Members Lee Flier Posted August 8, 2005 Members Share Posted August 8, 2005 http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/TV/08/07/jennings.obit/index.html Well this was unexpected, and for some reason hits me kind of hard. Unlike most TV personalities, I always had the feeling he was a good and genuine person, and would have liked to meet him. I remember things like, after the first Gulf War started and after 9/11, he had a program where he talked to a group of children on live TV and tried to answer their questions, and help them make sense of something we adults have a hard enough time making sense of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blue2blue Posted August 8, 2005 Members Share Posted August 8, 2005 Wow. That's too bad. He was one of the very few network newspeople I thought was actually capable of understanding -- and caring about -- what he was reporting on. Sorry to see him go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 A couple of months ago, I heard that he had cancer. I'm sorry to hear that he didn't make it. I'll "third" the comments that he seemed like a sincere and considerate person who really cared. My condolences to his friends, family and fans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Red Winger Posted August 8, 2005 Members Share Posted August 8, 2005 It was only April when he announced on the air that he had lung cancer. Just too fast and too young. RIP Peter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fantasticsound Posted August 8, 2005 Members Share Posted August 8, 2005 I was a bit surprised to hear he died. My wife was telling me something and I noticed a lot of clips or Jennings on the late news on ABC. Before we had a chance to check it out I knew he'd died. I haven't been a fan of any of the current and recent news anchors, but the description of his career and of his immense studies his entire life are inspirational. I just don't understand why people keep saying he died too young. The man was 67 and smoked well into his 40's. Being a reporter and news anchor I gather that wasn't a one pack a day habit most of his adult life. And he relapsed, understandably, after 9/11/2001. (Don't know for how long, though.) My dad is in great health at 68 years old. He could live decades. But frankly, I think we've been programmed to believe we all have a good chance of living into our 80's or 90's. We're not there yet, boys and girls. Had he lived to average age it would only have been another 7 - 10 years. Am I alone in thinking this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Greg Bogoshian Posted August 8, 2005 Members Share Posted August 8, 2005 When I saw how little he was actually on the air after the announcement that he had lung cancer, I had a very bad feeling that he wasn't long for this world. I am really sorry my gut instinct came to be true... We need a man of his integrity and compassion in the news anchor position. He will be sorely missed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Geoff Grace Posted August 8, 2005 Members Share Posted August 8, 2005 Originally posted by fantasticsound: I just don't understand why people keep saying he died too young. The man was 67 and smoked well into his 40's. Being a reporter and news anchor I gather that wasn't a one pack a day habit most of his adult life. And he relapsed, understandably, after 9/11/2001. (Don't know for how long, though.) My dad is in great health at 68 years old. He could live decades. But frankly, I think we've been programmed to believe we all have a good chance of living into our 80's or 90's. We're not there yet, boys and girls. Had he lived to average age it would only have been another 7 - 10 years. Am I alone in thinking this? I guess it all depends on one's perspective. Let's start with some background information: Originally posted at U.S. Census Bureau:We're living longer. Back when the United States was founded, life expectancy at birth stood at only about 35 years. It reached 47 years in 1900, jumped to 68 years in 1950, and steadily rose to 76 years in 1991. In 1991, life expectancy was higher for women (79 years) than for men (72 years). Once we reach age 65, we can expect to live 17 more years. During the 1980's, post-65 life expectancy improved for all race/sex groups. The biggest improvement (a rise of over 1 year) belonged to White men. From the perspective of the vast majority of the history of mankind, anyone over 35 is living in the bonus round. On the other hand, from a modern perspective, at 67, Peter Jennings was a little on the young side to have died. When comparing Peter Jennings, who became anchor for "World News Tonight" in 1983, with Walter Cronkite, who retired from his anchor position in l981, Jennings seems even younger. Considering that Cronkite is now 88, it especially seems early for a man 21 years Cronkite's junior to have died. Here's