Geraldo Rivera: War Correspondent

[Kromm]

Oh is he?  I guess I missed that it was only reminded to us about five times.  Isn't he the one that got sent home for giving away the troops' location?

Yes, people famously remember Gerry drawing a map in the sand (seriously).

They didn't actually have a chance to boot him though, because he "voluntarily" withdraw to Kuwait and worked from there.

There was also the time he reported on being at the scene of a friendly fire incident that he was actually several hours away from. Oh, and the time after Hurricane Katrina where he allegedly pushed aside a rescue worker so a camera could capture him "helping" a victim.

 

 

So Geraldo blowing up his picture bigger than the other celebs and putting himself in the picture twice?  Pretty much in character.

Edited January 5, 2015 by Kromm

[backformore]

Yeah, Geraldo was at one time a good investigative journalist. Then, he began to believe he was better than he actually was, and he was all about fame and ego. After the Al Capone thing, he became more of a joke. I think he's been married a bunch of times, keeps marrying younger and younger, and has bragged about sexual escapades with famous women. In short, he has become an egotistical sleaze bag. (Much like Trump).

[Kromm]

Yeah, Geraldo was at one time a good investigative journalist. Then, he began to believe he was better than he actually was, and he was all about fame and ego. After the Al Capone thing, he became more of a joke. I think he's been married a bunch of times, keeps marrying younger and younger, and has bragged about sexual escapades with famous women. In short, he has become an egotistical sleaze bag. (Much like Trump).

Plus there was 11 years of doing magnificent stuff like this:

 

[newyawk]

Agree that Geraldo's repeated statements about being a "war correspondent" got old fast. Since when has he ever been a war correspondent? I just remember him having some tacky talk show. Guess I have to start paying more attention.

 

Geraldo has done war coverage in a few conflicts..most recently I think in the Iraq War. He compromised troops' security by discussing locations on air. *facepalm* He actually started off in legitimate news and was a reporter for Channel 7 Eyewitness News here in NYC in the 70's or '80's.

[iwasish]

A low point many moons ago, Detailing how he fooled around with Bette Midler, in the green room bathroom I believe. When she was asked to confirm or deny, Bette responded that it was "unseemly" of Geraldo to share such info.

[Lillybee]

Geraldo has done war coverage in a few conflicts..most recently I think in the Iraq War. He compromised troops' security by discussing locations on air. *facepalm* He actually started off in legitimate news and was a reporter for Channel 7 Eyewitness News here in NYC in the 70's or '80's.

 

 

I remember Geraldo back in the 1970's, His reporting on the Willowbrook State School was a big part of getting that asylum closed down. I think that he was a great reporter back in the day. I don't know what turned him into a douche.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willowbrook_State_School

[Persnickety1]

I remember Geraldo back in the 1970's, His reporting on the Willowbrook State School was a big part of getting that asylum closed down. I think that he was a great reporter back in the day. I don't know what turned him into a douche.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willowbrook_State_School

 

Yes, he did start out as a regular reporter and I will freely admit he did some pretty good undercover work as well.

 

And there's always the infamous Charlie Manson interview and the chair-throwing that got his nose broken during another confrontational interview.  

 

His ego seemed to inflate in direct proportion to the notoriety of his interviews.  

 

That being said, I just get the warm fuzzies when I recall his public embarrassment during the Inside The Al Capone Vaults debacle way back in the 80s.

 

He was in full-blown douche mode by that time.  I thought that experience might take him down a few pegs but nope, he sallied onward to be the douchiest douche to ever douche.  Doesn't even need the nozzle.  

 

If anyone has 90 minutes to spare and want some knee-slapping, point-and-chortle Geraldo amusement, here is the debacle courtesy of YouTube.

 

FULL DISCLOSURE: I was young and still living at home when this aired.  My dad worked nights and wasn't home when this aired, but, hot damn, was he ever excited about seeing it.  He loves all things mobster (well, except Mob Wives maybe).  Anyway, I sat through this thing taping it for him.  When it went off, I thought about leaving him a note telling him not to bother watching, that it was a bust.  However, being that I'm me, I didn't leave him a note.  The poor man avoided the radio on his way home and everything so he could be surprised.  Got home, made himself a sandwich and grabbed a soda and settled in to watch.

 

The WHAT THE HOLY HELL IS THIS SHIT????!!!!!???? heard through the entire house when the program ended and Papa Persnickety realized the vaults were empty is still one of my favorite practical joke memories.  And he WAS surprised....Just not the way he expected to be surprised.  He spent a lot of time trying to get even with me for that little gem.  

