Dan Rather on the state of journalism: ‘More entertaining than reporting’
Deep dive on an anchor
Dan Rather, former forever CBS-TV anchor and now on People magazine’s cover:
“People did a documentary on me and now we’re waiting for someone to buy it. So far there’s no distributor.”
OK. So I asked, how’s he feel about what’s happening in the United States?
“Dangerous time. We’re under attack. It’s become a struggle for the soul of America and there’s fewer votes than used to be. Who even knows can we remain free as a constitutional republic? I’m not at peace with the country at all.
“People are now afraid to speak up. Don’t want to get involved. That’s instead of ‘what can I do today to help my country — and myself.’ But I’m an optimist. I think the United States is resilient and will get through this. It’s just that they can’t right now do it. They’re afraid.
“Journalism’s changed. I watch all news. All channels. One then the other. It’s become more entertaining than reporting. It’s lots of sports with large corporations controlling 80% of the national distribution of news. Hard to find anything worth mentioning.
“These days I live in Texas. I have my wife, family, grandchildren and I still have my marbles. Also, I just did a wonderful thing. I was just in New York. I haven’t been there in over two years and I was newly struck with how great it is. Easy to forget what a terrific city it is. Energy. Heartbeat. If you live there you just need to tell yourself how lucky you are to live in New York.”
Side gigs to the stage
Enough with who won, haven’t won, should’ve won. Question is who/what were big hot shots back when they were small shotlets.
Clint Eastwood. Dug Beverly Hills swimming pools as he auditioned for parts . . . Madonna. Dunkin’ Donuts. Not clear if she ate them or dunked them . . . Whoopi Goldberg. Bricklayer. Also dressed bodies laid out at a mortuary . . . Sean Connery — milkman in Scotland . . . Jon Hamm dressed the set for porn shows — only thing there that was dressed . . . Amy Poehler stacked, wiped, scooped at an ice cream shop and said: “Every time a customer had a birthday we had to bang a drum” . . . Dennis Farina. Chicago cop.
Paula Abdul. Tried out for the Los Angeles Lakers cheerleading squad at Cal State U, and was selected from 700 applicants . . . Age 13, Dwayne Johnson washed dishes from 3 to 11:30.
Nicki Minaj. Red Lobster waitress. “I don’t like bulls–t so after someone stole my pen I flipped out — and got fired.” . . . Margot Robbie made Subway sandwiches “but the bad way they were made upset me” . . . David Letterman: Indiana’s Ball State U then Indianapolis station WLWI then canned for calling hail stones “the size of canned hams.”
Complaint: Yesterday, Alexa’s whole issue is on dogs. NO YORKIE in that whole newspaper. Zero Yorkshire terriers. (BARK. GROWL. GRRR.) Despite NY1 airing “Extra Shot,” Jamie Stelter’s TV interview on me, this a.m. — 7:30, 9:30, 11:30, my adored 3 ¾-year-old Jellybean is so upset he just peed on Alexa’s front page. Good boy . . .
May said unspeakable inconceivable tragedy be only in New York, kids, only in New York.
