--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Who elected Larry King America's grief…" description: "\"Who elected Larry King America's grief counselor? We, the viewing public, did, by driving up his ratings whenever somebody famous passes.\" — James Wolcott" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa0/james-wolcott-8178_america_who-elected-larry-king-america-s-grief-c_715392.png" --- # Who elected Larry King America's grief counselor? We, the… ![“Who elected Larry King America's grief counselor? We, the viewing public, did, by driving up his ratings whenever somebody famous passes.” quote by James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa0/james-wolcott-8178_america_who-elected-larry-king-america-s-grief-c_715392.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa0/james-wolcott-8178_america_who-elected-larry-king-america-s-grief-c_715392.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa0/james-wolcott-8178_america_who-elected-larry-king-america-s-grief-c_715392.png) > “Who elected Larry King America's grief counselor? We, the viewing public, did, by driving up his ratings whenever somebody famous passes.” [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Public fascination with famous deaths fuels ratings for grief counselors like Larry King, turning tragedy into entertainment. **In simple terms:** Grief becomes entertainment. Key Takeaway Critique media sensationalism. Themes media celebrity grief ratings Mood critical analytical Type media cultural When to use this quote - news reporting - talk shows - social media Key Concepts spectacle ethics public consumption Questions to Reflect On - Why do we watch tragedy? - What are the costs of turning grief into spectacle? A Different Perspective Sensationalism can desensitize audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Counselor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/counselor/) [Driving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/driving/) [Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/) [Grief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief/) [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) ## Related quotes > [A typical 'Larry King Live' is a pastiche whose absurdism defies parody. Wearing his trademark suspenders and purple shirts, he looks as if he's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/a-typical-larry-king-live-is-a-pastiche-whose-absurdism-defies-parody/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [Like Andy Warhol and unlike God Almighty, Larry King does not presume to judge; all celebrities are equal in his eyes, saints and sinners…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/like-andy-warhol-and-unlike-god-almighty-larry-king-does-not-presume/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [I don't look at ratings until somebody tells me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padma-lakshmi/i-don-t-look-at-ratings-until-somebody-tells-me/) [Padma Lakshmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padma-lakshmi/) > [I liked that Larry King didn't know who Minerva was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-shriver/i-liked-that-larry-king-didn-t-know-who-minerva-was/) [Maria Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-shriver/) > [Larry King is so old, he's actually one of the Jews that killed Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/larry-king-is-so-old-he-s-actually-one-of-the-jews-that-killed-christ/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [People will come up to me everywhere and say, 'Ah, I saw you on 'Larry King,'' and, 'Ah, I saw you on 'Oprah.'' And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/people-will-come-up-to-me-everywhere-and-say-ah-i-saw-you-on-larry/) [Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) > [I would love to be on Oprah or Larry King.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicente-fernandez/i-would-love-to-be-on-oprah-or-larry-king/) [Vicente Fernandez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vicente-fernandez/) > [Larry King's show got to be an increasingly lonely outpost of humane civility in a mephitic menagerie of hotheads, saber rattlers, cretins and crackpots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/larry-king-s-show-got-to-be-an-increasingly-lonely-outpost-of-humane/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [Some time ago, I told Larry King that I planned to live to be 102. I still do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-o-hara/some-time-ago-i-told-larry-king-that-i-planned-to-live-to-be-102-i/) [Maureen O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-o-hara/) > [Larry King has been married more times than Henry the Eighth. We used to have that rhyme to keep track of them. 'Divorced, beheaded,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/larry-king-has-been-married-more-times-than-henry-the-eighth-we-used/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [There's never been a blueprint, I just keep exploring doors as they open. But whenever people would ask me what's my favorite thing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-pinsky/there-s-never-been-a-blueprint-i-just-keep-exploring-doors-as-they/) [Drew Pinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-pinsky/) > [When Hillary's getting knocked around by the folks on the Hill is Bill going to go Larry King to knock her enemies around? Will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-marshall/when-hillary-s-getting-knocked-around-by-the-folks-on-the-hill-is/) [Josh Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-marshall/) > [I don't see myself as a Larry King or somebody. When you do interviews, sometimes it turns to interrogations. I'm more of a conversationalist,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-morgan/i-don-t-see-myself-as-a-larry-king-or-somebody-when-you-do-interviews/) [Joe Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-morgan/) > [The moment somebody becomes famous, 15 years gets knocked off their life. They're gonna get divorced a few times, they're gonna be addicted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/the-moment-somebody-becomes-famous-15-years-gets-knocked-off-their/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [No matter how famous you