NEWS & DOCUMENTARY NEWS & DOCUMENTARY - TVWeek

32nd Annual
NEWS &
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EMMY®AWARDS
EMMY AWARDS
TRIBUTES
felt on top of the world. That donation was undoubtedly one of the best
things I’ve ever chosen to do, and Larry helped me to celebrate it with the
world. It was a momentous night—one that I’ll never forget.
When Larry chose to move on last December, after 25 years of loyal
service to an equally loyal audience, we all felt a sense of loss. Of course
we all knew he’d be back, but not in the same way. He had become a part
of people’s daily routine—a constant in our lives; someone who gave us
comfort after a long, hard day.
Larry, although you’ve moved on, I don’t think we really ever will.
We’ll never forget the way you changed television, or us, for that matter.
And as for me—I’ll always be grateful that CNN, the network I created,
was fortunate enough to be associated with such an outstanding talent.
But more than this, I’m grateful for your friendship.
Thank you, Larry, and congratulations!
Ted Turner is founder of CNN and Chairman, Turner Enterprises, Inc.
A Passion for News By Wendy Walker
I recall one night during the O.J. Simpson trial, Larry arrived at work
and I told him that we had booked F. Lee Bailey on the show because he
had decided to join the defense ‘dream team’. I said to Larry, “Let me tell
you why he decided to join the team.” Larry immediately put his hands
on his ears and said, “Don’t tell me! Don’t tell me! I want to ask him on
the air and be surprised.”
That moment captures why Larry is unique, why Larry has endured,
and why Larry is so good. He wanted to hear the answer when his
audience heard it and share that experience with them. That is why
when Larry walks down the street, people feel like they know him.
I have been privileged to be Larry’s Executive Producer for 18 of the
25 years of his television reign. When the show was coming to an end
last December, my twelve-year old son Walker said to me, “You know
mom, it seems like you have too many thoughts in your head lately.” And
he was right.
I was thinking about Audrey Hepburn, I was thinking about President
Reagan saying he forgot to duck. I was thinking about 9/11, the NAFTA
Debate, Frank Sinatra, Heather Mills removing her prosthetic leg,
King and Wendy Walker
12 National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
Mikhail Gorbachev, Elizabeth Edwards, Nelson Mandela, the Beatles
and, of course, that famous Marlon Brando kiss. I had over 7,000 shows
in my head, but I had one man on my mind and that man was Larry King.
Think about it, twenty-five years of real-time history live on television.
No one has interviewed as many people as Larry. I learned something
new every night at 9 p.m. And that is why Larry’s place in television
history is so significant.
Larry, you responded to breaking news with passion. You laughed
with comedians. You helmed over 500 shows on medical issues. You have
educated. You have listened to the best sing, and you have listened to the
best cry. There wasn’t an emotion you didn’t cover. It was an honor to
work with you on your iconic show. And I am so incredibly proud of you
tonight as you are rightfully being honored by your peers.
Several years ago, Larry and I attended a dinner at Ellis Island with
Mario Cuomo, who also just happened to be his first guest on Larry King
Live in 1985. When Governor Cuomo spoke to the group at Ellis Island,
he said, “Can you imagine our mothers waiting to be registered into this
new country? Just think of what it would be like if our mothers were
sitting together on one of these benches and my mother said, ‘My son
is going to be a great leader. He will be the governor of New York.’ And
your mother replied, ‘Well my son is going to be a great communicator,
and he will be known all over the world.’“
Larry touched the entire world with his show. And I can tell you
there wasn’t any place he would rather be at 9pm than in front of those
famous lighted dots. He never had an agenda. He treated each interview
exactly the same, whether he was interviewing a president or a victim
of an earthquake. He was the same Larry. He never let the interview be
about himself. He never talked about himself on the air. When Barbra
Streisand told him how good he was on air, it made him uncomfortable.
He never forgot where he came from and he pinched himself constantly.
And he would always say, “They pay me for this!”
Larry, I love you with all of my heart and I am honored to have been
part of your amazing journey. I am so proud of you tonight. There is only
one of you. There will never be another like you.
Broadcast news veteran Wendy Walker is CNN Senior Vice President and
Senior Executive Producer, CNN Worldwide, and was Senior Executive
Producer of Larry King Live for 18 years until its final broadcast on
December 16, 2010
My American Idol By Ryan Seacrest
I am fortunate to call Larry King my friend. He has also been a
generous mentor to me from the very first day I met him.
I was in the airport in Paris on my way back to Los Angeles when I
saw Larry at the security gate. He was going through the metal detector.
“Thank you, God,” I was thinking. “This is my one shot.”
I’d been a fan of his show for so many years. I’d wanted to meet him for
so long. All I had to do was walk a short distance to ask if I could hang
out with him and learn.