Andy Rooney

Andy Rooney, whose CBS career spans the entire post-war history of network news, died Friday as a result of complications following minor surgery, the network announced. A mainstay of Sunday night viewing for millions of Americans, the 92-year-old Rooney only stepped down from his regular commentary post on "60 Minutes" last month. Here's the release from CBS News: Andy Rooney, the 60 MINUTES commentator known to generations for his wry, humorous and contentious television essays - a unique genre he is credited with inventing - died last night (4)

While I constantly found myself disagreeing with the ageless commentaries of Andy Rooney, his recent retirement and sudden passing creates a void in the fields of television and journalism that will be difficult to fill. Fortunately, his sage comments will be a permanent part of the passing parade in his writings and books for generations to follow. I think that he considered his position in history some years ago when he wrote, "No, I'm not committed to being open-minded. You can carry being broad-minded too far. By this time in my life, I know what I know and I know what I think and it's very damned unlikely that I'm going to change.

More than 6,000 people took "60 Minutes" commentator Andy Rooney up on his suggestion that they telephone the Associated Press in response to a TV critic's call for him to leave the show.In a March 20 column, AP writer Frazier Moore called Mr. Rooney a "chronic fuddy-duddy whose contribution is ending the show on a sour note."At the close of Sunday night's "60 Minutes," Mr. Rooney put the AP's Rockefeller Center phone number on the screen and asked his viewers, in effect, to vote on his future.

Andy Rooney, whose CBS career spans the entire post-war history of network news, died Friday as a result of complications following minor surgery, the network announced. A mainstay of Sunday night viewing for millions of Americans, the 92-year-old Rooney only stepped down from his regular commentary post on "60 Minutes" last month. Here's the release from CBS News: Andy Rooney, the 60 MINUTES commentator known to generations for his wry, humorous and contentious television essays - a unique genre he is credited with inventing - died last night (4)

I now have five large moving boxes filled with tens o thousands of readers' everyday gripes. I feel rich. And I'm touched by the response of readers who will share their everyday beefs and complaints about the stupidity of others.The good news is that the response has been so enthusiastic, I will never run out. The bad news is that I can't print them all in their splendiferous ire.But I'll try. This will be the first in a series of Gripes columns. So let the bile begin:I would like to voice my complaint about dog and cat lovers kissing their pets on the mouth.

CBS COMMENTATOR and newspaper columnist Andy Rooney makes what I am sure is a pretty good living as an irascible old curmudgeon, but his trademark crankiness gets him into trouble, too. In 1990, he was suspended by CBS News for 32 days for inflammatory comments he made about gays to a gay newspaper that, in turn, ended up on a CBS news special. In 1992, he found himself in hot water for saying that American Indians should lighten up on the topic of sports nicknames such as "Redskins." In 1997, he angered that group once more by declaring that "so-called Indian casinos are a joke," and denouncing their owners as "sleazeballs."

Four months ago I got a permanent. The distinctive contour of my individual hairs changed from linear to spiral, as if I suddenly had a whole head full of recombinant DNA.Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the principal effect of the process was that I started behaving like Andy Rooney.I do not mean that, in the aftermath of the hair bending, I started looking like Andy Rooney, who looks like the sale counter at a Fruit of the Loom outlet.What I mean is now I find myself saying: Why do they call it a permanent?

THERE are always stories of people and companies going bankrupt but it doesn't seem as terrible as it used to.When I was young, friends of my parents "went bankrupt." One friend was an officer at a bank that went belly-up; he lost all his worldly possessions. They had no mercy. Court officers took his house, his car and any money he had in his bank account.Donald Trump's companies filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy a few years ago but, in rather short order, he was being called "one of the richest men in the world" again.

While I constantly found myself disagreeing with the ageless commentaries of Andy Rooney, his recent retirement and sudden passing creates a void in the fields of television and journalism that will be difficult to fill. Fortunately, his sage comments will be a permanent part of the passing parade in his writings and books for generations to follow. I think that he considered his position in history some years ago when he wrote, "No, I'm not committed to being open-minded. You can carry being broad-minded too far. By this time in my life, I know what I know and I know what I think and it's very damned unlikely that I'm going to change.

A week or two ago on "60 Minutes," Andy Rooney did his entire closing segment on the loose stuff in his office drawer -- paper clips, rubber bands, things like that. It looked and 'N sounded more like a parody of an Andy Rooney report than an actual "60 Minutes" piece, and I wondered why he would take up that much time on something so obviously tossed off without much effort. Then it hit me: There are times when there is absolutely nothing going on, and when the ideas simply don't flow. Which leads me to tonight's dishwater-dull TV lineup, and why today's column lead is so unusually long and rambling . . .* "TV Guide's 40th Anniversary Special" (8-10 p.m., WBFF, Channel 45)

CBS COMMENTATOR and newspaper columnist Andy Rooney makes what I am sure is a pretty good living as an irascible old curmudgeon, but his trademark crankiness gets him into trouble, too. In 1990, he was suspended by CBS News for 32 days for inflammatory comments he made about gays to a gay newspaper that, in turn, ended up on a CBS news special. In 1992, he found himself in hot water for saying that American Indians should lighten up on the topic of sports nicknames such as "Redskins." In 1997, he angered that group once more by declaring that "so-called Indian casinos are a joke," and denouncing their owners as "sleazeballs."