one last perspective shift: if you're attached to someone, then any age is too young for them to go. Peter Jennings will be missed. Best, Geoff P.S. I don't mean to disregard Jennings' smoking. That's certainly a valid perspective as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brittanylips Posted August 8, 2005 Members Share Posted August 8, 2005 Originally posted by Lee Flier http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/TV/08/07/jennings.obit/index.html Well this was unexpected, and for some reason hits me kind of hard. Unlike most TV personalities, I always had the feeling he was a good and genuine person, and would have liked to meet him. I feel the same way. Right before his diagnosis, I happened to bump into him at someone else's funeral. He seemed totally fine. There were other celebs there, but he kind of lit up the room. A friend of mine lives in his building in NYC. While visiting, I'd sometimes see Peter Jennings getting on and off the bus right in front. Apparently, he always took the bus to work, never cabs, never limos. -Peace, love, and Blips Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LiveMusic Posted August 8, 2005 Members Share Posted August 8, 2005 Yep, this guy really had a nice way about him. Darn good newscaster. I felt bad when country music fans chastised Jennings when Toby Keith got all mad when he couldn't play his STOOPID red, white and blue, boot up your ass crap. From http://slate.msn.com/id/2069217/: Keith made a bold prediction of No. 1-level success for the song back in June. He claimed that ABC had offered to let him perform the tune on a July Fourth special and then reneged because Peter Jennings didn't like it. Referring to the Canadian Jennings, Keith commented to USA Today at the time, "I find it interesting that he's not from the U.S." But, he said, the song would be huge without the network's help. ABC, meanwhile, insisted that it hadn't made Keith any promises and that its reasons for not booking had to do with schedule conflicts, not distaste for his song's message. Whatever the truth may be, it's not hard to imagine that some people, at least, might be a little squeamish about some parts of Keith's message. The tune, a driving and anthemic number very much in the mainstream-country mode, starts out treading a familiar I-love-America path Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kendrix Posted August 8, 2005 Members Share Posted August 8, 2005 I also found him to be the most likeable of the network news dudes. I think its true that he had the most wordly ( verus parochial) perspcetive- and I found that a good thing. I read somewhere that he was actually a dead head. He went to several dead shows with his kids.Apparently, he appreciated the sub-culture that went along with all that- minus the drugs.A bit unusual for a man his age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members franknputer Posted August 8, 2005 Members Share Posted August 8, 2005 Wow - I'm surprised that the whole thing was off my radar completely! Damn shame - he was certainly a figure in my life for a long time. RIP, Peter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members antematter Posted August 8, 2005 Members Share Posted August 8, 2005 Easily my favorite news anchor. I always went to ABC for big news coverage because of him. He will be missed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fantasticsound Posted August 8, 2005 Members Share Posted August 8, 2005 Originally posted by Geoff Grace I guess it all depends on one's perspective. Let's start with some background information:... Thanks, Geoff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tld Posted August 8, 2005 Members Share Posted August 8, 2005 Yup...quite a shame. They had a good piece about him on NPR this morning. They talked a bit about his efforts to keep important items in the news, and how much he disliked all the coverage of stuff like the OJ trial. R.I.P. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ernest Buckley Posted August 9, 2005 Members Share Posted August 9, 2005 This thread should be closed. There was a similiar thread on the Pope when he passed over at Music Player. Craig deleted/closed it. Whats fair for one, should be fair for all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nursers Posted August 9, 2005 Members Share Posted August 9, 2005 Originally posted by Ernest Buckley This thread should be closed. There was a similiar thread on the Pope when he passed over at Music Player. Craig deleted/closed it. Whats fair for one, should be fair for all. You are a funny guy Ernest Phil - you're right though - even I've seen alittle of Peter Jennings down here and he seemed a genuine guy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zeronyne Posted August 9, 2005 Members Share Posted August 9, 2005 Originally posted by Ernest Buckley This thread should be closed. There was a similiar thread on the Pope when he passed over at Music Player. Craig deleted/closed it.Whats fair for one, should be fair for all. Way to edit history there, EB. Way to nicely forget WHY your thread was closed. Did you forget it was because Craig felt that it should have been in the Political Forum based on the way it evolved? Oh, and way to hold a grudge. Nice life you must be having to wait for your "moment" to whip this little chip off your shoulder. RIP, Peter Jennings. Smoker or not, you are a cool dude. