Pat Sajak Remembers Merv Griffin
I have to admit that the passing of Merv Griffin caused me to pause a bit to remember my own childhood. Probably most of our younger generation may know Merv as the kingpin behind Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. But for those of us growing up in the 1970s, Merv was kind of like a hip-rat packish Oprah Winfrey of the day.
Pat Sajak remembers his friend and mentor on his passing this weekend.
When Merv sold Wheel (and Jeopardy!) in 1986, he became my ex-boss, and that’s when the fun really began. He was a dear friend to me and my family, and there was no better friend to have. First of all, Merv knew everyone. When you were with him, you rubbed shoulders with the most exciting and famous people on the planet. We vacationed together in some of the most glamorous spots in the world, and we stayed up very late laughing as long and hard as I’ve ever laughed in my life. No one ever told a story better, and no one ever had better stories to tell. And he was a great audience. That much-imitated laugh of his was completely genuine, and it breaks my heart that I will never hear it from him again.
Merv, of course, will live on through video tapes and through all the projects he created and the careers he furthered. There will be tributes to his show business savvy and stories of his warmth and generosity. But none of that will really be able to capture the bigger-than-life person that was Merv. The solar system of which he was the center was filled with bright stars who seemed to gravitate toward him. Whether on a TV show or in a living room, no one could make you feel more alive than Merv Griffin. His life was a celebration, and those of us who participated in it can’t help but feel blessed.
Merv would be very upset that his friends should be as sad as they are. He didn’t believe in sadness. He was upbeat, forward-looking and optimistic to the end. There will come a time, I suppose, when the sadness will give way to the wonderful memories, but I have trouble imagining that time right now. The man who changed my life, and then became such an important part of it, is gone.
I do know this: the conversation in heaven has gotten a lot more lively.
For me, Merv represented something so lacking in today’s Hollywood and entertainment figures: class, humility and decency.
G’bye Merv. God Bless you.
-Bruce (GayPatriot)
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[...] Original post by GayPatriot [...]
Pingback by Politics: 2008 HQ » Blog Archive » Pat Sajak Remembers Merv Griffin — August 13, 2007 @ 8:00 am - August 13, 2007
Thats a beautiful tribute by Sajak.
Comment by Will (American Elephant) — August 13, 2007 @ 8:53 am - August 13, 2007
Yep, I grew up in the 70’s & Merv Griffin’s show was a staple in our household. We always watched his program right before supper. I liked his show better than Mike Douglas’s (& to think, Merv has died exactly 1 year & 1 day after his rival). Mr. Griffin had class & was a great host. He will be missed.
Comment by Jimbo — August 13, 2007 @ 11:32 am - August 13, 2007
I remember watching Merv after school, and he was everything that Phil Donohue and Jerry Springer could never be; entertaining, humane and avuncular. You rarely got the feel that anyone was just plugging a book or spinning a movie; they were a “guest”in the true sense of the word…there for the sheer pleasure of their company.
And don’t forget his huge role in keeping the image of Atlantic City casinos “clean and up-front” in the early days of casino gambling. He successfully projected the image and message that you were his guest at his casinos, restaurants and hotels, not just a “mark” to be had.
Comment by Ted B. (Charging Rhino) — August 13, 2007 @ 3:35 pm - August 13, 2007
I loved watching Mr. Griffin and “your very obediant servant, Arthur Treacher.”
Mr. Griffin knew that people weren’t tuning in to watch him, but to watch his guests.
Too bad today’s talk show hosts just don’t get it.
Class, humility, and decency — yep, that’s Merv!
Comment by Julie the Jarhead — August 13, 2007 @ 5:30 pm - August 13, 2007
Dittos to all that and more. I remember just prior to Reagan’s death how Merv went on the air and railed at CBS for trying to air that god-awful miniseries “The Reagans” during the ex-president’s decline. He claimed the “C” in CBS stood for “cowardly.”
Rock on, Merv. I know that Heaven’s conversation just got a whole lot livelier.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — August 13, 2007 @ 6:03 pm - August 13, 2007
Note: When memorializing someone, it’s not appropriate to use the opportunity to take a swipe at others. It devalues the purpose.
Comment by Chase — August 13, 2007 @ 6:07 pm - August 13, 2007
Mhm, sure, Chase.
Call us back when you get finished over there. In fact, give us a link back here when you comment and tell them that.
Comment by North Dallas Thirty — August 13, 2007 @ 8:48 pm - August 13, 2007
Not comparable situations. I didn’t say you must only say nice things about someone. But if you do want to memorialize someone, it cheapens it to turn the focus to others.
Example: “Emily is a good person because Thomas is not.” That detracts from the purpose of memorializing Emily.
That’s all I was pointing out.
Comment by Chase — August 13, 2007 @ 11:56 pm - August 13, 2007
#9
Perhaps a Wellstone memorial type deal would be more apripo?
Comment by ThatGayConservative — August 14, 2007 @ 1:07 am - August 14, 2007
#8
Wow. Blaming Merv for AIDS. Signorile is such a turd.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — August 14, 2007 @ 1:08 am - August 14, 2007
#7 – Pot, meet kettle. I suppose you would also take Denny Terrio’s side in this issue, huh?
Go way in the back and sit down.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — August 14, 2007 @ 12:40 pm - August 14, 2007
#12 – You don’t know when to properly use that analogy. I don’t take anyone’s side in this. I have no opinion of Merv Griffin.
My point was about a writing technique Bruce used. It’s inappropriate in a memorial to compliment someone by criticizing others. That’s because you end up insulting not only the target, but also the person you are trying to compliment since it detracts from the purpose.
Comment by Chase — August 14, 2007 @ 4:48 pm - August 14, 2007
So, in other words, like Mike Signorile’s using Merv Griffin’s death to criticize Ronald Reagan.
Bit of advice, Chase; learn when to cut your losses.
Comment by North Dallas Thirty — August 14, 2007 @ 6:40 pm - August 14, 2007
Like Ted B, I used to watch Merv Griffin everyday after school with my mom. Merv was way ahead of his time (and sometimes it seems our own). Some of the guests he introduced me to I might never have known otherwise: There in the middle of the afternoon you got to hear Nico, Viva and Holly Woodlawn of all people and Ultra Violet (all of Warhol fame). It was on his show that I first heard Buffy Sainte-Marie and that, to me, was priceless.
Merv was/is definitely a hero to me.
Comment by JimG — August 14, 2007 @ 10:16 pm - August 14, 2007
hi i enjoyed the read
Comment by Taylor — August 18, 2007 @ 8:34 pm - August 18, 2007
I love his game shows; but he was really a self-loathing,
hypocritical gay man. He never came out in support of gay causes, including AIDS. He supported Bush and the other neocon assholes. All he cared about was making money and screwing his male concubines. He’s no folk hero; he’s a latter day Roy Cohn.
Comment by sjs — August 20, 2007 @ 12:35 am - August 20, 2007
I remember his warmth and nice touches. I as a woman remember the value he had upon his strengths and morals. I remember the plans of hopes and dreams of a straight man; that, I know. Caringly a woman in his life….I yawn on these comment…straight he was…and, I dove into it as I a woman.
Comment by Lobee1 — January 15, 2008 @ 5:21 am - January 15, 2008
Lobee1: The gay leftists are obnoxious aren’t they?
Comment by Vince P — January 15, 2008 @ 12:44 pm - January 15, 2008
What is this gay thing? What difference does it make if you are gay or straight, only gays want more people to be labeled as gay for some gay reasons.
Comment by Mad Merv — January 28, 2008 @ 10:55 pm - January 28, 2008