Charlie Rose meets Ted Turner

My grandmother’s 2nd marriage (actually 3rd but we don’t talk about that one) was to a man named Lawrence Gassenheimer. He was an amazing entrepreneur. He made lots of money during the depression by being in cash and owning hotels. When my Grandmother married him, he was probably around 75 years old. He had never had kids in his life, so the 3 of us (my brother and my sister) were a bit overwhelming to him. He made a real impact on me. He had a saying about being old. He liked it because he felt that anyone over 75 and anyone under 6 could basically say anything and get away with it. He lived by that.

Last night, I saw Charlie Rose interview Ted Turner. I can see that Ted Turner lives by that principle too. He is probably the best entrpreneur ever. He was brutally honest last night. He had more one-liners during that interview that had me howling. Nothing that someone hasn’t thought about but he has the balls to come out and say it. He was fantastic. He talked bluntly about his sale of CNN to Time Warner. The relationship he had with Jerry Levin. Why he is giving his money away. How he has been humbled in the past 5 years. How important it is to restructure the government. How we should give to people less fortunate and change the education system. You name, they touched upon it. You can probably see the interview on PBS in the next few days. Absolutely worth watching.

Turner was out there. He gave people something to think about. He reminded me of my step-Grandfather. Bold, brash and in your face honest. I only wish more people who are involved in running this country and large Fortune 500 Companies had the wherewithal to look at themselves every morning and really speak the truth. Obviously, Ted Turner does and has. I applaud that.

Comments (Archived):

  1. Curt

    Yes, I was about to go to sleep and caught the interview. Having lived in the South and in Atlanta area through 5 years of childhood, I always had a fond respect for some of our “rebels” like Turner. He was very insightful last night and his take on the media’s control (especially that of Rupert Murdoch) was very apt. Turner is a very rare person and definitely not a politican – because he tells it like it is. Bravo!

  2. Mary Jo Riley

    Ted Turner interview with Charlie Rose was refreshing so right on the mark that I wish every one in America possessed the humilty of Ted Turner. True humilty is just telling the truth and Mr. Turner certainly did that last night.
    It was terrific when he gave the example of Aspen being 95 degree at 8000 feet as a certainly of global warming.
    The Bush adminisration has ducked global warming by not going to Kyoto meeting and doing nothing but forming a bogus commision to study if there is global warming which also is demonstrated with forest fires in west.

    Ted Turner’s remark’s about the neglect of this administration’s in Haiti and lack of the administration action in Haiti was beyond belief.
    Haiti was an easy neighbor to help stabilize.
    This adminisration should be held responsilbe for all misery and suffering in Haiti.
    The Bush administration could have easily turned Haiti around with early humanity efforts instead of waiting and fostering the collaspe of Haiti and then typical of Bush Adminisration blaming the victim.