CNN Should 'Announce A Yearlong Victory Lap' For Larry King: David Carr

The New York Times' David Carr has an immodest proposal for CNN: give Larry King a "yearlong victory lap."

Carr proposes that King, whose ratings have declined (along with the rest of CNN's shows') and whose replacement CNN is rumored to be courting, would benefit from a graceful farewell tour full of A-list bookings:

Why not announce a yearlong victory lap for Mr. King? You could probably count on both Obamas, both Clintons, both George Bushes, both Martha and Jon Stewart, with maybe some Tiger, a little Oprah, all stopping by for some much deserved ring-kissing.

A byproduct of a yearlong send-off would be the opportunity to test "a rolling audition of hopefuls" vying for King's slot, Carr writes:

A year of occasional substitutes just might yield a worthy, and viewer-friendly, successor. As it is, Mr. King has been left to dangle, battered by tabloid reports, sliding ratings and his own daily battle to anchor the show five days a week.

Carr also finds a lesson in Helen Thomas's disgraceful exit from her legendary career earlier this month:

The more legendary the talent, the more delicate the endgame. Think of Helen Thomas's exit, which did not end well for anyone.

Read Carr's full column here.

Comments

[gemini2]

12:41 PM on 06/24/2010

Victory lap is a good idea. Doubt the King would want to endure try-out replacements during his lap to dilute what's left of his brand.

[R U Sirius]

09:38 AM on 06/24/2010

I don't think he would survive a lap around the studio, much less running for an entire YEAR. (HAR HAR!)

[CarolinaYankee]

10:24 AM on 06/23/2010

Go already, yeeeesh

[situpnow]

01:26 AM on 06/23/2010

Could his legs survive one lap?

[FMC651]

01:24 AM on 06/23/2010

No get this guy off the air already. Look at the ratings at CNN. Thanks Larry.Who watches this guy?
He and Barbara Walters were never good.

[Shana Ting Lipton]

12:32 AM on 06/23/2010

LK has always irritated me because he made a career of middle-of-the-road soft-balling. I admit I'm a little too young to be familiar with his early career days but the last five years have been shlock. However, I agree with the folks who say CNN may well put some horrible anchor on in his place...like that bombastic (Fox News worthy) jerk Rick Sanchez.

[murphysgirl]

07:18 PM on 06/22/2010

I think it's a good idea. That way King can feel as though he left on his own terms.

[hotbarb2614]

05:01 PM on 06/22/2010

Larry king needs to go now and I mean now.He has interviewed everybody already.

[espowill]

04:25 PM on 06/22/2010

I liked the bee Larry King better than the real one.

[phoebie]

11:55 AM on 06/22/2010

Giving Larry King a year long victory lap is a good proposal. It allows Larry the respect and recognition for a job well done while CNN ponders filling the hour.

"MADAGASCAR...GO AHEAD!"

[DevRock]

09:58 AM on 06/22/2010

A victory lap???? He's run a low-rated, barely-watched tabloid discussion show for 25 years. Kick him off the air. He's a bore and contributes NOTHING to the world.

[aceshigh]

08:20 AM on 06/22/2010

Say what you will, but the guy is an institution. He should be given some props for surviving in the business so long.

WICHITA, HELLO!

[vascopyjama]

10:41 PM on 06/21/2010

If Larry King is having an affair with Sarah Palin, then yes, I think CNN should let him go.

[Hardbull]

08:11 PM on 06/21/2010

King has certainly lost his touch, so a year-long victory lap is an excellent idea. Unfortunately, the list of possible replacements being trotted out is filled with lightweights who make King seem like Seymour Hersh by comparison. CNN had better be careful. He's not so easily replaced. It must be someone who can talk pop culture fluently and still be taken seriously in conversation with presidents and foreign dictators. King's ratings may be slipping, but they could get a whole lot worse with the wrong successor.

[PatA]

01:30 PM on 06/22/2010

Ryan Seacrest? I read it so it must be true.

[wrldtrvlr3341]

06:17 PM on 06/21/2010

Larry King Live is less than stimulating to watch, but so is almost everything on CNN now. I guess they all feel like they have to compete with the reality shows, therefore the so called news has become a reality show....factual information in short supply, drama plentiful.

[f0rTyLeGz]

08:26 PM on 06/21/2010

Wolf Blitzer in The Situation Room is comedy to me. I can't take that over coiffed talking head seriously. I can't stand it how each report from a "correspondent" comes with praise and thank yous. All of their high tech screens looks like so much bling.

[vascopyjama]

10:38 PM on 06/21/2010

I particularly like the "magic wall" when it is used by the most trusted team on television. Wolf Blitzer.....who would call their kid Wolf Blitzer?

[CarolinaYankee]

10:27 AM on 06/23/2010

Celebrities and people in trouble love to be interviewed by him, because he does not ask ANY gotcha questions that is how he survives, if you want to call CNN surviving.