"If you're honest with your audience, you can't go wrong."
On his very first day as a radio host, Larry King learned a lesson that would guide his whole career... The legendary talk show host has died at 87.
On his very first day as a radio host, Larry King learned a lesson that would guide his whole career... The legendary talk show host has died at 87.
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00:00One station, a small station, hired me.
00:04And they said, we think you have some talent.
00:07The first person gets fired or leaves, you got the job.
00:12Wow, I hung around that station, I swept up the floors.
00:15I watched them do news, I watched them do sports,
00:18I watched them do disc jockey work, interviews, anything.
00:21Just to absorb it, waiting for my break.
00:24Then one day I got it.
00:26On Friday, the general manager called me and he said,
00:28Larry, Tom Baird just quit.
00:32He quit because he was making $50 a week
00:35and his alimony was $60 a week.
00:39Tom Baird, not a mathematical genius,
00:42figured out that he cannot survive.
00:45So he said, he's leaving, you got the job.
00:48This was Friday.
00:49Monday morning, you'll be on the air from nine to 12.
00:52You'll play records and you'll talk.
00:54In the afternoon, you'll do sports and news.
00:57You'll be paid $50 a week.
01:00Go get them.
01:02Folks, I went home that weekend and I never slept.
01:07I kept prowling the rooms.
01:09Good morning, good morning.
01:11I'm Larry, here's my record.
01:12Good morning, good morning.
01:14My name was Larry Zeiger at the time.
01:16It was legally changed later.
01:18So I kept saying, my name is Larry Zeiger.
01:20My name is Larry Zeiger.
01:22Good morning, how does this sound?
01:23My name, I never slept.
01:26Now I get to the radio station.
01:27It's the morning of my debut.
01:29Debut, May 1st, 1957.
01:33My dream is about to come true.
01:36The general manager of the station called me
01:38and he said, we're ready for you, Larry.
01:39We wish you a great career.
01:41What name are you going to use?
01:44I said, I got to go on the air in five minutes
01:46and I don't have a name.
01:48He says, well, and he had the paper open,
01:50the Miami Herald, and there was an ad
01:52for King's Wholesale Liquors.
01:56And so he said, why not, why not Larry King?
01:58I said, why not?
02:01So I was Larry King.
02:02Now I go into the broadcast booth.
02:04Picture this.
02:05My theme song is Les Elgort, Swinging Down the Lane.
02:09Da da da da da dum, da da da da dum.
02:13I'm going to fade the record, turn on the mic, and speak.
02:17I fade the record, I turn on the mic, nothing comes out.
02:23I bring up the record, I fade the record.
02:25And then I look at the clock, it's four minutes after nine,
02:28and I say to myself, well, I tried, but I can't do it.
02:32I don't have the guts.
02:34I thought I had it.
02:35I don't have the persistence.
02:37I thought I had it.
02:38Maybe I just wasn't cut out for it.
02:40I'm too scared.
02:42And the general manager kicked open the door
02:45to the control room.
02:47And he said, Larry, this is a communications business.
02:50Damn it, communicate.
02:53And he shut the door.
02:54And I did something then that I would do today.
02:58And I learned something then that I would do today.
03:01And that was be honest.
03:03I turned on the mic, faded the record,
03:06and I said, ladies and gentlemen, good morning.
03:10This is my first day on the radio.
03:13My name is Larry King.
03:15That's the first time I've ever said that.
03:20I have been sitting here scared to death.
03:23And you've been hearing music going up and down,
03:25probably wondering if there was an earthquake in the station.
03:29But I want to tell you, I was scared to death.
03:31Because all my life, I wanted to be.
03:33I wanted to be in radio.
03:34Now I had my chance, and I was scared.
03:36So bear with me.
03:38I really want this.
03:39I want it to work.
03:41So I'm going to do my best.
03:43At that minute, I had them, and I never, ever again
03:48was ever nervous on radio or on television.
03:52Because I learned a simple truth that day.
03:55If you're honest with your audience, you can't go wrong.