And that’s the way it is, according to Cronkite
Legendary newsman Walter Cronkite says Dan Rather‘s replacement on the “CBS Evening News” is long overdue. Rather, 73, ends his run as anchor tonight, exactly 24 years after replacing Cronkite.
Bob Schieffer, host of “Face the Nation,” will be a temporary fill-in until CBS decides on a permanent replacement.
“Although Dan did a fine job, I would have liked to have seen (Schieffer) there a long time ago,” Cronkite said in a CNN interview Monday. “He would have given the others (competing networks) a real run for their money.”
CBS has been third in the evening news ratings behind NBC and ABC for several years.
But Cronkite did not heavily fault Rather for his role in last September’s discredited “60 Minutes” story about President Bush‘s military service.
“We all know he made a mistake by now,” Cronkite said. “But would we have done much the same? I would not be sure that I wouldn’t have followed my producers and accepted what they had to offer.”
Now there’s a real role model
Supermodel Petra Nemcova talks about her harrowing experience and the death of her boyfriend, fashion photographer Simon Atlee, in the South Asian tsunami in an interview airing tonight on ABC’s “Primetime Live.”
Nemcova, who clung to a palm tree at a Thai resort for nearly eight hours before being rescued, tells Diane Sawyer that her pelvis was breaking “many times, I was just screaming at the top of my lungs.”
As for Atlee, she says: “I lost the person closest to me. And I got a second chance to live. So in a way I feel that I live for both of us … and I will do my best.”
Like sands through the hourglass …
Soap opera star Jason Cook was arrested after he allegedly became argumentative with airport officials who found a pipe with marijuana debris in his luggage.
The “Days of Our Lives” actor was arrested Monday at the Des Moines International Airport after appearing at a telethon that raised $3.5 million for children’s charities.
“I’m just sick to my stomach over this,” said telethon producer Stan Reynolds. “I just love this young man. This is his fourth year coming here to help us, and he just works his tail off for the kids.”
Bye, bye, Mr. and Mrs. American Pie
It’s been a bad week romantically for stars of the “American Pie” movies.
Shannon Elizabeth, who starred in both “American Pie” films, and husband Joseph Reitman, who appeared with her in “American Pie 2,” have decided to split after almost three years of marriage.
Meanwhile, Chris Klein, who also appeared in both “Pie” flicks, and former “Dawson’s Creek” star Katie Holmes have called off their wedding plans. They became engaged in December 2003 after five years of dating.
May he race in peace
Finally, it may be stretching the definition of “people” a bit, but we’re sad to report that I Two Step Too, one of 10 horses that portrayed Seabiscuit in the 2003 movie about the famed thoroughbred, was euthanized Monday because of a nasal tumor. He was 11.
The birthday bunch
Singer-actress Keely Smith is 73. Actor-comedian Marty Ingels is 69. Country singer Mickey Gilley is 69. Singer Jeffrey Osborne is 57. Actress Linda Fiorentino is 45. Actress Juliette Binoche is 41. Rapper C-Murder is 34. Actor Emmanuel Lewis (“Webster”) is 34. Actress Jean Louisa Kelly (“Yes, Dear,” “Mr. Holland’s Opus”) is 33. Actor Kerr Smith (“Dawson’s Creek”) is 33. Rapper Bow Wow is 18. Actor Luis Armand Garcia (“George Lopez”) is 13.