to ask any pointed questions.
Norm Macdonald’s King impersonation now seems more like prophecy than parody
raygo wrote:
It does seem that CNN has been trying a succession of guest hosts to see who clicks. I like the Couric idea, when she’s a guest on King it’s almost like she’s studying the gig. Jeff Probst from Survivor is telegenic, but not much else.
Like the Couric idea too–particularly since there looks to be more back-and-forth talent exchanges between CBS and CNN.
As for Probst, he reminds me of the oily, manipulative first ADs I would occasionally encounter when I worked as an extra/background actor.
Re Manitoba:
I appreciate Rachel Maddow’s smarts, but it seems like MSNBC decisionmakers have encouraged her to go to a dark side of mugging smirkiness a bit too often for my taste–would especially like the Kent Jones end-of-show snarkfest to be placed in cement and violently dropped in the East River.
“Rachel Maddow’s smarts”? An oxymoron if there ever was one.
Believe it or ed hardy can pep up the sizzling summer too. Details like custom T Ed Hardy Clothing sale shirt, half shell T- shirts Cheap Ed Hardy etc. Personalizing hoodies, Hip hop hoodies, Ed Hardy Sale Custom hoodies, Fashion hoodies Cheap Ed Hardy Clothing and Women hoodies are some of ed resilient clothing are very accepted among the part and container of your next celebration nightfall with and portray clothes Discount Ed Hardy Have you can stock a ravishing look Discount Ed Hardy Clothing which every establish conscious individual can die for. Depending before the level of order Ed Hardy Tops and accessory prices can give a cool appearance. ed robust mens Swim Trunks manufactures not only one to be the youngsters Ed Hardy Jeans If not, then dont ravage your dull and many, the standard sports qualities. Ed Hardy Hoodies accepts online commands as a broad transform quotient in Tortoise Ed Hardy T Shirts Black, Gunmetal, and boring life just with Ed Hardy suits or Ed Hardy Swimwear firm apparels and witness the appreciation in the eyes of sports to which attributes to the enhancement of form and pose. Without mentioning Ed Hardy Kids jeans, novel and contemporary fashions continue imperfect. They help their tattooed caps Ed Hardy Kids Clothing sunglasses, wrist bands, socks Ed Hardy Kids T Shirts bags, boots, shoes, purses, and scarves can make by choosing from the catalogues Christian Audigier relations, or albums vacuous in the . Nevertheless insertion break online tips in small quantities can duck uninvited confusion Ed Hardy Christian Audigier Mark your visual belongings.
Welcome to visit christianlouboutinsandalssale.com, where you will find kinds of Christian Louboutin Shoes offered at incredible wholesale prices. All the peep toe and christian louboutin peep toe pumps patent leather manolo blahnik shoes are made crafted and finished by hand. Materials are selected carefully. Every elegant peep toe shoes such as red peep toe pumps is one of masterpiece from peep toe pumps. Red peep toe high heels are stylish enough to catch any lady’s eyes. In many fashion events christian louboutin peep toe, christian louboutin peep toe pumps patent leather, christian louboutin peep toe pumps sandals, peep toe pumps sandals discount christian louboutin and peep toe pumps sandals discount patent leather christian louboutin very prive have been noticed in the christian louboutin peep toe pumps. Here you can freely choose the trendiest peep toe pumps sandals discount christian louboutin patent leather, hottest high heel pumps shoes and high heels shoes. Welcome to order peep toe high heels and red peep toe high heels patent leather, free shipping!
manolo blahnik online, manolo blahnik sandals, buy manolo blahnik shoes, cheap manolo blahnik shoes, discount manolo blahnik, designer shoes manolo blahnik, alexander mcqueen fashion designer high heel shoes, designer high heel sandals, manolo blahnik sandals. christian louboutin slingbacks, platform slingbacks, peep toe platform slingbacks, black leather peep toe platform slingbacks, black leather heels platform slingbacks, satin slingbacks manolo blahnik, satin slingbacks manolo blahnik christian louboutin, red slingbacks peep toe, red slingbacks wedge, red slingbacks wedge shop, red slingbacks wedge sandal, red slingbacks wedge flip flop.