Tom Shales - With a star-studded guest list, 'Larry King Live' signs off for the last time

The Best Moments from the Larry King Live Finale
Tonight, Larry King hosted the final ever episode of Larry King Live with the help of Bill Maher, Ryan Seacrest, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Regis Philbin, Diane Sawyer, Brian Williams, Katie Couric, Barbara Walters, Bill Clinton, and more! The best moments, inside. King hosted the final hour with Bill Maher and Ryan Seacrest, and the humorous chemistry between the three was immediately recognizable. Here's how things got started: The hour's first big guest was none other than California Governor A...

Larry King tapes last edition of show
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 17 (UPI) -- Iconic U.S. interviewer Larry King has ended his CNN program "Larry King Live" after 25 years. King has conducted tens of thousands of interviews during his tenure at the Cable News network. "Welcome to the last 'Larry King Live.' It's hard to say that," King said at the top of his show Thursday. Time Magazine said comedian Bill Maher and television host Ryan Seacrest joined King on the set to help him say goodbye. Although British TV personality Piers Morgan is to...

Sitting Pop Culture Shiva for Larry King
TV host Larry King arrives at CNN's Larry King Live final broadcast party yesterday at Spago restaurant in Beverly Hills. Last night, Larry King Live aired for the final time on CNN after 25 years and over 6,000 shows. Though the 77 year old and Bill Maher, who along with Ryan Seacrest officiated the episode, insisted that this “was not a Funeral,” it kind of felt like one. Katie Couric read a poem (or eulogy?); Regis Philbin led us in a Sinatra song (a hymn?), The Best is Yet to Com...

Veteran CNN host Larry King signs off for last time
Veteran CNN Talk Show host Larry King signed off for the last time after 25 years in the same seat, in an emotional show including tributes from presidents and broadcasting rivals. The 77-year-old, who will be succeeded by former British Journalist Piers Morgan, is finally retiring from "Larry King Live," the show he has presented on the now flagging Atlanta-based news network since 1985. President Barack Obama on Thursday sent him a video message calling him "one of the giants of broadcasting...

Veteran CNN host Larry King signs off for last time
Veteran CNN Talk Show host Larry King signed off for the last time after 25 years in the same seat, in an emotional show including tributes from presidents and broadcasting rivals. The 77-year-old, who will be succeeded by former British Journalist Piers Morgan, is finally retiring from "Larry King Live," the show he has presented on the now flagging Atlanta-based news network since 1985. President Barack Obama on Thursday sent him a video message calling him "one of the giants of broadcasting,"...

The end of an era: Larry King signs off after 25 years of hosting his chat show on CNN
He has interviewed presidents, royalty and news makers, but Thursday, after 25 years, Larry King was set to broadcast the final episode his CNN chat show Larry King Live. Amid heavy security, King, 77, was scheduled to arrive at CNN's Hollywood studios late Thursday afternoon. 'Larry King has transformed himself into a household name. An indisputable legend in both the entertainment and media industries, King has changed the concept of the Talk Show within his lifetime,' a proclamation signed by...

The Zipper Club
On Larry King's final show last night, Tom Shales notes there was "a fleeting bit of embarrassment" involving the term "zipper club." King noted that he and Bill Clinton, who was a guest via satellite, "were both members of that fanciful aggregation, an unfortunate reference considering that, earlier, Ryan Seacrest had clumsily asked King whether the fly on his trousers had a zipper or buttons." King belatedly explained that the "zipper club" is for men who've had open-heart surgery. "I'm glad ...

Larry King to CNN-Watching World: 'So Long'
“I was famous in Miami when I was 26,” Larry King recently informed New York's Steve Fishman. It's just the type of awesome achievement you've got to give the seventy-seven year-old silver fox kudos for: Seven wives (one he married twice), personal friendships with politicians, and twenty-five years of throwing relative softballs, yet getting hard news and expository answers back. Alas, tonight was Larry King's last on CNN, and he left the anchor's chair suspender-clad as he came, ...