 

Anyway, here it is for anyone seeking mindless entertainment:

Edited January 6, 2015 by MarkHB
Link to full episode of program

[newyawk]

HAHAHAHA I watched that when it aired. It was hyped for WEEKS. I was all excited to see relics from the Roaring 20's..then..."WTF?!" 

I think he pulled out an empty soda can or some such thing. It is worth watching the end just to see Geraldo try to skate around, on live TV,  that EPIC FAIL that set the post-Titanic benchmark for EPIC FAILS.

Edited January 6, 2015 by newyawk

[Persnickety1]

HAHAHAHA I watched that when it aired. It was hyped for WEEKS. I was all excited to see relics from the 20'..then..."WTF?!" 

 

Seriously!

 

The younger PTVers who weren't around when this happened have no idea how this was hyped up EVERYWHERE back in 1986 for weeks before its broadcast.

 

Hell, they were so freaking confident Geraldo would discover all sorts of things, from money to jewels to firearms to everything in between, the chucklefucks even aired it LIVE.

 

Yes, folks, Geraldo holding the (EMPTY) bag on LIVE TV was definitely worth sitting through the 3-hour or so running time of this debacle on live TV.  And it was LONG.  And chock full of commercials.

 

Ah, memories....  

 

(ETA:  I haven't watched this YouTube version but I see it's edited to about what it would have run without commercials back in 1986...That being said, it could be well worth the price of admission to watch the last 15 minutes or so to see Geraldo fumbling for something to say when the vault is dead-assed empty...ON LIVE TV WITH THE CAMERAS RUNNING)

[farmgal4]

This man is so repulsive IMO that I can't hardly stand to watch/listen to him when he's on camera. And he's on camera a lot since he bullies his way into every conversation. His ego is unbelievable. I wish he was married to Kim Kardashian, they could fight over the mirror. I hope he is fired soon.

[backformore]

Persnickety, I recall watching that show as well. Weeks of promotion, a 2 hour build up to - NOTHING!!! Hilarious. Geraldo was mocked everywhere for that, it's a wonder his career recovered.

Edited January 6, 2015 by backformore

[newyawk]

You would have thought the network would have at least asked for an Xray of the vault first to make sure SOMETHING was in there. But NO.

[Persnickety1]

Personality, I recall watching that show as well. Weeks of promotion, a 2 hour build up to - NOTHING!!! Hilarious. Geraldo was mocked everywhere for that, it's a wonder his career recovered.

 

You would have thought the network would have at least asked for an Xray of the vault first to make sure SOMETHING was in there. But NO.

 

Oh, it was priceless.

 

And not only does he professionally semi-recover from that debacle, but then fast forward to 2003 when he was a "war correspondent" and he gives away strategic information that results in his exile from Iraq by the US military.

 

I think his brain is as empty as Capone's vault.  

Edited January 6, 2015 by Persnickety1

[newyawk]

LOL, no doubt!

[ichbin]

He was fine back in the 70's while an investigative reporter.  Now the only thing good I can say it that he appears to be in excellent shape for a man his age (71). 

[Persnickety1]

He was fine back in the 70's while an investigative reporter.  Now the only thing good I can say it that he appears to be in excellent shape for a man his age (71). 

 

Oh, when he first came into my line of view when I was a hormonal teenager, I thought Geraldo was scorching hot.

 

Then I grew up and actually listened to what came out of his mouth.  

 

The Geraldo crush immediately entered The Snark Zone.  

[KFC]

This is pretty low on the gossip meter, but I remember being a kid and my dad's boss having us all over for dinner. The house was in a swanky neighborhood, and I asked the boss if anyone famous lived there. The boss said some of Nicole Brown Simpson's family (aka Denise) lived down the street and that he had seen Geraldo Rivera, whose car was often there overnight. Of course at the time, I didn't really register what that meant, but he certainly got a guffaw out of my parents.

[imjagain]

This is pretty low on the gossip meter, but I remember being a kid and my dad's boss having us all over for dinner. The house was in a swanky neighborhood, and I asked the boss if anyone famous lived there. The boss said some of Nicole Brown Simpson's family (aka Denise) lived down the street and that he had seen Geraldo Rivera, whose car was often there overnight. Of course at the time, I didn't really register what that meant, but he certainly got a guffaw out of my parents.

I also remember he was also rumoured to have had an affair with Faye Resnick(sp). One of Brandi's favorite people.

