{"id":533353,"date":"2022-12-31T08:28:25","date_gmt":"2022-12-31T05:28:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/the-late-barbara-walters-was-first-class-all-the-way\/"},"modified":"2022-12-31T08:28:25","modified_gmt":"2022-12-31T05:28:25","slug":"the-late-barbara-walters-was-first-class-all-the-way","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-late-barbara-walters-was-first-class-all-the-way\/","title":{"rendered":"#The late Barbara Walters was first class all the way"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a23d46c8cd78\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a23d46c8cd78\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-late-barbara-walters-was-first-class-all-the-way\/#%E2%80%9CThe_late_Barbara_Walters_was_first_class_all_the_way%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;The late Barbara Walters was first class all the way&#8221;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CThe_late_Barbara_Walters_was_first_class_all_the_way%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;The late Barbara Walters was first class all the way&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module alignleft\">\n        <\/aside>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">news<\/a> of <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pagesix.com\/2022\/12\/30\/legendary-journalist-barbara-walters-dead-at-age-93\/?_gl=1*zadrem*_ga*NDY4NTIxMDk4LjE2MzU4ODY0ODg.*_ga_0DZ7LHF5PZ*MTY3MjQ1ODc5NC4xODEuMS4xNjcyNDYwNTE2LjAuMC4w&amp;_ga=2.159440381.191519540.1672156215-468521098.1635886488\">Barbara Walters\u2019 death<\/a> Friday, at the age of 93, resonates for me for several different reasons.<\/p>\n<p>Obviously, her passing marks the final chapter of one of the most distinguished \u2014 and, at times, controversial \u2014 careers in television journalism.<\/p>\n<p>While my connection to her was professional, and not personal, like it was with her colleague Regis Philbin, who passed away in 2020 \u2014 Walters, from our first encounters, treated me with respect and, yes, unexpected humor and decorum from someone who didn\u2019t need to do that. But that\u2019s the type of person she was. <\/p>\n<p>It was a tricky balancing act with Barbara, since we covered her and, subsequently, \u201c20\/20\u201d and \u201cThe View\u201d \u2014 which she co-created and co-hosted, starting in 1997 \u2014 with an oft-critical eye to what she said on the air, from politics to entertainment to everyday stuff.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/12\/barbara-walters-3-1.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"Photo of Barbara Walters sitting on the set of the &quot;Today&quot; show, probably in the 1970s The &quot;Today&quot; logo is on a screen behind her.\" class=\"wp-image-25194136\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/12\/barbara-walters-3-1.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/12\/barbara-walters-3-1.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/12\/barbara-walters-3-1.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>Barbara Walters on the set of NBC\u2019s \u201cToday\u201d show, where she reigned supreme for 14 years and blazed a path for women in television journalism.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/12\/walters-5.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"Photo of Barbara Walters on &quot;20\/20&quot; circa 1980. It's a closeup shot and she's smiling into the camera with the ABC logo visible in the bottom right-hand corner.\" class=\"wp-image-25194179\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/12\/walters-5.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/12\/walters-5.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/12\/walters-5.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>Barbara Walters joined ABC\u2019s \u201c20\/20\u201d in 1979.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>She was a public lightning rod, engendering in most (in my opinion) a respect, if even grudging, that she earned by trailblazing a path for women journalists in a predominantly male field, starting with NBC\u2019s \u201cToday\u201d show in 1962, and snaring headline-making interviews with just about every newsmaker \u2014 \u201cgetting the \u2018get,&#8217;\u201d to use industry terms.<\/p>\n<p>Others, though, cast a critical (and sometimes mocking) eye toward her, not only<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=zcns3A-IHMQ\"> Gilda Radner\u2019s classic \u201cBaba Wawa\u201d character<\/a> in those early days of \u201cSaturday Night Live,\u201d but toward her interview style, sometimes hard-hitting and sometimes just plain head-scratching, particularly with celebrities.<\/p>\n<p>Case in point: her 1981 interview with Katharine Hepburn, in which Barbara asked one of the greatest, distinguished actresses in history, in all seriousness: \u201cIf you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be?\u201d <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=gu9lJMlA2Kw\">Barbara later recounted it somewhat differently<\/a>, putting the onus on Hepburn, saying she just asked a logical followup question. Discuss amongst yourselves.<\/p>\n<p>The flip side of the coin is that, if you were among those covering Barbara\u2019s career \u2014 and I\u2019m guessing many of my fellow journalists would agree \u2014 she treated you with a professional decorum that stopped just short of chumminess.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/09\/barbara-walters-health-birthday.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"Fans wondered about Barbara Walters, who has rarely been since since retiring, after Whoopi Goldberg wished her a happy 93rd birthday on &quot;The View.