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Video: Sue Simmons's Final Broadcast Full Of Laughter, Teary-Eyes, And The "F-Word"
By
Jen Chung
Published Jun 16, 2012
Modified Jun 16, 2012
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By
Jen Chung
Published Jun 16, 2012
Modified Jun 16, 2012
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Last night, WNBC Channel 4 said good-bye to a legend: Sue Simmons, the irrepressible anchor who has been giving everyone in the New York City tri-state area the news since 1980, appeared in her final broadcast. After many heartfelt tributes and a moving montage of her career, Simmons, who had been teary-eyed during the broadcast, said she had been crying for two weeks and added that she hoped "to be employed elsewhere .... even if it's only one day a week."
Simmons' contract was not renewed, with reports suggesting that management thought she wasn't worth the $5 million salary. But her longtime co-anchor Chuck Scarborough called her, "Funny, unpredictable, dangerous, and always there when you and I needed her there to share the news."
While Simmons had always been known as a fun and fiery personality who could also deliver the news coolly, when she dropped the F-bomb during a broadcast, she became a little more infamous. That moment (as well as her does groundhog impressions) made it into the montage, as did Al Roker's assessment of Simmons: "It's like doing a newscast next to an alligator. You never know when it's going to attack."
Of course, after the montage, Simmons said, "Shut the...FRONT DOOR!" and the entire studio cracked up. She giggled at her co-anchor Chuck Scarborough, "I got you!" While her replacement hasn't been announced, it's expected that Shiba Russell will take over.
Sue, we'll miss you and we'll gladly tune in wherever you turn up next.
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chuck scarborough
groundhog impression
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shut the front door
sue simmons
wnbc 4
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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