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blue2blue Posted August 9, 2005 Members Share Posted August 9, 2005 One thing I was amazed to find out is that Jennings didn't have much education at all. A high school dropout, someone said? And think about it. Doesn't Tom Brokaw have a law degree? (Seems to me he got one while he was a local anchor in LA at Loyola Law.) I mean how does that work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lee Flier Posted August 9, 2005 Author Members Share Posted August 9, 2005 Originally posted by blue2blue One thing I was amazed to find out is that Jennings didn't have much education at all. A high school dropout, someone said? No wonder I like him so much, I'm a dropout too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeff da Weasel Posted August 9, 2005 Members Share Posted August 9, 2005 Originally posted by Ernest Buckley This thread should be closed. I'm sure you're kidding, since no one could possibly be as gigantic an ass to actually mean that. Lee, I also liked Jennings. I think one of the reasons he was so good is that he was initially put at the newsdesk as a 26 year old pretty boy, and failed miserably. They booted him out and made him a foreign correspondent for years until he made it back to being a lead anchor. The reports were saying how sadly ironic it was that in the same year that Brokaw and Rather retired, Jennings finally had his chance to be the single-most watched evening news authority, and that's when cancer came up and kicked his ass in less than four months. But you're right; he seemed like a good guy and genuinely personable. RIP. - Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TheWewus Posted August 9, 2005 Members Share Posted August 9, 2005 Wow, I'm really going to miss him. I was watching back in April when he announced his illness, and he said he'd back during treatment, but he never did go on air again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MarkZ Posted August 9, 2005 Members Share Posted August 9, 2005 Among the rememberances, there was one that touched me. A young ABC reporter said that when he was sent to Afghanistan for his first time reporting from a war zone, Jennings called the reporter's parents and told them "Your son is OK." Nice. They had a little musical tribute on GMA this morning. Apparently, Jennings was a big jazz fan and hosted a fundraising concert every summer in the Hamptons. So this morning, Clark Terry, Renee Rosnes, Buster Williams, and Lewis Nash played "Body and Soul" and "My Buddy". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fantasticsound Posted August 9, 2005 Members Share Posted August 9, 2005 Originally posted by Jeff da Weasel ...Lee, I also liked Jennings. I think one of the reasons he was so good is that he was initially put at the newsdesk as a 26 year old pretty boy, and failed miserably. They booted him out and made him a foreign correspondent for years until he made it back to being a lead anchor...- Jeff I've seen several reports, including the initial World News Tonight memorial in which Brokaw described these events. By his account, it was Jennings who went to his boss and said he was in over his head and needed more experience as a correspondant before ascending to the anchor chair. That would take a lot of courage to step down from one of 3 network anchor jobs with no guarantee of getting back there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ernest Buckley Posted August 10, 2005 Members Share Posted August 10, 2005 Call me what you want guys. The point is the thread that was started concerning the Pope did not sit well with a certain individual and it was closed. Whatever the case, I enjoyed Mr. Jennnings, he was my favorite of the big three. RIP. Yes he was a HS drop out from what I heard. Interestingly, he got the ABC gig because Brokaw didn`t want it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fantasticsound Posted August 10, 2005 Members Share Posted August 10, 2005 It was all over the memorials that he was a drop out but considered it one of, if not the, greatest failure of his life. That he turned that failure into a lifelong mission to be informed about so many areas of life beyond the issues in the news is his legacy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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