Lea Lane: The Downs and Way-Ups of Larry King
I just watched the last show of Larry King Live after 25 years on CNN. The sendoff included Bill Maher and Ryan Seacrest as co-hosts. Arnold Schwartzenegger proclaimed "Larry King Day" in California. President Obama appeared and called him a "giant of broadcasting." Donald Trump, was there, and Regis Philbin, Suze Orman, all the network broadcasters, Barbara Walters, Dr. Phil, a joking Bill Clinton, a singing Tony Bennett, and King's family. I remember Larry King from the late 1950s in Miami B...

Long Live the King!
Last night, after over 25 years on television and nearly five decades in broadcasting, Larry King abdicated the CNN throne at the age of 77.  His star-studded show went out appropriately, with all three major news network anchors (Diane Sawyer, Brian Williams, and Katie Couric, who even read a fairly nifty “poem”) joining Ryan Seacrest, Bill Maher, and Arnold Schwarzenegger to wrap up cable TV’s longest-running and most definitive interview show. (Reruns will air through t

Larry King, Bill Clinton, and the "zipper club."
A little embarrassment on Larry King's last show: The guests [included] former president Bill Clinton, fit and felicitous as piped in from Arkansas. The encounter was hampered by annoying pauses and delays caused by a slothful satellite - and by a fleeting bit of embarrassment involving the term "zipper club." King said that he and Clinton were both members of that fanciful aggregation, an unfortunate reference considering that, earlier, [Ryan] Seacrest had clumsily asked King whether the fly o...

CNN's Larry King exits after 25 years
(12-16) 23:06 PST New York (AP) -- Two presidents, four television news anchors and a 10-year-old son who looked ready to take dad's place behind the microphone turned out to bid Larry King farewell as he pulled the curtain down on his CNN Talk Show Thursday after 25 years. King, 77, was serenaded by Tony Bennett singing "The Best is Yet to Come" via remote from Louisiana. King had announced this summer he would leave, ushered out by a struggling network. Once the dominant voice in cable telev...

"Larry King Live" draws 2.2 million for last show
Los Angeles (Hollywood Reporter) - Larry King went out with a (Ratings) bang. More than 2.2 million tuned in to watch King's final CNN show on Thursday night. That may not sound like a huge number, but it was up more than 100% compared to the previous night. King even beat Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity, the perennial 9 p.m. Cable News, for total tune-in. Hannity was watched by 2.1 million. But Hannity did beat King among news' target demographic of 25-54 year olds (543,000 vs. 530,000). (Edit...

Larry King's Final Show
Bill Clinton, Katie Couric, Diane Sawyer, Brian Williams and Arnold Schwarzenegger are among those who say so long to King on his final CNN show. President Obama made a pre-taped statement Highlights here. Best moment: When King tells Clinton that they are both members of the "Zipper Club" --- and then clarifies that it refers to those who have had open Heart Surgery. "I'm glad you clarified that," Clinton says. "Instead of goodbye, how about so long?" King said...

Larry King Says "So Long"
Larry King. Larry King closed out his 25-year career at CNN with a farewell show Thursday night. The final edition of "Larry King Live" aired with a star-studded finale. In a "bunch of surprises," King was joined by some of his favorite guests from over the years. The list included Bill Maher and Ryan Seacrest sitting with King and eventually joined by Dr. Phil McGraw. King spoke via satellite with Suze Orman, Donald Trump, Regis Philbin and Anderson Cooper. King was joined via satellite by big...

Veteran CNN host Larry King signs off for last time
Veteran CNN Talk Show host Larry King signed off for the last time after 25 years in the same seat, in an emotional show including tributes from presidents and broadcasting rivals. The 77-year-old, who will be succeeded by former British Journalist Piers Morgan, is finally retiring from "Larry King Live," the show he has presented on the now flagging Atlanta-based news network since 1985. President Barack Obama on Thursday sent him a video message calling him "one of the giants of broadcasting,"...

