RIP Barbara Walters

[UPChip]

Franco Harris, Pele and Barbara Walters is a heavy-hitter trio of celebrity deaths in a short time. All three were iconic and revered in different ways.

I missed this when it happened. It's pretty damn cool.

Realized this while I was having a post-deadline drink: The guy in charge of doing the Hail and Farewell reel on CBS Sunday Morning has got to be pissed after this week.

Seriously, though I loved that video. One of the reasons I put up with the **** that this business doles out is that you get a chance to have, if not a legacy, an archive. You get to affect people well after you to go to press, whether it's a memory they've framed, a recognition they earned or just a kindness you've shown. Stuff like this is the biggest reward, no? The woman basically created an archetype.

Also, I find it amusing that she apparently hated Gilda Radner's impression. My mom loved Cheri Oteri's.

 

[Shropshire Slasher]

If Baba Wawa could be a twee, she'd be one of those giant California sequoias they have to drill tunnels through.

 

[swingline]

I doubt many J-school kids today have any idea what an icon Walters was. Which is kind of sad, or it points to how old we are. Myself included.

 

[DanOregon]

I guess one of the "good things" about the decline of print is that the Year in Deaths doesn't have a hard deadline. The Queen, the King (of futbol), The Queen (of journalism) and The Queen (of country music) all in a few months. We've lost some of the best people who ever did the thing they did this year. Not just famous, but truly great all-timers.

 

[Slacker]

If Baba Wawa could be a twee, she'd be one of those giant California sequoias they have to drill tunnels through.

If Baba Wawa weawwy could be a twee,
she'd tell you to watch out for that dwill.

 

[mpcincal]

Franco Harris, Pele and Barbara Walters is a heavy-hitter trio of celebrity deaths in a short time. All three were iconic and revered in different ways.

It almost seems like the Grim Reaper is working furiously to meet quota before 2023 hits. However, he has picked up some heavy hitters (Queen Elizabeth, Sidney Poitier, Bill Russell, among others) in 2022 aside from the three above, so I guess that wouldn't be it.

 

[User 149557]

Funny, I was just reading the Wikipedia page about Hugh Downs earlier today after I saw him in a 1973 commercial hawking the new ‘74 Country Squire station wagons for Ford. He lived to be 99. That was quite a paring with Walters on 20/20, which I do remember but was too young to really understand its impact.
My real memory of her is that my mom loved saying Baba Wawa after Gilda Radner’s
impression.

RIP. We could use a lot more like you, Ms. Walters.

My grandmother grew up on the same street as Hugh Downs. To her he was just the guy who was late getting to the school bus and made everybody wait.

My grandparents also knew Phyllis Diller and Fang pretty well.

It’s funny that two recluses who never left their house, even to go out to eat, knew more celebrities than I ever will.

 

[Shropshire Slasher]

Just wait till Pope Benedict kicks it on NYE. They all wait until they clear Christmas, just so we can say "(fill in the year) ... man."

 

[Brooklyn Bridge]

Barbara Walters interviewing Monica Lewinsky. Her first televised interview about the affair with Bill Clinton. Co-host of the ABC nightly news in 1976. Truly an all-time great. I didn't realize until I was older what she had to overcome.

RIP

 

[Spartan Squad]

What news were you following that you had this one pegged?

 

[maumann]

Barbara Walters to Kareem: "Tell your old man to drag Sadat and Begin up and down the court for 48 minutes."

Funny, I was just reading the Wikipedia page about Hugh Downs earlier today after I saw him in a 1973 commercial hawking the new ‘74 Country Squire station wagons for Ford. He lived to be 99. That was quite a paring with Walters on 20/20, which I do remember but was too young to really understand its impact.
My real memory of her is that my mom loved saying Baba Wawa after Gilda Radner’s
impression.

RIP. We could use a lot more like you, Ms. Walters.

My first recollection of Hugh Downs was as the MC of Concentration.

 

[exmediahack]

Watched 20 minutes of that Lewinsky interview.

Walters was an absolute master of that craft, that style of interviewing.

 

[garrow]

 

[User 149557]

“Ducktales” had a character based on her. That makes you an icon.

 

[Jake from State Farm]

Barbara Walters’ difficult job as a trailblazer wasn’t made any easier by the fact Harry Reasoner hated her

https://eyesofageneration.com/barba...al-in-1976-and-her-smooth-departure-tomorrow/

 

[BTExpress]

Hawaii reports 100% of the precincts while Wisconsin is at 90%?

Did the Aloha State vote a day early or something?

 

[MTM]

Watched 20 minutes of that Lewinsky interview.

Walters was an absolute master of that craft, that style of interviewing.

Lewinsky on the experience

 

[DanOregon]

A Walters interview begat Oprah's couch. And sure Oprah hosted Megan and Harry, but is there anyone else who you open yourself up to for an interview to get something behind you? That you don't look like your shopping for a "homer" or "softballs?" Seems like nowadays - journos are so eager for the "get", they will agree to parameters.