January 13, 2025 • 28 mins
Chuck Scarborough made history when he hit the 50-year milestone at WNBC in New York. I am so honored to be joined with this news icon and his incredible wife, Ellen, who are beloved voices for animals in need.
EPISODE NOTES: Legendary News Anchor Chuck Scarborough
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EPISODE NOTES: Legendary News Anchor Chuck Scarborough
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/rappaport-to-the-rescue-on-pet-life-radio-petliferadio-com--6667849/support.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
This is Pet Life Radio. Let's talk Pets.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Wrap Aport to the Rescue with award winning animal advocate,
best selling author, journalist, and pet products creator Jill Rappaport.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Hey, Welcome to Rappaport to the Rescue. I'm Jill Rappaport,
our first show in the new Year, and I want
to wish all of you a very happy and healthy
new Year. And here's to a great twenty twenty five
filled with love, peace, health, happiness and of course, what
do I always say is the most important thing, adoptions.
(00:40):
Make this your year to make a difference for animals
in need who need your help now more than ever. Well,
I certainly have a great show kicking off the new
year today because my guest is one of the most
recognized faces in TV news. He's won an incredible thirty
six Emmy Awards, and he's also one of the first
(01:01):
inductees into the New York State Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame.
Chuck Scarborough has been in the anchorchair in New York
for an incredible fifty impactful years. Did you hear that number?
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Five? Oh fifty?
Speaker 1 (01:14):
And he ended twenty twenty four with one of the
most memorable and heartfelt farewells and TV history along with
his stellar career. What I love about Chuck is he
also happens to be one of the most passionate voices
for animal welfare and together with his equally talented and
beautiful wife Ellen, they have made such a huge impact
(01:35):
for animals in need. So when we come back, the
legend himself, Chuck Scarborough along with his better half Ellen,
will both be joining us on rapaport to the rescue,
So stay tuned.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
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(02:13):
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Speaker 4 (02:24):
Oh sure, it's all fun and games until someone ends
up in a cone. That's right, we're animals.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Deal with it.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
At Life Radio.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Let's talk pets.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
Let's talk pats. Let's talk pets. Talk Radio, Headline.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
Radio, at light radio dot com.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Welcome back to Rapaport to the Rescue. I'm Joe Rapaport,
and you heard the intro. We have a legend in
the doghouse, the one and only Chuck Scarborough, my dear
friend and his incredible wife. I love you guys so much,
and would you believe we're going on almost five years
since you were last on this show. You were one
of my debut guests back when COVID started in twenty twenty.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
I was hoping to get a notation back. I've waited
year after year, and finally, finally.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
It took a little while, but Chuck, you're so famous.
Even the Empire State Building lit up for you. It
was very hard to get you back until now. But
I have to tell you I am so honored. And
what a year it's been for you. And first month
off in retirement, how has it been.
Speaker 4 (03:34):
Well, it's been very quiet, and we coincided with the holidays,
so it sort of felt like the usual christmasification.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
He's my handyman.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
Yes, I've been a handyman. We won't go too deeply
into that, but we've spent a lot of time at home,
so I really haven't kind of grasped the idea that
I don't have to go anchor broadcasts now that I'm
liberated from the anchordesk if that's the proper term. I
dearly loved it for actually more than half a century,
because I began my television career news eight years before
I arrived in New York in nineteen seventy four, so
(04:03):
it was actually fifty eight years. Yeah, it's a big transition, Jill,
But I'm looking forward to whatever adventurers lae ahead now.
