Larry King Live on CNN logs final show ….
After an illustrious 25-year career on CNN, Larry King went out with a bang and a few tears last night. He ended his record-setting prime-time talk show Larry King Live with an emotional farewell message.
Tony Bennett serenaded, a Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proclamation made Thursday “Larry King Day”, Katie Couric delivered a poem and President Barack Obama sent a video greeting. Other guests included Bill Maher and Ryan Seacrest.
Maher elicited a few tears from King when he put him on the same pedestal as TV legends Johnny Carson, Steve Allen and Walter Cronkite. He was quick to add: “This is not Larry’s funeral. Larry is hopefully going to be in our living rooms for years to come. This is the end of a show, not the end of a man.”
King ended his show with a few emotional final sentiments: “When I started 25 years ago in a little studio in Washington D.C., I never thought it would last this long or come to this. I’m going to do specials on CNN and do radio work … so you’re not going to see me go away, but you’re not going to see me on this set any more.”
He continued: “I don’t know what to say, except to you my audience, thank you. And instead of goodbye, how about so long?”
In a dramatic ending, the set went dark except for a spotlight illuminating his chrome microphone.
Farewell video and 25 years of humorous moments below: