Sad News About Mike Wallace

Mediabistro is reporting on Chris Wallace’s Playboy interview. Part of what he said about his father, Mike Wallace, was very sad.

Mediabistro is reporting on Chris Wallace’s Playboy interview. Part of what he said about his father, Mike Wallace, was very sad.

He’s in a facility in Connecticut. Physically, he’s okay. Mentally, he’s not. He still recognizes me and knows who I am, but he’s uneven. The interesting thing is, he never mentions 60 Minutes. It’s as if it didn’t exist. It’s as if that part of his memory is completely gone. The only thing he really talks about is family— me, my kids, my grandkids, his great-grandchildren. There’s a lesson there. This is a man who had a fabulous career and for whom work always came first. Now he can’t even remember it.

I can’t think of anyone who’s been on TV longer and with more impact. He was on when I was a little kid hosting PM East in a darkened studio as cigarette smoke wafted toward the rafters.

I have great respect for Mike Wallace. He was a relentless reporter. He was a hard ass advocate for his stories. There is iconic footage of Wallace fighting with 60 Minutes EP Don Hewitt that still serves as an inspiration to anyone who works in news.

It’s too early to eulogize Mike Wallace. It’s still tough to hear.