VIDEO: 'Larry King Live' Ends After 25 Years
Well, I promised, so here you go: PREVIOUSLY : "Larry King Exit Marks End of Era." And at Althouse, "Larry King, Bill Clinton, and the 'zipper club'." ...

Larry King's career is over
Pat Gray is seen here on GlennBeck.TV, a feature available exclusively to Glenn Beck Insider Extreme members. Learn more... PAT: Sadly, or maybe mercifully, last night was Larry King's final night of broadcast. And beautifully Katie Couric marked the occasion with a heartfelt poem that I feel really quite compelled to share. KATIE: I decided, Larry, that I was going to write you a poem bemoaning the fact that you're leaving your home. What are we to do without our top talker? Here's an ode fill...

After 25 years, a shambolic farewell for CNN's talk show King
The King treatment ... Bill Clinton was one of thousands to sit across from King over the past 25 years. Photo: AP NEW YORK: A string of guests, including two presidents, turned out to bid the talk-show host Larry King farewell as he pulled down the curtain on his CNN program after 25 years. The Best is Yet to Come, at least that was the message from Tony Bennett as he serenaded the 77-year-old with that song in a remote feed from Louisiana. Once the dominant voice in cable-television news, King...

Larry Kings Farewell Speech After The Final Show: It Will Always Be A Part Of Me Thats Gone.
Larry King signed off his eponymous “Larry King Live” last night for the last time, after a star-studded show faded out to a final last Tron-like shot of his glowing microphone, after his final “so long.” But after, there was a party - and more heartfelt words after a quarter-century of that desk and those suspenders anchoring CNN’s Prime Time schedule. Filmmaker Jason Pollock was in attendance to capture King’s impromptu Speech at the event in LA, wher...

Larry King says goodbye after 25 years
Veteran US broadcaster Larry King has presented the final edition of his long-running CNN Talk Show after 25 years with the Cable News channel. The 77-year-old fought back tears as he told his audience: "Thank you, and instead of Goodbye, how about So Long?" Larry King Live has ended after more than 6,000 shows and 50,000 interviews. Former Tabloid editor and talent show judge Piers Morgan will take over his coveted time slot in January. Thursday's edition saw former president Bil...

Larry King exits CNN after 25 years
NEW YORK — Marking the occasion with bright red suspenders, Larry King pulled the curtain down on his CNN Talk Show on Thursday after 25 years. King, 77, said this summer he would leave. Once the dominant voice on Cable Television news, King has faded in a sea of sharp talkers. British talk-show host and "America's Got Talent" judge Piers Morgan takes over the 9 p.m. Eastern time slot in January. "Good evening, and welcome to the last 'Larry King Live,'" he said as the show opened T...

Larry King To Bill Clinton: Were Both In The Zipper Club
A bit of a double entendre during last night's final Larry King Live: The guests did represent the wide spectrum of interviewees that the gravelly voiced...

Larry Kings finale viewed by more than 2 million
NEW YORK (AP) — Larry King ended his 25-year run at CNN where he used to be all the time — on top of the Ratings. The Nielsen Co. said Friday that an estimated 2.24 million people watched the last episode of “Larry King Live.” He beat the usual leader in Cable News during that time slot, Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity, who had 2.16 million viewers. King had been averaging 672,000 viewers a night this year, typically third in his time slot behind Hannity and MSNBC&#...

Larry King finale ratings top Fox
A strong finish to a long career. The finale of “Larry King Live” accomplished the nearly impossible in cable these days: it beat Fox News in Primetime – at least in total viewers. Fox still won the coveted 25-54 demo, whose members would have missed several of the jokes and songs that made up last night’s "LKL." But 2.24 million total viewers watching CNN were enough to put it over Fox’s 2.162 million. CNN – 2.240 million total viewers/530k adults...