[EtheltoTillie]

I have a video of my late mother and her sister grandstanding in the studio audience at Geraldo in the early 90s. The day's topic was sibling rivalry. Watching these two yentas vying to deny their

lifelong conflict on national TV will never not be funny to me.

[Lura]

I had the opportunity to interview Hugh Downs who, at that time, shared a show with Geraldo.  Hugh was the aging statesman of the show, doing sit-down interviews with famous people, while Geraldo was the young reporter who ran around cities chasing criminals, etc.  Now, Hugh was loved by fellow journalists in part because he never spoke an unkind word about anyone, and for that he was much respected.

 

One of my questions to Hugh was, "What is it like to work with Geraldo?"  Hugh just looked at me, unblinking.  I thought he hadn't heard me, so I repeated the question.  At last, he agreed to answer if it was kept off the record.  He had the most damning things to say about Geraldo that I'd ever heard -- about Geraldo's ego, mostly, but also about his bids for attention, his foolishness, his unprofessional behavior on and off the screen, etc.  Look at Geraldo now -- he hasn't changed a bit after all these years!

Edited January 7, 2015 by Lura

[Kromm]

Geraldo does it again (by that I mean, takes a selfie that gets him into hot water):

 

http://twitchy.com/2015/01/04/at-least-he-had-his-clothes-on-geraldo-rivera-takes-selfie-at-officer-wenjian-lius-funeral/

[Kromm]

I find myself wondering, after seeing this clip where Geraldo is speaking about a Michael Jackson interview, how long it will be on The Apprentice until he "casually" brings up that he's an attorney. Technically.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npgCRlodmVc

[walnutqueen]

I had the opportunity to interview Hugh Downs who, at that time, shared a show with Geraldo.  Hugh was the aging statesman of the show, doing sit-down interviews with famous people, while Geraldo was the young reporter who ran around cities chasing criminals, etc.  Now, Hugh was loved by fellow journalists in part because he never spoke an unkind word about anyone, and for that he was much respected.

 

One of my questions to Hugh was, "What is it like to work with Geraldo?"  Hugh just looked at me, unblinking.  I thought he hadn't heard me, so I repeated the question.  At last, he agreed to answer if it was kept off the record.  He had the most damning things to say about Geraldo that I'd ever heard -- about Geraldo's ego, mostly, but also about his bids for attention, his foolishness, his unprofessional behavior on and off the screen, etc.  Look at Geraldo now -- he hasn't changed a bit after all these years!

 

Lura - I'm out of LIKES for the day, but thank you SO much for posting this golden nugget.  It just confirms what I've always believed about Geraldo (and the gentleman Hugh Downs).

[AdorkableWitch]

The infamous Nazi Incident

 

 

To the tune of La Bamba

Throw a chair at Geraldo!
Throw a chair at Geraldo!
Throw a chair at Geraldo
You Nazi Punk, You Nazi Punk!

Efff Geraldo!
Effffff Geraldo! 
Hey! 

 

(Credit goes to a fab 80's band from New Orleans, Dash Rip Rock)

[ichbin]

I also remember he was also rumoured to have had an affair with Faye Resnick(sp). One of Brandi's favorite people.

Oh, the days of never ending O.J. Simpson coverage...and he still hadn't reached the heights of insufferableness that he is at now.  Some people mellow and/or develop some sense of self-awareness with age, some don't.

Edited January 7, 2015 by ichbin

[SoSueMe]

Geraldo does it again (by that I mean, takes a selfie that gets him into hot water):

 

http://twitchy.com/2015/01/04/at-least-he-had-his-clothes-on-geraldo-rivera-takes-selfie-at-officer-wenjian-lius-funeral/

This had gotten by me. Unfrickenbelievable.  

[SusieQZie]

Fox News Channel is on pretty much the entire day at our house- except on Monday mornings around 7 when both Geraldo and Trump makr appearances on Fox & Friends. Those two are just too much.

[jumper sage]

I'm Italian.  When the "Vault" show was coming up there was no other pr other than "Geraldo" "The Vault".  It was a national movement.  Shops closed, people stayed home that night.......It was freaking hilarious.

 

My dad at the end, "There are thousands of Italians all over the country who are saying, 'Everyone knows the goods are buried under nona's tomatoes' ".

Remember Geraldo's brother?  I thought he was the better looking brother.  Now he is an assistant or producer of Geraldo's Fox show.

[RedheadZombie]

Didn't Geraldo fan the flames of the satanic cult hysteria of the 1970s-1980s?  The mass indoctrination of children and sacrificing of newborns.  He really got off on that stuff.   I wouldn't be surprised if he stirred up the hysteria surrounding the false accusations and prosecution of child daycare centers for mass molestation.

