A sad news for purveyor of credible news broadcasting: Larry King has passed away at 87 years old. He leaves behind over six decades of exemplary broadcast career.
A statement was posted on Larry King’s verified Facebook account announcing the death of the legendary talk show host. While the reason of his passing was not disclosed, King had been battling a number of health problems. Most recently, he was confined in a hospital in late December after contracting COVID-19. It’s also been reported that he suffered from several heart attacks in the past.
Starting out as a disc jockey in Florida in his early 20s, Larry King went on to become the biggest name in broadcast media. His late night program on CNN, ‘The Larry King Show’, gained global prominence over 25 years. He interviewed every US president since Gerald Ford, world leaders like Vladimir Putin, and even the Dalai Lama. According to the network, King carried out more than 50,000 interviews during his career. He later on shared in an interview with Forest Whitaker that he also had the opportunity to speak with the late Martin Luther King Jr, founder of the Civil Rights Movement.
No other talk show host in history comes close to his achievement in broadcasting. He has not only made an impact on journalism, but he became a significant part of pop culture as well. Let’s take a look at some of Larry King’s most iconic moments in his career.
Frank Sinatra (1988)
https://youtu.be/2wY-bPHWgKc
Frank Sinatra’s final major interview was with none other than Larry King himself. The ‘My Way’ singer admitted on air that he never got over his stage fright, even as a seasoned performer. King had mentioned that his sit-down with Sinatra was one of his favorites.
Bee Movie (2007)
https://twitter.com/Crimson_Mayhem_/status/1353013158395392000?s=20
Jerry Seinfeld made an appearance on his show to promote his DreamWorks Animation feature, ‘Bee Movie’ — which King had lent his voice for. The actor got heated after finding offense in King’s question regarding his show ‘Seinfeld’. On the other hand, King was breaking further into pop culture and his cameo in the movie became a scene to remember. Since then he also voiced as Doris the Ugly Stepsister in ‘Shrek 2’.
Paris Hilton (2007)
Following the reality star’s release from prison, Larry King was the first one who was able to get a televised interview with Paris Hilton. While she was being met with criticism elsewhere, King was accommodating and allowed Paris to share her experience without judgement.
Lady Gaga (2010)
Pop star Lady Gaga was a guest on his show during one of his lasts runs on CNN. She appeared dressed in an outfit that emulated King, including his signature suspenders. Gaga addressed the host as ‘King Larry’ during their chat. The two touched on her career, her lupus condition, and the LGBT community.
LeBron James (2010)
King was also known to speak with a lot of athletes. Among them was NBA player LeBron James, who he had on his show several times.
With a career spanning 63 years, Larry King has gone down as a diverse and masterful figure in broadcasting. While many may remember him by his work as an interviewer, those who were closest to King will remember him as someone who was always present. Regardless if he was talking to a celebrity or someone off the street, Larry King would give you his full attention.
Rip Larry King I didn’t know much of your work but I’ll always respect you for taking a four minute personal phone call during Dave Rubin’s live show lmao. pic.twitter.com/GnJl33xP3l
— Mac (@GoodPoliticGuy) January 23, 2021
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