Former “Good Morning America” co-anchor Kevin Newman uses the recent movie Morning Glory as a starting point to discuss his nine-month tenure at the ABC morning show in Maclean’s, and it makes for an interesting read.
Much like former “GMA” EP Shelley Ross’ review of the film, Newman points out the parts that hit close to home, as well as where it deviates from reality. He also recalls how he landed the job in the first place:
It took me years to repair what nine months as GMA’s male co-host did to my confidence and career. I was offered the prestigious post in a hasty mid-afternoon phone call from the then-president of ABC News, David Westin. I remember thinking, “Shouldn’t this be a bigger deal than a short call?” I should have listened to that instinct…
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There is a scene in the movie when Rachel McAdams’s producer is called on the carpet by the president of the division, played by Jeff Goldblum. Where he had been fun and welcoming nine months earlier, now he was icy and threatening. That scene cut pretty close to my truth. In Hollywood’s version of a morning show, the ratings reverse their slide through hilariously perilous stunts by the hapless weatherman, Ford finding his footing by breaking a good story, and Keaton warming up to him. There’s even hints of a tryst in the dressing room.
It didn’t end that way for us. We got another hasty phone call saying we were being replaced by Diane Sawyer and Charlie. When GMA celebrated its 35th anniversary last year, Lisa and I were nowhere to be found in its official history. We never happened.
Read the full item here.
(h/t HuffPost Media)