THANKSGIVING, ARGUABLY, is the best and worst holiday for the same reason: no presents. It's a day that reminds us to pause and reflect upon what really matters. Silver packages, with adorning red bows, will not be exchanged. Action figures, kitchen utensils, dollhouses and best-selling books will remain under wraps, waiting for another holiday. We shall be thankful for family and health, and we will gratefully acknowledge our good fortune in shelter, clothing and food - the essentials.

IN NO special order, here are 61 reasons President Bush might be right about the perils of human cloning: 1. Osama bin Laden 2. Everybody on Temptation Island 3. Tom DeLay 4. Dennis Rodman 5. Anybody who's ever gone on Maury Povich's show to get a paternity test 6. Mohamed Atta 7. Adolf Hitler 8. Saddam Hussein 9. Marilyn Manson 10. The World Wrestling Federation 11. The 2001 Florida Marlins 12. Genghis Khan 13. Eminem 14. Darva Conger ...

THERE are always stories of people and companies going bankrupt but it doesn't seem as terrible as it used to.When I was young, friends of my parents "went bankrupt." One friend was an officer at a bank that went belly-up; he lost all his worldly possessions. They had no mercy. Court officers took his house, his car and any money he had in his bank account.Donald Trump's companies filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy a few years ago but, in rather short order, he was being called "one of the richest men in the world" again.

WASHINGTON -- Because Bob Dole is no kid, age is going to be a serious issue in this election. Accordingly, we ought to try to talk about it seriously, at least some of the time. We've already heard that the ''Dole 96'' campaign button does not refer to his age.Last week, CBS News correspondent Jacqueline Adams reported, semi-humorously, on a study by neuropsychologists at the University of Pennsylvania. The team, headed by Dr. Ruben Gur, reports that as we age, brain cells shrink almost three times faster among men than among women.

More than 6,000 people took "60 Minutes" commentator Andy Rooney up on his suggestion that they telephone the Associated Press in response to a TV critic's call for him to leave the show.In a March 20 column, AP writer Frazier Moore called Mr. Rooney a "chronic fuddy-duddy whose contribution is ending the show on a sour note."At the close of Sunday night's "60 Minutes," Mr. Rooney put the AP's Rockefeller Center phone number on the screen and asked his viewers, in effect, to vote on his future.

"Grammy's Greatest Moments" (8-10 p.m., WBAL, Channel 11) offers a little revisionist and manipulative history, because Grammy's "hits" are no more famous than its misses. The Beatles are shown in a performance clip singing "Hey Jude," for example, but that classic song from Apple Records didn't win a Grammy for song of the year in 1968. It was nominated -- but lost to "Little Green Apples." But this special is about performers and songs, not necessarily winners and losers. In that respect, it's not worthless, though it's hard to get too enthusiastic about a show built around excerpts from previous awards shows.

IN NO special order, here are 61 reasons President Bush might be right about the perils of human cloning: 1. Osama bin Laden 2. Everybody on Temptation Island 3. Tom DeLay 4. Dennis Rodman 5. Anybody who's ever gone on Maury Povich's show to get a paternity test 6. Mohamed Atta 7. Adolf Hitler 8. Saddam Hussein 9. Marilyn Manson 10. The World Wrestling Federation 11. The 2001 Florida Marlins 12. Genghis Khan 13. Eminem 14. Darva Conger ...

Dragged down by a sagging dollar and lower bond prices, stocks snapped a five-day winning streak yesterday. The Dow Jones industrial average, which climbed 84.18 points last week, slipped 6.15 points and closed at 3,702.99. Around lunchtime, the Dow had been down 28 points.SPEAKING OF STOCKS: "Question good news about any stock. Some good news, such as changes of CEOs or basic corporate strategies, have dramatic long-term impact. Other kinds of good news, such as surprisingly high quarterly earnings, have little or no long-term impact."

"Grammy's Greatest Moments" (8-10 p.m., WBAL, Channel 11) offers a little revisionist and manipulative history, because Grammy's "hits" are no more famous than its misses. The Beatles are shown in a performance clip singing "Hey Jude," for example, but that classic song from Apple Records didn't win a Grammy for song of the year in 1968. It was nominated -- but lost to "Little Green Apples." But this special is about performers and songs, not necessarily winners and losers. In that respect, it's not worthless, though it's hard to get too enthusiastic about a show built around excerpts from previous awards shows.