[walnutqueen]

Didn't Geraldo fan the flames of the satanic cult hysteria of the 1970s-1980s?  The mass indoctrination of children and sacrificing of newborns.  He really got off on that stuff.   I wouldn't be surprised if he stirred up the hysteria surrounding the false accusations and prosecution of child daycare centers for mass molestation.

 

It wouldn't surprise me.  Geraldo never met a story he couldn't sensationalize.  Small wonder he landed at Fox.

[Micks Picks]

I don't know if Geraldo bought the molestation and satanic rituals at pre-schools.  But Harvey Levin was a "reporter" at a news channel in L.A. and in cahoots with some woman who analyzed the behavior of the kids, ruined the lives of many adults whose crime was actually caring for the kids.  One of the mothers was nuts, too.  Certifiable.  But Harvey never wanted to practice law, he was and is a fame whore.  You can see him daily on TMZ, which, I'm ashamed to say, I like.

 

Quit knocking Fox all the time.  I don't get channel anymore, not for quite awhile due to contract problems with Dish.  CNN was off air for the same reason for quite a while.  So I've had CNN on and while they are a go-to for world breaking news, their follow up and questions by the anchors suck big time.  You'd think they want to kiss the rotten asses of the perps in France.

[kassa]

I'm Massachusetts Irish and want to chime in that EVERYBODY was watching Geraldo and that vault.  It's hard for the young folks to understand what "event" television was, but with a handful of networks, specials actually were special, and a way to grab huge percentages of the American population.  It had superbowl level hype. I was just out of college, and watched it with my parents and my sister in high school.  Everybody I know watched it.  

 

As I recall, the reaction was a mixture of "what a fucking waste of my time" and glee that it had backfired so spectacularly.  

 

Given what we're seeing of Geraldo's behavior, which was probably the same back then behind the scenes, I am not surprised that it ended his career (for a while).  

[Lura]

There s only one word that sums up Geraldo for me: pathetic!

[essexjan]

Geraldo has no shame or decency whatsoever. He recently took a selfie at the funeral of one of the police officers who were recently murdered in New York. Disgraceful.

[RedheadZombie]

Geraldo has no shame or decency whatsoever. He recently took a selfie at the funeral of one of the police officers who were recently murdered in New York. Disgraceful.

 

Loved the guy who responded with the tweet, "Most dangerous place on earth is between this guy and a camera".

[Kromm]

Hmm.  Given that he gives a new ridiculous claim each episode, maybe we should have rotating subtitles here.  I nominate "Geraldo Rivera: Invented Selfies" as the next one (since he claimed to have last episode).

[NYGirl]

Complain all you want about Geraldo but I am rooting for him to win because of his charity.  I am the parent of a developmentally disabled daughter and live in Staten Island.  Mr. Rivera just donated $250,000.00 to the disability studies at College of Staten Island, which will undoubtedly help my daughter's program.

 

http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/city-hall/2015/01/8560030/geraldo-funds-disability-studies-college-staten-island

 

I'm happy he won so much money.

[mbutterfly]

Complain all you want about Geraldo but I am rooting for him to win because of his charity.  I am the parent of a developmentally disabled daughter and live in Staten Island.  Mr. Rivera just donated $250,000.00 to the disability studies at College of Staten Island, which will undoubtedly help my daughter's program.

 

http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/city-hall/2015/01/8560030/geraldo-funds-disability-studies-college-staten-island

 

I'm happy he won so much money.

I'm no fan, but Geraldo's one redeeming focus has been to the great good of people with developmental disabilities especially in the state of New York. He must always be given that. 

[NYGirl]

I'm no fan, but Geraldo's one redeeming focus has been to the great good of people with developmental disabilities especially in the state of New York. He must always be given that. 

As much as I don't like him as a person I do want to root for him to win as much money as possible for this cause.  Usually children like my daughter are overlooked in the "charities chosen" on these shows.

[auntlada]

It's probably an unpopular opinion, but I actually don't have a problem with Geraldo.  I used to really appreciate the fact that he would get on his assorted news shows and vilify murders and probable/alleged murderers (such as Scott Peterson, Drew Peterson, Phil Spector, etc.), because he at least dared to voice his opinion, when very few other TV journalists or hosts would.

