After 33 years and 1,097 grumbly commentaries, Andy Rooney delivered his last “Few Minutes” segment on “60 Minutes” Sunday night.
Despite the fact that Rooney, 92, has been a television fixture for decades, he used his final TV farewell to explain that he never saw himself as the TV type.
“I don’t think of myself as a television personality,” he explained. “I’m a writer who reads what he’s written.”
As such, Rooney doesn’t see himself as someone who’s completely closing that chapter.
“I wish I could do this forever,” he said of his weekly work. “I can’t, though. But I’m not retiring. Writers don’t retire. And I’ll always be a writer.”
And what he’s already written will no doubt continue to resonate with the loyal audience he’s leaving behind.
“People have often told me I said the things that they’re thinking themselves,” Rooney said. “I probably haven’t said anything here that you didn’t already know or have already thought. That’s what a writer does. There aren’t too many original thoughts in the world. A writer’s job is to tell the truth. I believe that if all the truths were known about everything in the world, it would be a better place to live.”
While connecting with his readers with a shared perspective on those truths brought Rooney satisfaction, he sometimes wished the connection would have ended there.
“I walk down the street now or go to a football game and people shout, ‘Hey, Andy!’ and I hate that,” he admitted.
Still, Rooney appreciated the thought.
“A lot of you have sent me wonderful letters and said good things to me when you meet me in the street,” he recalled. “I wasn’t always gracious about it. It’s hard to accept being liked. I don’t say this often, but thank you.”
But he was quick to add, “If you do see me in a restaurant, please, just let me eat my dinner.”
Will you miss Rooney’s opinionated perspective and one-of-a-kind delivery? Do you have any favorite Rooney memories? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page.
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