Voting Station

Larry King Live

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TV Series

The Resume

    (June 3, 1985-December 18, 2010)
    Born in United States
    Produced by CNN
    Created by Larry King
    Long-running Los Angeles-based news/talk show hosted by TV veteran journalist Larry King, who conducted one-one-one interviews, typically with businessmen, politicians, or celebrities.
    First-ever guest was then-Gov. of New York, Mario Cuomo (Jun. 3, 1985)
    Semi-regular substitute hosts included Bob Costas and John King (no relation)
    Originated as a popular radio show aired on Mutual Broadcasting System, 'The Larry King Show' (1978-1994)

Why Larry King Live might be annoying:

    Let's just say that multi-colored suspenders aren't the most elegant fashion statement in the world.
    It was a choice target for prank callers on call-in episodes.
    It was passed over for an Emmy nomination in its 25-year run, but its infinitely less popular web spin-off, 'Larry King Now,' scored a nomination in its second year.
    It frequently featured charlatan psychic mediums John Edward, Sylvia Browne, and James Van Praagh, as guests.
    Miss Californa USA Carrie Prejean abruptly left the set during an interview over questions she deemed 'inappropriate' (Nov. 12, 2009).
    It tended to veer into the realm of celebrity tabloid gossip.
    For example, coverage of the death of Anna Nicole Smith upended coverage of the Iraq War, with all related interviews being cancelled for celebrity appearances.
    King and his guests were wired with lapel microphones, but the host insisted on keeping a klunky vintage RCA microphone on the desk as a 'prop.'
    Larry King's interview skills were derided as poor. Unsurprisingly, his frequent soft-ball questions made him popular with guests who would otherwise have avoided the show for fear of being challenged.
    Some of the more unorthodox guest hosts included Bill Maher, Jimmy Kimmel, Joy Behar, Kathy Griffin, Glenn Beck, Kathie Lee Gifford, Donald Trump, Ryan Seacrest, and Geraldo Rivera (whose next, Kermit? oh, wait...)

Why Larry King Live might not be annoying:

    The set's multi-colored-dot background made for a fantastically cool, somber atmosphere.
    It holds the Guinness World Record for the longest running show with the same regular host and the same time slot.
    While clearly left-leaning, an effort was at least made to be objective and grant an equal voice to both sides of the debate.
    Al Gore and Oprah tried to angle a co-hosting gig to push gun control but failed.
    Larry King would frequently have skeptic magician James Randi on his program to expose the fraud psychics live on-the-air.
    Its widely-publicized Ross Perot -Al Gore NAFTA debate drew record audiences unrivaled for a decade (9 Nov. 1993).
    It marked the last public appearance of Tammy Faye, who lost her fight with cancer the next day (July 19, 2007).
    The show's star-studded finale drew an audience of 2.24 million viewers, featuring guest appearances from Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.
    It was satirized in Jerry Seinfeld's 'Bee Movie' ('He's just like you! Glasses, quotes on the bottom from the guest even though you just heard 'em, always leans forward, pointy shoulders...')
    Episodes featuring interviews of recently deceased public figures would be reran after the announcement of their deaths, in the place of a new episode.
    Whatever the show's imperfections, its short-lived successor, 'Piers Morgan Tonight,' made it look that much better (mainly because Piers rejected any and all advice King would offer).

Credit: BoyWiththeGreenHair


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 14 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 29 Votes: 75.86% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 12 Votes: 91.67% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 69 Votes: 43.48% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 14 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 3 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 35 Votes: 60.0% Annoying