are, there's always somebody more famous than you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-kreisberg/no-matter-how-famous-you-are-there-s-always-somebody-more-famous-than/) [Andrew Kreisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-kreisberg/) ## More by James Wolcott > [In the Tea Party era, it is the restless conservative Republican who has become passion's plaything, the toy of impetuous romance, an erotomania only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/in-the-tea-party-era-it-is-the-restless-conservative-republican-who/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [There was a time when idealistic folksingers such as myself believed that Reality TV was a programming vogue that would peak and recede, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/there-was-a-time-when-idealistic-folksingers-such-as-myself-believed/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [After a decade this glum, we deserved a shot of 'Glee,' a show that restored our faith in the power of song, the beauty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/after-a-decade-this-glum-we-deserved-a-shot-of-glee-a-show-that/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [It's the contemporary woman that movies don't know what to do with, other than bathe her in a bridal glow in romantic comedies where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/it-s-the-contemporary-woman-that-movies-don-t-know-what-to-do-with/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [I understand the people-watching, but I've never done it where people have to race to three different shows, from here to there. I mean,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/i-understand-the-people-watching-but-i-ve-never-done-it-where-people/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [What had brought me to New York in the autumn of 1972 was a letter of recommendation written by Norman Mailer, the author of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/what-had-brought-me-to-new-york-in-the-autumn-of-1972-was-a-letter-of/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [Historically, Hollywood comedy has arrived in skinny envelopes. From fence post Buster Keaton to herky-jerky Jerry Lewis to wiry nerve-bundle Woody Allen to hung-loose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/historically-hollywood-comedy-has-arrived-in-skinny-envelopes-from/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian would have left little more than lipstick stains in their passing had it not been for the sex videos…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/paris-hilton-and-kim-kardashian-would-have-left-little-more-than/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [On August 28, 2010, Fox News messiah Glenn Beck hosted a 'Restoring Honor' revival meeting featuring sexy guest star Sarah Palin, much as Bob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/on-august-28-2010-fox-news-messiah-glenn-beck-hosted-a-restoring/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [I've always stayed on the periphery of things. When I used to go to the punk clubs and things like that, I was never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/i-ve-always-stayed-on-the-periphery-of-things-when-i-used-to-go-to/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [My high-school papers, my college-application essays, read like Norman Mailer packed in a crunchy-peanut-butter sandwich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/my-high-school-papers-my-college-application-essays-read-like-norman/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [Telling writers to shut up is a sure way to keep them talking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/telling-writers-to-shut-up-is-a-sure-way-to-keep-them-talking/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [As we divest ourselves of once familiar physical objects - digitize and dematerialize - we approach a 'Star Trek' future in which everything can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/as-we-divest-ourselves-of-once-familiar-physical-objects-digitize-and/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [The advent of DVD/Blu-ray reissues of classic Hollywood and foreign films has been a boon to film buffs, who can now study their favorites…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/the-advent-of-dvd-blu-ray-reissues-of-classic-hollywood-and-foreign/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [Mitt Romney - he had a Rock Hudson thing going, shoeblack hair and a well-hung resume, but even for a shameless, position-shifting phony he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/mitt-romney-he-had-a-rock-hudson-thing-going-shoeblack-hair-and-a/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) [Explore all 83 James Wolcott quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Who elected Larry King America's grief counselor? We, the viewing public, did, by driving up his ratings whenever somebody famous passes.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Wolcott" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/who-elected-larry-king-america-s-grief-counselor-we-the-viewing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/who-elected-larry-king-america-s-grief-counselor-we-the-viewing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa0/james-wolcott-8178_america_who-elected-larry-king-america-s-grief-c_715392.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa0/james-wolcott-8178_america_who-elected-larry-king-america-s-grief-c_715392.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa0/james-wolcott-8178_america_who-elected-larry-king-america-s-grief-c_715392.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Who elected Larry King America's grief counselor? We, the viewing public, did, by driving up his ratings…” — James Wolcott", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "James Wolcott", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Who elected Larry King America's grief...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/who-elected-larry-king-america-s-grief-counselor-we-the-viewing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/who-elected-larry-king-america-s-grief-counselor-we-the-viewing/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```