It’s a sad day in televisionland! Andy Rooney signed off for the last time Sunday night after a 33-year career of complaining on 60 Minutes. The 92-year-old has been writing for 70 years, and even though he’s leaving TV, doesn’t ever plan on putting down his pen (that means that he’s coming after you, Internets!)
He didn’t depart without a little sentimentality, and a hint at what’s driven him all these years
“I firmly believe that if all the truths in the world were known, it would be a better place to live.”
He kind of lost me on that statement because it’s impossible for anyone, let alone everyone, to know “all the truths of the world.” But, his striving for truth (even truths like EVERYTHING IS F**KING ANNOYING that he made his bread-and-butter on) is noble, and his grumpiness has helped a lot of people. All you have to do is visit the Internet for one second to find that everyone is angry, upset, and we all have our delicate (and itchy) panties twisted about something: whether it’s war, politics, reality stars, or a strong hatred for bananas. The difference between most people on the internet and Andy Rooney, though, is that he’s eloquent and quick in his complaints. He put his finger on the pulse of anger and anxiety in America, and instead of riling people up, conveyed a sense of commiseration and in that, relief. Almost everyone could listen to one of his “Minutes” and think “Oh, me too!” The irony with Andy Rooney too, is that people who complain about him, are really just being exactly like him.
Rooney pointed out that he’s always thought of himself as a writer, and that his work for the past 30-odd years, was still just him reading what he wrote, on television. He expressed a deep gratitude for being paid to speak his mind on television, and talked about how much he loved his family, and hated fame. Although he hates being recognized, he did thank all the people who said nice things to him on the street, even if he wasn’t gracious about it at the time. But expect this “thank you” to not only make up for past public grumpiness, but also extend it to the future. Andy’s final words to his fans? If you see him out and and about “just let me eat my dinner.”