And I've got lots of directions I could I could
go this being one of them. Being on a podcast
with you.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
Well, our audience can't see your faces, but I love
that you're both still smiling and so happy now that
you have him home twenty four to seven, Ellen, that is.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Encouraging, encouraging for whom for all of.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
These years that you've been married. You know, Chuck gets up,
he goes to work, he comes home very late at night,
and you've kind of had this time to yourself and
now you got him around full time.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
Is it a good thing or not? Well, I just
tell him he has to wear a suit every day,
and that voice Hello, Willen welcome.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
To my house.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
It gets a little awkward at night when it's bed time,
but you know, if that's what Evan wants, that's what
she gets.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Well what is that like for you, Chuck? I mean,
you know, you talk about fifty eight years and for
those of you who didn't hear, and I find it
hard to believe that you wouldn't have heard about all
of the celebrations starting last spring when you actually had
your fifty year celebration in the anchorchair there, it was
so unbelievable. The Empire State Building lit up in blue
(05:13):
and gold. There were tributes from celebrities, from politicians, from
officials all over wishing you well. And then you made
this incredible decision recently, literally right before December, that this
was it. You were going to call it quits. Why
why now? Well, the time.
Speaker 4 (05:32):
Seemed about right. The fiftieth anniversary occurred in March, and
we had this over the top kind of two week
thing that you described. It was fun. The company dredged
out all kinds of reports I'd done over the last
fifty years and some of my favorite stories, and we
got to rerun them. And yes, there is this blizzard
of congratulations and happy farewells when you finally decided to go.
(05:55):
But I guess I'm sort of still recovering from that
wild ride that last seven months, because after the fiftieth anniversary,
there were some discussions about whether how much longer I
would stay with the company, and how much longer I
say on the acer desk rankly, I'm still under contract
with NBC, and still, if I choose to do so,
can go in and do some special reports. But for
the meantime, I don't have the tyranny of the acro
(06:18):
desk pinning me there, except when I beg to get
away to go do something which ideally love to do
years past. But just the idea of cutting back after
all these years after I'm eighty one years old now,
and I bomb I thought it was just time to
sort of relax a little bit and spread my wings
a little bit. I've been doing one thing for a
long time.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Jill, do you think he looks eighty one? You know again,
because this is audio.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
If you know Chuck, you know he looks at least
twenty five years younger than he is minimum. And I'm
looking at you now and I'm thinking it's shocking to
think that you're eighty one years old. But I also
believe you look that good because you've done what you
love for the majority of your life, you truly love.
Speaker 4 (06:57):
I think there's a lesson to that. Yes, I think
that if you do something you like, have you really
committed to it and passionate about it. Yes, I think
that that keeps you vital, It keeps you engaged, and
it keeps you probably more youthful. It keeps your brain
working anyway to some extent, and that's rather critical. But yes,
if you can do that, if you can find your
passion and find a way to make that work for you,
(07:20):
I think it does. It does help a great deal
over the long haul.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
Well, you know very few people in this business, and
I really can count them, maybe less than one hand.
And now I have to say you and hoe a
copy who have decided to leave at the top of
their game. That is a privilege and an honor that
very few people get.
Speaker 4 (07:38):
I think the thought was that I better since I'm
thinking about it, since the idea has been put into
my head on I'm thinking about stepping back from the
anchor desk, that I better do it before I start
to fail. Seriously, before I start to become less competent
and embarrass myself at some point. Yes, there are lessons
(07:58):
about that that abound in our society, about people hanging
on too long beyond their appropriate retirement date. I just
think that that was part of the consideration that this.
Although I think probably the top of my game was
several years ago, it wasn't just now. I think I
was still on my game and am still on my
game to a large extent, and that was I think
an appropriate time to step back a little bit and
(08:21):
begin to pull the plug.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
But we were really shocked, and Ellen, I think I
messaged you immediately, I said, please say it isn't so,
because back in March when we had this huge celebration,
nobody even had an idea, thought a hint that you
could be going into this direction of like I'm going
to call it quits you right before the holidays. Was
this something that just came up in the fall. Did
(08:44):
you think about it last March when you hit the
fifty year milestone.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
Yes, I was thinking about it then. The fifty year
milestone was kind of important to me. I wanted to
get there just because that's a big number and a
nice round number and we love round numbers, and so.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
Many people came up to and said I won't ever leave.
