Andy Rooney Dead at 92, One Month After Retiring

Gawker ^ | November 5, 2011 | Staff

[lbryce]

Andy Rooney Dead at 92, One Month After Retiring Never retire: almost six weeks to the day after delivering his last cranky essay on 60 Minutes, writer and commentator Andy Rooney is dead of complications following minor surgery. He was 92, and had delivered exactly 1,097 of his trademark on-air bitch sessions.

It's hard to think of a television correspondent more American than Rooney: interminably cranky, perpetually confused, stubbornly opinionated, slightly bigoted, usually wrong, and strangely likable. Rooney wrote his first "television essay"—"Essay on Doors," natch—in 1964. (It was delivered by CBS correspondent Harry Reasoner). He joined 60 Minutes in 1977, and by 1979 had established himself at the end of every show with what CBS News describes as "wry, humorous and contentious television essays," more often than not just about whatever was annoying Andy Rooney that particular week. Sometimes, this was a good—even noble—thing:

[JDW11235]

Or people who have been busy in a life of industry and suddenly find that they have more money than they can use, and aren’t sure what they’d like to do. Careful you don’t stumble and fall off of your high horse.

[Ron H.]

Oh, and I don’t care if you believe the study or not, I merely posted it as a point of interest.

I easily believe it as I retired 11 years ago at age 50. I owe no one, everything is paid off and I homesteaded my home, took my VA 100% disability tax exempt status on my home and property as well so it can be done under certain circumstances. I realize most people can't do it that way totally but they can work to pay off their home and other big ticket items and stop spending so much on things that they really don't need and can easily live without.

And I still haven't even filed for my SS retirement. All my previous belt tightening measures are paying off nicely now.

[noah]

He’ll not be missed.
This uber-secular anti-Christian curmudgeon lived
longer than he deserved.
He knows the truth NOW.
Too bad he can’t come back and apologize.

[catfish1957]

I raised not to say ill of the dead no matter how bad they were. So I’ll refrain, but will be mentally snickering.

[A.A. Cunningham]

Wrong.

Different title, different source, different author.

In addition, get acquainted with the four hour guideline, kid. You'll save yourself some embarrassment.

[JDW11235]

I dunno if this comes off as cheesy, but I’m glad for you! I don’t think that people live to be work horses all of their lives. There is little in the world so satisfying as enjoying the fruits of one’s labors (The Bible says nothing greater under the sun), and a big ‘ole heaping reward for a life of industry and experience is often to rest from the labors of youth, into the labor of counseling one’s children, grandchildren, etc. or doing other things that are meaningful. I see absolutely nothing wrong with someone who has worked hard and contributed something to spend their later years doing the things they have loved most, or start new adventures. Work hard, play hard. But it seems some people want only to play, and that mentality robs them of all human decency, and leaves NO satisfaction.

[Ernie Kaputnik]

Yep.

I always thought he and Walter Cronkite were kind of like a package deal:

Walter was a douche and the Andy was a bag.

I don’t miss Walter, and won’t miss Andy either.

[Theodore R.]

In 1985 or thereabouts Rooney wrote a column “Why I Love New York City”. It is really good, but I can’t find it anywhere and can’t recall the details. Does anyone know of this particular column?

[Theodore R.]

Ol’ Walter cozied up to Eisenhower but was really a Stevenson backer. John Connally and LBJ backed Stevenson but many say Connally privately favored Eisenhower without LBJ knowing. Such is American treachery

[Theodore R.]

It’s only men that usually can’t figure out how to spend their nestegg; many women have no such problem. Yes, I know there are exceptions.

[JDW11235]

I think that it’s part of our God-given differences. Men are usually providers, women are usually nuturers. Women can find ways to make a home more “home-y” more than most men ever could. And Men can provide and protect more than most women ever could. Just as you said, there are exceptions, but I think by and large, men are used to bringing things/money in, so to speak, while women find ways to use it. I find nothing wrong with that, just two sides of one coin, united in marriage.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Does this mean that if you retire after 65, that, on average you die before you retire? That sure looks the way it’s trending. BTW, I’m 62 and I would like to work until I’m seventy, but extrapolating from you table, that means, I’ll die two years ago.