TORONTO SUN MONDAY, JULY 6, 2009 SHOWBIZ n n 37 The King of talk TV CNN legend on doing interviews for new book — ‘I like being on the other side for once, it’s a kind of therapy’ NEW YORK — There’s no my ex-wife suggested sus- was recovering from tubercu- mistaking the voice on the penders,” he said (he’s been losis and we got the princi- other end of the line. married eight times to seven pal to believe he was dead so After a half-century on the different women). we could collect money,” he air, 75-year-old Larry King is King is an icon from an era explained. still the interview champ — in television when time wasn’t “We even created a founda- they call him the Muhammad a luxury. He says he misses tion in his name and organ- Ali of the airways — and he’s the days when he had a full ized a gala. That day, Mappo nowhere near ready to give up hour to do an interview. came back to school!” his title. “Television But nothing in those stories It can be stress- doesn’t let you do has stopped this troublemaker ful interviewing a that anymore,” he from going to the White House man who’s racked explained. “Televi- to interview every American up 40,000 inter- sion today is done president since Gerald Ford. views of his own, like a tabloid and “My curiosity was insatiable including the likes it’s frankly not my when I was young,” he said. of Nelson Man- cup of tea.” “I would ask the bus driver dela, Martin Luther Marie-Joelle But King still why he did his job. They called King Jr. and Frank keeps up with the me Zeek the Creek the Mouth- Sinatra. Parent times. Case in piece because I never stopped He’s been sit- IN NEW YORK point, you can now talking.” ting down with the follow him on Twit- King began his career on most influential fig- ter (twitter.com/ Miami radio in 1957. He was ures in the world for 52 years kingsthings), an experiment earning $55 a week. His first now, yet he’s still approacha- he describes as a huge ego time behind the mic hap- ble. With a repertoire of anec- trip (although it’s his producer pened after another radio host dotes as vast as this man’s, who writes up his tweets.) quit unexpectedly. there’s almost no need to ask “Technology passed me by, A few minutes before he questions. but I do what I can,” he said. went on, his boss decided “I don’t speak a lot on TV, “I couldn’t live without my his name wouldn’t work. He but I have a hard time hold- morning papers. I love the spotted an ad in the paper ing back in my life. I like being smell, I love having ink stains for King’s Wholesale Liquor. on the other side for once, on my fingers. In spite of their The show went live and Larry it’s a kind of therapy,” he said current problems, newspa- froze. over the phone from his plush pers are here to stay.” “Say something, say some- home in Beverly Hills. King, born Lawrence Har- thing,” his boss shouted from The pretext for our conver- vey Zeiger, was raised in the control room. sation is the launch of his new Brooklyn in a Jewish family of “I’m sorry, my name is biography, My Remarkable Eastern European origin. Larry King and this is my first Journey. He made an appear- “I left Brooklyn, but Brook- day,” he said. “I won the audi- ance at a New York bookstore lyn never left me,” he said. ence over. I was honest with a few weeks back to talk about “I’m proud of what I’ve the public and from that day his book. accomplished. I come from a on I was never stressed out on The 300-person crowd ate poor background. I didn’t go air.” up every word he said. King to college. King started at CNN in is an incredible storyteller. “My father died when I was 1985. His contract expires in Although the world only ever nine years old. I never got over 2011, by which time he’ll be sees him waist-up, his slim that, it was like he’d aban- 77 years old. build and energy brings to doned me. He holds the record for mind Mick Jagger. He was “I rebelled. I didn’t open a longest-running host of the wearing his regular getup, book for two years.” same show. consisting of the ever-present There’s no doubt King “If CNN still wants me, I’d suspenders, tight black jeans knows a thing or two about be happy to stay,” he said with and cowboy boots. dirty tricks. There are enough his legendary calm. “It’s not MARIE-JOELLE PARENT/SUN MEDIA “After my heart surgery (he accounts of them for a movie work to me.” Larry King finally has turned the tables on everyone — instead of asking people about their life had a serious heart attack in script. stories, he is telling everyone his life story with the release of his bio My Remarkable Journey. 1987), I lost a lot of weight and “Mappo, one of my friends, [email protected]

Larry King gets up every mess up this time.” hair done at his stylist’s on with my boys.” do that.” day at 6 a.m. He has three adult children. Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. n His worst-ever interview: n Who would he like to Just your The nanny arrives. He didn’t find out about the “I don’t have a choice, I the actor Robert Mitchum, interview: Jesus Christ and He has breakfast with his existence of Larry King Jr., can’t see the back of my head.” whose answers consisted only Hitler, “because demons don’t nine and 10-year-old sons. until his son was 33 years old. He then goes to spend time of yes and no. just wake up one morning He reads his newspapers. “My children were all with friends at his favourite n His most memorable and decide to be evil, there’s typical day He takes his kids to school. created without Viagra,” he lunch place, the Naten Al Deli. interviews: Frank Sinatra, something that sets them o�.” “I like that ritual. I like said. And what about work in that Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, And Lincoln, “I’d like him to seeing them go through His wife, Shawn Southwick- busy day? Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton. give his opinion on society,” the doors with their little King, is much younger than “I go to CNN around 4 p.m., Clinton wrote a passage for his and finally Castro and Bin for Larry backpacks. I messed things up him at 49. and it’s finished at 6 p.m. It’s upcoming book. “I was proud. Laden, to ask —“Why?” with my eldest. I don’t want to Larry then goes to get his perfect like that. I get time It’s rare for an ex-president to — Marie-Joelle Parent