Speaker 4 (09:02):
Yes, that was hard, but yes the thought was flitting
around but not fully formulated. At that point. I reached
the fiftieth anniversary, and after that I began thinking about, well,
how much longer do I really want to do this?
And should I really think about, as we were talking
a moment ago, before things start to disintegrate, before I
(09:24):
start to deteriorate with age, maybe I should get out
before I do something in embarrasses myself so or another
thing that embarrasses myself worse. But nothing. There haven't been
embarrassing moments before, which we won't go into, of course,
Joe jil In any of that. That was Yeah, it
was a process, and the process kindly finally came to
a head a couple of several months ago.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
Of course, as we all know how to copy. Just
bid Ado to the Today Show and Andy Cohne says
something very interesting to her on the set the other day.
He said, you know, this is so great. You went
out on your own terms. It was your decision. I
want to check back with you in a month, and
now you are a month out. Was it the right decision?
Speaker 3 (10:05):
Chuck?
Speaker 1 (10:05):
Are you thrilled you did this or do you really
kind of miss that?
Speaker 4 (10:08):
No, I'm not thrilled, not thrilled I did it, But
I can't tell you that it was the wrong decision.
It wasn't a thrilling thing. In fact, I feel sort
of people could gratulate join the retirement. Did you know that?
Don't you feel people when you retire, people cropt you
even congraduate, you say cond graduation you in your retirement.
I think, is it just that you actually didn't get fired,
that you were able to retire?
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Was it?
Speaker 1 (10:29):
What's to you?
Speaker 4 (10:30):
Graduate? You ours? And I guess you achieved it. You
you got there, You survived the entire work life, and
now theoretically have a lot of retirement or ants. I
will figure out after I do a lot of little
things which kind of got swept by the wayside during
my working life, little things around here. I will look
for other things to do, and one of them might
be to become a competitor of Jill Rappiport the Well.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
The difference with you and me is I've had my
shows taken away. I didn't want to say goodbye Unfortunately
for me, it's like, ah, no more show, and I'm
still hoping and working to get that show again. I
don't think I could ever walk away from anything because
I always feel when I get something it was so
hard to get it that I just never want to
let it go. But that's why I'm saying, you are
(11:15):
in this rarefied air, Chuck. Very few people get to
the point in this business at that level and their
career in Ellen, I know you agree with me where
they are at the top and they choose to leave
on their terms. And it's an enviable position that you know.
Even your last day, you're so humble, Chuck, when all
of your co anchors and you had your beautiful grandchildren
(11:38):
on with you, and I could tell you were choked up,
but you know, you do it in the Chuck Scarborough
way with class and dignity. But I could tell it
was very emotional for you.
Speaker 4 (11:49):
Oh it was. There was no doubt about that. It
was that last broadcast was extremely emotional. A lot happened
that I didn't I wasn't expecting. I didn't expect some
of the things that were said. I particular was touched
by both Hoda and Al Roker, who had very nice
things to say, and my grandchildren completely blindsided me. They
(12:09):
went in with my daughter and her husband and they
had said they had lunch in the city. That was
the very day, the day that of the last broadcast.
They had this ruse set up that I did nothing
wrong and they were going to the city to meet
a friend with the kids and all having lunch together.
What they were doing was going to NBC and doing
this little newscast with the two grandchildren by granddaughter seven
(12:29):
of my grandson ten, planting them on the anchored asking
and my daughter Elizabeth had prepared a script for them
about granddaddy.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
And they were so good. I saw future.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
Yeah, that was the first take I've told Actually, they
pulled it off beautifully and they had pictures to support it,
and I had no idea that was going to happen.
