Surrounded by his family and with Kermit the Frog perched on his shoulder, Charles Gibson toasted the end of his near 19-year tenure on “Good Morning America” on Wednesday. He’s working later now on ABC’s evening news.
“For 19 years my mornings have not just been good,” Gibson said, his voice breaking. “They’ve been great.”
It was the second farewell in a month to a morning television star who’s leaving to become an evening news anchor. Katie Couric exited NBC’s “Today” and will start at the “CBS Evening News” in September.
Keeping with Gibson’s button-down style, Wednesday’s goodbye was considerably more low-key. Gibson doted on his family, including his 3½-month-old grandson. Kelly Ripa, Cal Ripken Jr. and Kermit were it for celebrity guests.
There were no film clips of embarrassing hairstyles for Gibson, 63, just gray strands invading his black hair.
He started at “Good Morning America” in 1987, paired first with Joan Lunden. Gibson left the show in 1998 but was back with Diane Sawyer less than nine months later after ratings went into a free-fall. Most of Gibson’s era — including every week of his second tenure — was in second place in the ratings to “Today.”
Gibson was named “World News Tonight” anchor last month, replacing the ill-fated pair of Elizabeth Vargas and Bob Woodruff, and the Walt Disney Co.-owned ABC has already been touting his experience in the role.
“Charles is a night person,” said his wife, Arlene, who retired Friday as head of the Spence school in Manhattan. “That’s the strange thing about this job. I never see him in the morning — and that’s a good thing.”
Co-hosts Sawyer and Robin Roberts greeted Gibson with coffee and a glazed doughnut when a car picked him up outside of his New York home before dawn. Except for his opening interview with a recovering judge who had been shot by a sniper in Nevada, the show’s script was kept from Gibson.
“We’ve loved your laughter, how you’ve been able to make us laugh. It has served you well,” Roberts said.
“Is this a segue?” Gibson replied.
Indeed it was, to film clips showing Gibson shagging fly balls in a baseball uniform, singing off-key, attacking Sawyer with a water pistol, bungee jumping and dancing with Whoopi Goldberg — complete with a dip.
Hitting a home run?Ripken delivered Gibson a framed Baltimore Orioles jersey with number “19.” Gibson said he read Ripken’s autobiography and was impressed by how the former ironman shortstop said it was important to bring enthusiasm to his job every day.
“That was an inspiration for me,” he said. “The way you approached baseball is very much the way you should approach this job.”
Kermit was a repeat guest from Gibson’s first farewell show from “GMA” eight years ago. Gibson said he used to watch “Sesame Street” with his daughters every morning when they were growing up.
Brief taped tributes were offered from his new competitors — Couric and NBC’s Brian Williams.
“See you in September,” Couric said.
“Good luck,” Williams said. “With limits.”
After Diane Sawyer and Robin Roberts delivered his morning coffee and glazed doughnut, Charles Gibson celebrated his final day on “Good Morning America” Wednesday after nearly 19 years as host. He’s working later now on ABC’s evening news.
It was the second farewell in a month to a morning television star who’s leaving to become an evening news anchor. Earlier, Katie Couric exited NBC’s “Today” show and she will start at the “CBS Evening News” in September.
There were no film clips of embarrassing hairstyles for the button-down Gibson, 63, just gray strands invading his black hair. Co-hosts Sawyer and Roberts showed up outside of Gibson’s apartment with his driver to surprise him on his last day. During the morning news meeting, he was serenaded by a choral group from his alma mater at Princeton University.
“Thank you to all who watch every day, because you’re the most important people involved,” Gibson said.
He started at “Good Morning America” in 1987, paired first with Joan Lunden. Gibson left the show in 1998 but was back with Sawyer less than nine months later after ratings went into a free-fall. Gibson spent most of his years — including every week of his second tenure — in second place in the ratings to “Today.”
Gibson was named “World News Tonight” anchor last month, replacing the ill-fated pair of Elizabeth Vargas and Bob Woodruff, and ABC has already been touting his experience in the role.
He opened Wednesday’s show with an exclusive interview with Chuck Weller, the Nevada family court judge who was shot by a sniper.
Otherwise, he said show producers had kept from him the rundown of the morning’s show in order to surprise him.
“We’ve loved your laughter, how you’ve been able to make us laugh. It has served you well,” Roberts said.
“Is this a segue?” Gibson replied.
Indeed it was, to film clips showing Gibson shagging fly balls in a baseball uniform, singing off-key, attacking Sawyer with a water pistol, bungee jumping and dancing with Whoopi Goldberg — complete with a dip.
“Those were good times, good times,” he said.