Friday, December 17, 2010

  Longest-running television show: Larry King Live set world record
 HOLLYWOOD, Calif., USA--Veteran US broadcaster Larry King, 77, has presented the final edition of his long-running CNN talk show after 25 years with the cable news channel and more than 6,000 shows and 50,000 interviews , setting the world record for the longest-running television show hosted by the same person, on the same network and in the same time slot.
  Photo: Larry King wasn't saying goodbye. 'Instead of goodbye, how about so long,' said the 25-year host. Photo by: Hawthorne/Getty ( enlarge photo )

   "Welcome to the last 'Larry King Live.' It's hard to say that," King said in his opening remarks to his last show.

  King wore his signature suspenders -- a pair of red ones with a red-and-white polka-dot tie over a black shirt.

   President Barack Obama paid tribute to the star in a taped message, in which he said his show had "opened our eyes to the world beyond our living rooms".

   Former president Bill Clinton make his 29th appearance on the show via satellite from Arkansas. "I'm like you," Clinton said.
  "I have to keep working. I don't know if it keeps me young, but it keeps me out of the grave."

  "You shouldn't be leaving anything, Larry," Donald Trump said. "Nobody ever did it better."

   Asked about the state of journalism today, King responded, "We're in a wave of opinion," and said, "I've never brought my opinions to the show."

  "I don't know what to say, except to you my audience, thank you. And instead of goodbye, how about so long?" King concluded.

  In his overall 53 years in broadcasting, King amassed 50,000 interviews, 6,120 shows in CNN's archives, 10 Cable ACE Awards, an Emmy, a Peabody and an entry in the Guinness World Records for having the longest-running show with the same host in the same time slot.

   Former tabloid editor and talent show judge Piers Morgan will take over his coveted time slot in January.

 The Guinness world record holder for the longest running TV variety show is Sábado Gigante (Univision Television Network, USA), which has been broadcast every Saturday evening since 8 August 1962.

  Guinness World Records also recognized the longest running TV cookery show is Channel 4's Hasta La Cocina (Mexico) which has been broadcast each weekday since 1 December 1960.

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