Media Personality Jeff Koinange led Kenyans in mourning legendary CNN Talk Show Host Larry King who died on January 23, 2021, at the age of 87.
Jeff hailed the deceased TV icon as a legend, reminiscing a time he was christened "John Coinage" by King during a CNN live broadcast in 2005.
"Will never forget the first time I did a live hit on Larry King Live on CNN during Hurricane Katrina back in 2005. Larry came on air and said, "joining us now live in New Orleans, John Coinage... John, what is the latest?" Legend. True Legend," Jeff stated.
The news of King's passing was shared online by his Ora Media company, confirming that the talk show legend had passed on while at Cedars Sinai Medical Centre in Los Angeles, California.
“With profound sadness, Ora Media announces the sad death of our co-founder, host and friend Larry King, who passed away this morning at age 87 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles," the message read in part.
Larry King was famed for his style of interview, cosied up guests into spewing secrets, agendas or future plans on live TV. CNN described King as having, "an affable, easygoing demeanour that distinguished him from more intense TV interviewers, King perfected a casual approach to the Q&A format, always leaning forward and listening intently to his guests, rarely interrupting". Jeff Koinange is also famed for a similar approach.
Born Lawrence Zeiger, King served in the media industry for 63 years cutting across radio, television and digital media. In this course, he had a lot of high profile interview, awards and international acclaims.
During his Larry King Live days, the award-winning legend hosted world leaders, celebrities and athletes from across the world. He has interviewed President Barrack Obama, Muammar Gaddafi, the Dalai Lama, among several others.
Kenyans joined in to mourn King as a legend, acknowledging his contribution and impact on broadcast media.
"Larry King never got tired of wearing suspenders. Rest in peace King," Sherman Munene mourned.
CNN founder Ted Turner referred to the departed legend as the greatest broadcast journalist of all time.
"Larry was one of my closest and dearest friends and, in my opinion, the world's greatest broadcast journalist of all time.
"If anyone asked me what are my greatest career achievements in life, one is the creation of CNN, and the other is hiring Larry King. Like so many who worked with and knew Larry, he was a consummate professional, an amazing mentor to many and a good friend to all. The world has lost a true legend," Turner was quoted by CNN as saying.
King was admitted to a hospital in Los Angeles in January after he was diagnosed with Covid-19. His family did not, however, list the cause of his death.
Through the course of his life, the deceased had faced a number of near-death complications, one a heart attack in 1987 and a near-fatal stroke in 2019. He was in the hospital for weeks recovering from a coma.
