Tom Brokaw discloses cancer treatment
NBC News special correspondent Tom Brokaw revealed on Tuesday that he has been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a type of cancer that affects the white blood cells in bone marrow.
The 74-year-old former anchor of “NBC Nightly News” is currently contributing to the network’s Winter Olympics coverage in Sochi. He released a statement through the network.
“With the exceptional support of my family, medical team and friends, I am very optimistic about the future and look forward to continuing my life, my work and adventures still to come,” he said.
According to NBC News, Brokaw was diagnosed with the cancer at the Mayo Clinic in August and has continued to work while receiving treatment.
Reporter apologizes to Jackson
A Los Angeles newscaster apologized to Samuel L. Jackson for confusing him with fellow actor Laurence Fishburne during a live TV interview.
KTLA entertainment reporter Sam Rubin was interviewing Jackson on Monday about the film “RoboCop” when he asked the actor if he’d gotten a lot of reaction to his recent Super Bowl commercial.
When Jackson asked, “What Super Bowl commercial?” Rubin realized his mistake and began to apologize. But it was too late.
“You’re as crazy as the people on Twitter,” an animated Jackson, who was doing the interview by satellite from Atlanta, told Rubin. “I’m not Laurence Fishburne. We don’t all look alike. We may be all black and famous but we don’t all look alike.”
As Rubin, who is white, tried to apologize, a smiling Jackson went on at length, listing various black actors and their commercials. Video of the exchange quickly went viral.
“I’m the ‘What’s in Your Wallet,’ black guy,” he said of his own commercial for a credit-card company. “He’s the car black guy. Morgan Freeman is the other credit-card black guy. You only hear his voice, though, so you probably won’t confuse him with Laurence Fishburne.”
Fishburne, as the character Morpheus from the “Matrix” movies, appeared in the Super Bowl commercial for Kia automobiles.
The pair eventually got back to talking about “RoboCop.”
When he returned to the air 30 minutes later, Rubin apologized profusely, saying he has interviewed Jackson several times and does indeed know who he is.
The birthday bunch
Baseball Hall-of-Fame sportscaster Joe Garagiola is 88. Basketball Hall-of-Famer Bill Russell is 80. Actor Joe Don Baker is 78. Country singer Moe Bandy is 70. Actress Maud Adams is 69. Rock musician Steve Hackett is 64. Rock singer Michael McDonald is 62. Actress Joanna Kerns is 61. Actor-talk show host Arsenio Hall is 58. Actor Josh Brolin is 46. Singer Chynna Phillips is 46. Actress Christina Ricci is 34.