&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-24031868\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/09\/barbara-walters-health-birthday.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1536 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/09\/barbara-walters-health-birthday.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/09\/barbara-walters-health-birthday.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>Fans wondered about Barbara Walters, who has rarely been since since retiring, after Whoopi Goldberg wished her a h<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>y 93rd birthday on \u201cThe View.\u201d<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>When I got her on the phone for one of our many interviews, she always referred to me as \u201cMr. Starr\u201d (not Michael; Walter Cronkite did the same way. Pure old-school). And I\u2019ll let you in on a secret of which you might not be aware: Barbara sent warm, hand-written thank-you notes and holiday cards, which initially surprised me so much that I kept a handful of them.<\/p>\n<p>This is one is dated March 13th, 2001.<\/p>\n<p><em>Dear Michael,<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Once again, a huge thank you for the article on \u201cThe View.\u201d It is always such a pleasure to talk to you because, when you quote me, you quote me accurately, and that is very rare. I am appreciative, and so is everybody on \u201cThe View.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>With my warmest wishes,<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Barbara<\/em><\/p>\n<p>And this is from a holiday card. (I\u2019m not sure of the year, but Barbara is posing on the cover with her beloved Havanese, Cha-Cha, in what appears to be her apartment.)<\/p>\n<p><em>Dear Michael,<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Thank you for your consideration and thoughtfulness (including last week\u2019s column) and all year round.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Warmest Wishes<\/em>,<\/p>\n<p><em>Barbara<\/em><\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/12\/barbara-walters-1.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"Barbara Walters\" class=\"wp-image-25193785\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/12\/barbara-walters-1.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/12\/barbara-walters-1.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/12\/barbara-walters-1.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>The journalist and broadcaster died in her home with her family by her side, according to her rep. <\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">New York Post<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>She didn\u2019t need to do that, especially since we at The Post often gave no quarter when reporting on what she said on \u201cThe View,\u201d for instance, and when she clashed on-air (and behind-the-scenes) with her co-hosts.<\/p>\n<p>The headlines could be merciless, including the time \u201cBabbling Barbara\u201d swore, on the air, that Cha-Cha talked to her and told her that he loved her. To her credit, the day after that story ran she did, if memory serves, joke about it on \u201cThe View.\u201d Or maybe I\u2019m just remembering it that way.<\/p>\n<p>When Barbara retired from \u201cThe View\u201d in 2014, essentially ending her long career, she was nice enough to grant me an exit interview of sorts, where she talked about her decision to retire, among other topics, and then <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=gu9lJMlA2Kw\">hopped on the phone a year later<\/a> to talk about what turned out to be one of her last, if not her last, primetime specials.<\/p>\n<p>Say what you want about Barbara Walters \u2014 and much, of course, has been and will continue to be said and written about her for years to come \u2014 but, to me, she was first class all the way.\n                        <\/p><\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more News articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2022\/12\/31\/the-late-barbara-walters-was-first-class-all-the-way\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;The late Barbara Walters was first class all the way&#8221; The news of Barbara Walters\u2019 death Friday, at the age of 93, resonates for me for several different reasons. Obviously, her passing marks the final chapter of one of the most distinguished \u2014 and, at times, controversial \u2014 careers in television journalism. While my connection&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":533354,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/12\/walters-7.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=1024","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[70897],"tags":[137843,20057,87404,92287,70255,103375,70281,70283],"class_list":["post-533353","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-12-31-22","tag-20-20","tag-abc-news","tag-barbara-walters","tag-celebrity-deaths","tag-katharine-hepburn","tag-nbc-news","tag-today-show"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/533353","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=533353"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/533353\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/533354"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=533353"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=533353"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=533353"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}