 

That's one of the things I hate about him. If he wants to be a talk show host and do that, OK. That's his prerogative. But he shouldn't call himself a journalist and do that. If he's going to be a journalist (which he's not -- going to be or is), then he needs to keep his opinions to himself and report the news.

[TVFan17]

That's one of the things I hate about him. If he wants to be a talk show host and do that, OK. That's his prerogative. But he shouldn't call himself a journalist and do that. If he's going to be a journalist (which he's not -- going to be or is), then he needs to keep his opinions to himself and report the news.

 

Yeah, we're going to have to agree to disagree on that.  I don't think Geraldo needs to keep quiet if he has an opinion -- so many TV journalists/reporters/hosts can't speak their minds and say what they really think, so I really loved that he was willing to be very vocal about who he felt was guilty.  I am tired of safe TV news shows.  I want actual opinions from the talking heads on TV.

[auntlada]

I think that's fine if they want to do that, but they aren't journalists then. Journalists are supposed to be at least fair if they can't be unbiased (and let's face it, actually being unbiased is almost impossible) and shouldn't show their bias. They put the facts out there -- all of them -- and let people make up their own minds. The fact that so many don't on TV is why I don't watch TV news (and why I pick what newspapers and news sites I read carefully -- it's not that I want them to share my opinion, it's that I don't want to know what their opinions are unless I'm reading the opinion section). And it's why I would never call Geraldo a journalist, no matter what he wants to call himself. I'm not in journalism any more (horrible hours for family, low pay, etc.), but people like Geraldo who call themselves reporters and journalists are a large part of why people have low opinions of journalists.

[film noire]

 

It just confirms what I've always believed about Geraldo (and the gentleman Hugh Downs).

 

I'm very surprised Downs talked shit about a fellow reporter, even if it was Geraldo -- I thought more of Downs than that (oh well, still have Bill Moyers and Gwen Ifill left on the class act news roster -- a list getting smaller every year!)

 

 

He was fine back in the 70's while an investigative reporter.

 

I agree -- I thought Geraldo was really good when I was a very young teen (mid-seventies, on a show called "Good Night America") and my little mind was blown more than once (the Zapruder film was shown on tv for the first time on the show) and he was thoughtful, calm, interesting -- and by the time I was entering university (early eighties) he was cheese whiz on a stale cracker. Ego laid waste to his talent.

Edited January 20, 2015 by film noire

[6 MeowMeowBeenz]

Good Night America was awesome

 

Sadly, though, Geraldo is now a giant walking ego-douche

[Avaleigh]

I'm very surprised Downs talked shit about a fellow reporter, even if it was Geraldo -- I thought more of Downs than that (oh well, still have Bill Moyers and Gwen Ifill left on the class act news roster -- a list getting smaller every year!)

 

 

If the shoe fits regarding Geraldo I can't really be mad at Hugh for letting it be known.

 

Geraldo is in my top three where I'm basically watching this just to see him get fired. Brandi and Kenya are the other two so he's in "good" and appropriate company. 

[film noire]

 

If the shoe fits regarding Geraldo I can't really be mad at Hugh for letting it be known

I think gossiping behind the back of a co-worker is always tacky (whatever the validity of the comments) and it surprises me Downs engaged in that kind of  behavior.

And it's why I would never call Geraldo a journalist, no matter what he wants to call himself.

 

it is amazing what happened to that man -- from storefront lawyer to hosting a show with guests like Dick Gregory and Caesar Chavez to Capone's vault, satanic specials and breaking his nose in a skinhead brawl. Started at the top and just skidded all the way to the bottom.

Edited January 21, 2015 by film noire

[jonesingjay]

Geraldo will stay until the end and probably win.

[backformore]

When Geraldo compared his experience in the boardroom to "Afghanistan", I wanted someone to remind him that he didn't actually FIGHT the war himself.   

[ParadoxLost]

When Geraldo compared his experience in the boardroom to "Afghanistan", I wanted someone to remind him that he didn't actually FIGHT the war himself.   

 

And that they sent him home from Iraq.  That has never happened in the boardroom. 

 

But seriously, I get annoyed every time he calls himself a war correspondent as if that has been the driving force of his career.

[Kromm]

Geez.  Brian Williams is all of a sudden starting to sound like Geraldo.

 

I wonder how many of these news guys have "war stories" like this.  The big difference is that Geraldo is such a blowhard this his screwups were instant and visible, whereas Williams seem to have simply quietly led to a long-term loss of credibility (although it all blew up in the past day or two, the big difference is that Williams is not such a self-promoter that he's been hanging his whole career on having been a "war correspondent", like Gerry does).