So that was that knocked me for a loop on
the broadcast. But I think, just you know, you work
in this business, Jill, and you work with people every
day who you admire, and it's a fairly intimate thing
doing broadcast. Notice, as you know, you get deeply into
(13:02):
the stories with other people you are involved in this
frenetic deadline every day getting broadcasts put together, and there
isn't a lot of time doing that to sip back
and tell people how much you appreciate it. So to
have all of that happen, and for me to have
an opportunity to explain hot to my coworkers how much
(13:23):
I appreciated them and how what an honor it was
to work with them was really it was really emotional.
It was really humbling and very satisfying. It was a
little surprising, frankly, from several the things that were said,
but I did appreciate it all. And I think I'm
probably still coming down from that blizzard of kind thoughts
and farewells, so coming back down to earth. But it's
(13:45):
been a month now, so the eagle should have landed
at this point.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
Well, and now that Ellen has gotten carpenters in there
to widen the doors, right Ellen, First of all, for
our audience listening to this, Ellen is like a super mood.
She's about five eleven, She's absolutely dropped dead gorgeous. She's
as brilliant as she is beautiful, and always stays out.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
Of the limelight.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
You don't like it, Ellen, I've noticed that about you know.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
When people say, are you also in the news business,
Oh Evans.
Speaker 4 (14:15):
No, yeah, but what she does is what you do.
What you're so passionate about two and I as well,
and that's her passion for animals and for animal welfare.
That's right, you guys, the two of you are really
involved in that.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
Well, and you too, Chuck. You know, in the intro
I talked about the fact that the two of you
together have been so powerful for animal welfare. And my
favorite event every year is the Humane Lunche ayas yah yay.
It is the most unbelievable experience. Then every year Chuck
is the host of the event. And you are so passionate,
(14:48):
you and Ellen, what you've done for animals and your rescues.
What is it about these animals that give us back
so much?
Speaker 3 (14:56):
They don't ask for money, and they don't talk back.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
And unconditional love and they never looked at you, go
did you gain a little weight?
Speaker 3 (15:04):
Right?
Speaker 4 (15:05):
They love you no matter what you listen looking at.
We've have Phoebe snoozing on the sofa directly opposite the.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
Dog rescue, your black lab that you actually went quite
a far distance to rescue from Texas.
Speaker 4 (15:19):
Yes, we had to go to Texas to get this
one we had and it was an adventure over the
summer when the Grandchuldren were here. There was a little
gray cat that was found in Central Park and it
was abandoned in Central Park, a little tiny thing.
Speaker 3 (15:31):
Probably balancing on a wire fence in the rain, this
little cat.
Speaker 4 (15:37):
And we'll tell the story about how she was found
and what happened.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
Well, a friend of mine, Sonya Isaac O'Donnell, she's a
real hero for cats in the city, and a friend
of hers, who also rescues cat saw this cat in
the city. She was walking a dog, I don't know
if it was her own dog or someone else's, and
saw this cat teetering on this wire fence, and she
picked up the cat, put her on her shoulder and
(16:02):
continued to walk her dog and walked blocks on blocks
to get to a vet. And this cat just calmly
was there on her shoulder. Can you imagine, and all
the chaos of New York and marched on her shoulder. Yes,
I mean this cat wanted out and was looking for
the first ride. And that's where it started too, you can.
Speaker 4 (16:23):
Well. Ellen got wind of this and she called arf
so asked if ARF would take the little cat in.
The cat needed a home and needed someplace to go.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
And ARF is the animal rescue front of the Hamptons,
and it's just a wonderful organization.
Speaker 4 (16:38):
Yeah, that's the east end of Long Island. So the
ARFs that of course will take the kitty cat in.
And so we had the cat taken from Manhattan to
the east end of Long Island. And Ellen fell in
love with the cat. It was the little kitty cat.
We had to go went to visit the cat.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
It just was so amazed that this cat was so
clever and so resourceful and in the rain to make
herself seen and it worked.
