The news that Larry King will soon step down from his nightly talk show on CNN has hardly been a surprise.? When your age is going up, your ratings are going down, and there?s more and more talk about your successors, then you should have a good idea that change may be in the air.
King was an icon who had a lot of strengths.? He didn?t wear a jacket on-air.? Instead, he sported suspenders.? King had a very conversational style and always seem to make his guests feel at ease.? He was someone who could tell a great story.
King was not perfect.? At times he was accused of being a ?soft interviewer? who didn?t like to ask tough questions.? That may have allowed him to book high profile guests who would feel safe in his studio.
Perhaps King?s greatest weakness was his insistence on not preparing for interviews.? He claimed that it kept him fresh and curious.? Perhaps in King?s earlier days, this worked really well for him.? But as he aged on air, he wasn?t as sharp as he once was and relying solely on his talent didn?t work as well.? He?s appear confused on air and would sometimes ask uncomfortable questions.? King was overall, still good, but with more preparation, I think he could have been great.
King will reportedly do a series of interview specials for CNN.? Perhaps these will allow him to get out of the daily grind and better showcase his abilities.
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