For the 2,000th (or whatever) morning time he was on NBC’s “Today” show, Bryant Gumbel made history by saying “good morning” for the first time in 1982. Tom Brokaw’s successor on “Today” made him the first black host. Morning internet news program. He had already made a name for himself in the sports world and was nicknamed “Gumbel Never Stumbled.”
And he transitioned perfectly into the news, as perfectly prepared as he was attire.
I asked Gumbel. “On a scale of 1 to 10, working with me would be…”
“Nine.”
“no!”
“Yeah, you’ve always been you, and I love that,” he said.
“So why not 10?”
“Because it’s consistent,” Gumbel said with a smile.
“Was my sloppy preparation a nuisance to someone like you?”
“No, no, it’s not annoying. It’s funny that you say that because I never am. I never expect other people to do things the way I do.” did not.”
He conveyed effortless sophistication in every detail of his wardrobe, down to his meticulously color-coded notes. But there’s a story there. “I’ve always thought, ‘I’ll never be a handsome guy. I’ll never be a popular guy. I’ll never be a great guy.’ I have to be a man who knows how to order food at a restaurant. I have to be a man who knows how to dress. “I am well aware that I ask more of myself than I ask of others. I ask too much of one Bryant Gumbel; I don’t make demands of others.”
Not that he was “easy”; He said, “I was like a cactus in a garden.”
“Yes, you were prickly!” he added.
Still, the garden grew. Viewership ratings for “Today” have increased.Gumbel struck a coup with the major newsmakers of the day – but sometimes he He was a newsmaker. That’s what he thinks now with age and hindsight: “I’m 75 years old and I’m standing there from afar and you’re sitting there and I said a lot of stupid things like, you’re leaving. . Wow, how could I say that? So, um, I would like to apologize. ”
Drama primarily appeared outdoors and hosted “Today” for 15 years before moving to CBS News and primetime.
He said, “When things are at their most chaotic, I’m usually pretty calm. I have a lot of confidence in myself, that’s obvious.”
He credits it to his father. Gumbel grew up in Chicago, the youngest of four children, including longtime sportscaster Greg Gumbel. Many people would have admired his father. Richard Gumbel was a probate court judge in Cook County, Illinois, in the 1960s, at a time when black men were rare in courtrooms.
Although Judge Gumbel died at the age of 52, he remains a towering figure. Bryant said, “When people ask me how I define myself, I say, ‘I’m my father’s son, that’s who I am. Deep down, that’s who I am. That’s who I wanted to be. That’s it.”
When Gumbel was honored at the 44th Sports Emmy Awards earlier this year, he paid tribute to his father, saying, “I had the best role model that ever lived in my father, Richard. “Judge Gumbel taught me conscience, dedication, self-confidence, curiosity, and justice.” Believing in yourself made everything possible. ”
Gumbel received a Lifetime Achievement Award, and HBO’s “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel” is one of the most awarded shows on television, including 37 Emmy Awards, a DuPont Award, and a Peabody Award.
When asked why the show is called “Real Sports,” Gumbel said, “At some point in your life, instead of looking at the athletes and how they affect the game, you’re watching the game and how it affects the game.” I think we need to pay attention to how it affects athletes.” . ”
“Real Sports” is not regular sports journalism, but sports viewed through the lens of sometimes critical journalism. “Thankfully we’ve done a lot of good things,” he said.
For example, stories about nets at baseball games (“People get hurt and disabled by foul balls. Now every time I go to a baseball game, there are nets everywhere”) and brain injuries ( “The severity of the concussion is extremely dangerous”). Part of the argument about football is something we’ve been saying for a long time.”
However, news has come that this fall, the 320th broadcast of “Real Sports” will be the last. After 29 seasons, the final episode will air this week.
what happened? “Nothing happened except that I knew my contract was up and it was coming to an end, and I had to ask myself, did I want to do three more years? Can I do three more years? ” Gumbel said. “The answer was, probably not. My heart is not in it. I’m fine with that. I’m at peace with that.”
Bryant Gumbel became less stinging and calmer. He plans to spend a lot of time with his wife Hilary, his children and grandchildren, and play more golf if possible.
“Only a fool would say never,” he said. “So, I’m not saying never again, but I’m not actively looking for the next chapter. Not really.”
I asked them, “In your fantasy life, would you have played in a band or become a professional golfer?”
“No. You know what? This is going to sound very Pollyan. I’ve been living a kind of fantasy life, I really have. And when I was in high school in Chicago, What would I do with my life if you told me life, I would have said that, Register now. That’s my fantasy life, and I’m okay with that. ”
For more information:
- “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel” on HBO and Max
Story produced by Amol Maatre. Editor: Remington Coper.