Speaker 4 (17:02):
For what was the name they gave the cat, Celeste Celesti. Yes, Celeste,
the cat has a new name. Now this is where
the story gets interesting. So Ellen decided that we would
foster the key. We have a dog and a cat,
and so with the grandchildren in Southampton, we brought this
little kitty home and everybody was very happy to see
a little kitty, everybody except our dog and cat, who
(17:25):
initially were curious but eventually were absolutely terrified. The dog
is forty eight pounds, our cat's probably fifteen pounds. This
was a little six pound gray kitty.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
And your cat is like a person. I've never met
a cat like George the cat.
Speaker 4 (17:41):
And George was intrigued initially until the first time the
little gray cat swatted him. Then the two of them
bar two animals were petrified of this, this little creature,
and we thought it would would settle down. So it
didn't settle down for the couple of weeks in Southampton.
So now the cat has moved from Southampton to our
house and etiquette and as in the being kept in
(18:03):
the room we're in now, just to acclimate itself and
dynamic doesn't shift. We look when one day we were
sitting here where we are right now, in the sofia
in our library, and we see the little gray cat
is sitting on a chair staring at the door, and
they look at the door which is twenty feet away,
and both our dog and cat are sitting side by side,
(18:24):
backs to the door, looking terrified, wanting nothing but out.
They went out of the room with that other, that
animal in there. So we decide very reluctantly that this
is just not going to work out. We can't just
can't get this cat to integrate into the family. So
my son calls his mother in Florida to cut to
(18:46):
the chase. Here we end up flying the little kiddie
down to live with my ex wife, oh in Florida,
who lives alone in an apartment. She adopted the cat.
So now the catway from Celtil Park to the east
end of Long Island to Southampton to Connecticut and then
to Jacksonville, Florida. And it's now living happily in Jacksonville, Florida.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
And she officially adopted CELESTI.
Speaker 4 (19:11):
You officially adopted Celeste is now Catherine, named Catherine by
our grandson.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
When you consider the beginning and now where she's ended up,
and does your ex wife adore her? Yes?
Speaker 3 (19:23):
And you know what a good sport she was to
take on this who, clearly I don't know, had a
few problems. I think she survived Central Park so that
they're getting along beautifully.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
I can't believe this boy good herd of story is.
This is amazing. But Ellen, on the board of Earth,
and I know you're not just a board member. You
are out there reaching out to people, texting people when
you hear of a disaster situation, urging people to please adopt,
please Foster do whatever you can. You both are really
(19:57):
in the trenches trying to spread the word, aren't you.
Well yes, and the nice thing is that Chuck and
M see so many events that we've done over the
years for thing give them a voice.
Speaker 4 (20:08):
Right, well, yes, but I think you underestimate your contribution,
my sweet Well.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
I know it cracks me up because Ellen comes off
somewhat shy and I always say your personality the way
you look, I mean, get out there, sister, and she's like, no, no,
I'll be in the background. But I actually had the
huge shoes to fill for the Wildlife Rescue when I
was filling in for Chuck's host this summer and following
Chuck Scarborough. Literally you know who needs ozembic. You're nauseous,
(20:35):
you're scared, Chuck, you are a hard act to follow.
I have to tell you, Oh, I think you can
do it, just old Jill, No.
Speaker 4 (20:45):
No, no, job. I've been to many of your events
and we've even co anchored you and I. Some of
these events were wildlife and they need help. You take
a back seat to nobody in that, my dear.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
And that's what I love about both of you, because
it's not just dogs and cats. It's the wildlife and they,
you know, not enough people care exactly.
Speaker 4 (21:03):
Yeah, that place has a lot of difficulty and just
struggles to stay afloat, and it's so necessary. It's the
only place you can go on Long Island on the
east end of Long Island. If you find an injured
animal somewhere, a wild animal, you have any kind of
an issue with wild animals, they're there twenty four to seven,
but they're hanging on by their fingertips financially.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
Ev Lin and Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
And I've called them several times. I've seen a literally
dear hit right in front of me and I call them,
and they are the most wonderful people. They are there
is like within minutes and to comfort that animal, whether
they can save it or even in its last minutes
of life, they will give that animal a warm blanket
and comfort that animal. They're incredible. They're truly doing God's work.
