Celebrities, news anchors and politicians were among the many people who remembered Larry King, the host of CNN’s “Larry King Live” program, who died Saturday at the age of 87.
“Larry King was a broadcast giant and a master at interviewing TV celebrities / statesmen and women,” tweeted Christiane Amanpour, CNN’s premier international presenter.
“His name is synonymous with CNN and he’s been instrumental in the network’s rise,” she said. “EVERYONE wanted to be on Larry King Live.”
Oprah Winfrey said, “It has always been a pleasure to sit at your table. And hear your stories. Thank you Larry King. “
Wolf Blitzer, host of “The Situation Room” on CNN, described Mr. King as “an amazing interviewer and mentor to so many of us”.
TV presenter Ryan Seacrest said he has “lost a dear friend and mentor. Truly an American treasure. “
“He taught me so much,” said former CBS host Craig Ferguson.
“He was a real person,” added Ferguson. “He probably even taught me that word.”
Ted Turner, founder of CNN, said that “the world has lost a true broadcasting legend”.
From 1985 to 2010, Mr. King anchored “Larry King Live,” CNN’s top-rated and longest-running program. He interviewed a variety of subjects from President Richard M. Nixon to Kings to “experts” on UFOs and paranormal phenomena.
He died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. No cause of death was given in a statement from his company, Ora Media, but Mr. King had recently been treated for Covid-19. In 2019, he was hospitalized for chest pain and he said he had also had a stroke.
A tweet from TV host Piers Morgan raised eyebrows on Saturday. “Larry King was a hero of mine,” he wrote, “until we dropped out after I replaced him on CNN and he said my show was” like watching your mother-in-law drive over a cliff in your new Bentley. ” “
But Mr. Morgan continued, “He was a brilliant broadcaster and a masterful television interviewer.”
Former President Bill Clinton said he had enjoyed his “20+ interviews” with Mr. King, adding, “He gave the American people a direct line and worked hard to find out the truth for them, with questions that were directly but were fair. “
New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo honored Mr. King, who grew up in Brooklyn, as a “Brooklyn Boy” and tweeted, “New York offers its condolences to its family and many friends.”
Newt Gingrich, the former House Speaker, welcomed Mr. King as a broadcasting pioneer.
“I’ve always loved doing his TV shows and on occasion he would ask me to guest on while he was vacationing,” tweeted Gingrich, noting that an episode featuring animals from the Columbus Zoo was one of his favorites.
Celine Dion said Mr. King made us all feel like we were talking to a lifelong friend. There will never be anyone like him and he will be missed by many. “
Basketball star Magic Johnson said he has known Mr. King since he arrived in Los Angeles 42 years ago.
“Larry King Live” changed CNN in the 1980s with its mix of entertainment and news, he said. “I loved being on the show,” he said. “Larry was one of the best interviewers on TV.”
Full Court Press host Greta Van Susteren tweeted that a New York Times news alert referring to Mr. King’s interviews with “presidents, clairvoyants, movie stars and crooks” “had so much breadth.”
“Unlike some who can only interview one guest guy (e.g. politicians),” she said, “Larry could interview ANYONE, and he did and he interviewed ANYONE.”
