Famous broadcast journalist Connie Chung spoke about backstage drama with several of her former colleagues, including Diane Sawyer and Barbara Walters, in a new podcast interview.
Chung, who anchored at several top outlets, including ABC, CBC, CNN and NBC, before retiring in 2006, leaked a series of secrets on The Originals podcast in Los Angeles Magazines this week.
Among the most striking was her description of working with Sawyer and Walters on ABC, which she said “doesn’t look like what Tonya Harding did to Nancy Kerrigan.”
The 74-year-old, who has been married to host Maury Povich since 1984, also revealed her flirtatious relationship with David Letterman, saying, “I had this for him and he had something for me.”
Chung flew backstage drama with several of her former colleagues, including Diane Sawyer and Barbara Walters, in a new podcast interview
Chung (right) is illustrated with Diane Sawyer (left) and Barbara Walters (second left) in 1998
Chung described her flirtatious relationship with David Letterman, saying, “I had this for him, and he had something for me.” She is seen as a guest on Letterman’s 1989 show
Chung also described a frozen exchange with Hugh Grant when he made a cameo on HBO’s The Undoing. “He wasn’t very friendly,” Chung said of Grant (pictured).
Chung began his career as a Washington correspondent for CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite in the 1970s, before becoming a morning newscaster for NBC in 1984.
She returned to CBS five years later and joined Dan Rather in anchoring Evening News – an experience she mentioned in her podcast interview.
Chung described Rather as “very Texas gentlemanly” before comparing the partnership to a 1960 horror film, adding: “If I turned my back, I felt like I could be in a psychopathic scene in the shower. “.
Chung and Rather broke up in 1995, after which he moved to ABC News as a reporter for 20/20.
Chung is seen with CBS News co-anchor Dan Rather in the 1990s. She described Rather as “very Texas gentlemanly” before comparing their partnership to a 1960 horror film, adding: “If I turned my back, I felt like I could be in a Psycho scene. under the shower”
Relating the transition to podcast host Andrew Goldman, Chung said: “When I got to ABC News, I joined both Barbara Walters and Diane Sawyer there and thought,“ Oh, it’s going to be great. There will be three women who get along. ” ‘
But things did not go as she hoped.
“Diane and Barbara were in the same arena where they tried to get these big interviews,” Chung said.
“So when I tried to go after them, I was told I couldn’t. That Barbara and Diane were the only ones who could compete for the interview and I had to stop. And I said, “Really?”
Chung then compared Sawyer and Walter’s behavior to that of figure skater Tonya Harding, who was accused of plotting an attack on his rival Nancy Kerrigan before the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics.
A representative of Walter responded to Chung’s comment in a statement to TMZ, saying: “Barbara paved the way for every journalist who came after her. She was a great supporter of all women.
Chung and Walters smile together at an American Women in Radio and Television event
Tonya Harding (left) was accused of planning an attack on her rival Nancy Kerrigan (right) before the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics.
Chung had more beautiful things to say about Letterman, whose show appeared several times.
“Outdoors, he’s dark,” she said of the comedian. “It’s kind of dark, unhappy – I don’t mean unhappy.” It’s antisocial, it’s what it is.
Chung acknowledged a chemistry between her and Letterman, calling her “inexplicable.”
“I love people who have a sense of humor and are charming and he was when he was in the air,” she said.
Chung has been married to host Maury Povich since 1984. The two are pictured together in 2003
In more recent news, Chung lifted the lid of her cameo in the HBO drama The Undoing, revealing an unpleasant interaction with lead actor Hugh Grant.
“He wasn’t very friendly,” Chung said of Grant.
“I interviewed him immediately after ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’ for his next film. So when I saw him, I said, “Hi, I interviewed you … remember?” And he said, “No.”
Chung said he was upset with Grant and director Susanne Bier when he tried to give the actor advice about the set.
“When Hugh Grant sat down, he looked ragged. He is one of those British fellows, she said. “His tie was bent and I am very OCD. So I said, “Hugh, straighten your tie.” And he goes and fixes it.
And then a collar was off his suit. And I said, “Hugh, fix this.” And then he looked like Rodney Dangerfield. It should sit on your back – as in “Broadcast News” – on the back of your jacket, so that it is beautiful and tidy. ‘
Chung said he was about to give Grant another piece of advice when he burst out, “Now what?” – while Bier gave him a “bad eye”.