(21:48):
But Chuck, now that you have more free time and Ellen,
now that you have them around more, what's your wish,
what's your hope and dream?
Speaker 4 (21:56):
I haven't formulated that yet. Of course, animal welfare will
always be of the program. That's something that we're both
committed to. But the rest of the time, the time
that I've freed up here has yet to be filled in.
I've got this looking at this, at this void, I've
had this.
Speaker 3 (22:12):
Jill has a few ideas.
Speaker 4 (22:14):
Yeah, so I'm going to be considering options for a while,
and I've got I'm under contract for the next six
months with NBC, so that's a good time to think
about if there's anything else I'd like to do, and
we'll see what happened.
Speaker 1 (22:24):
Well, I am a failing chuck that that six months
would be sixty years. I don't think they'd ever put
an expiration date on anything you'd want to do.
Speaker 4 (22:33):
Probably I didn't. The one thing I didn't do, and
I think properly was the National Broadcasting Company effusively enough
for keeping the employee for the last fifty years. It's
been a marvelous company to work for. And I know
you've been there, and you know what an extraordinary place
it is, what a historic place is, it's what a
storied place it is thirty Rock. That was certainly a
(22:55):
grand privilege, and I really really appreciated being able to
work there for so long with so many extraordinary people.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
When you watch Hodah and all the tears and the emotion,
I know you can relate more than most. What are
your thoughts and feelings for her now that you've been
away from it for almost a month. How do you
think she'll deal with it? Because it's going to be
an adjustment, I think so.
Speaker 4 (23:17):
I think everybody goes through there, it's differently. It's a
major change in life. This is something that's been a
huge part of my life for a long time. So
to veer away from that to not completely, because as
you say, the door is open and always will be,
I hope, but to not have a daily role in that,
I think it's going to require an adjustment. I'm not
(23:38):
far enough ahead of her in the process to give
her any terrific advice on this. There's nothing I can
say right now that we give her any guidance or comfort.
But I think she is, as you mentioned earlier, because
she's retiring at the car stepping out, not retiring, I
don't think, but at the top of her game, and
she has other interests she was to pursue. I think
she will whatever she decides to do, she will accept
(24:00):
ellen and she'll spread her wings and have new experiences
and make the turn, make the adjustment one that I
hope to be able to make as well.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
So no regrets, right, Chuck, Oh, I.
Speaker 4 (24:11):
Don't know regrets.
Speaker 1 (24:12):
I've got a few, Okay, Frank Sinatra.
Speaker 4 (24:15):
Yeah, but no, I think it was the right decision
and I'm comfortable with it, and I am curious about
what lies ahead, certainly, And Ellen.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
This is the time where you can really do some
great exciting things. Do you have any plans maybe that
you haven't even shared with Chuck yet.
Speaker 4 (24:33):
I think she might have plans, yes, to share with me.
I'm not quite sure what they are. But no, we've
been talking, and we've been talking about general trus you know,
about perhaps a little more ambitious travel that lies ahead.
Speaker 1 (24:43):
Yeah, you guys love to travel.
Speaker 4 (24:45):
We have to find a place we both agree on.
I suggested Australia. She doesn't want to go to Australia.
So that's where starting with I've never been. Have you
been to Australia?
Speaker 1 (24:54):
No? I hate flying. If I could drive there, I
might go.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
It'll be a tough one.
Speaker 1 (24:58):
Yeah, but Ellen, all that you don't have to worry
about adhering to Chuck's schedule with your plans. That's got
to be so freeing for the both of you. Well,
I was hoping to rent a place in Snow Mass
or go to the Adirondacks for a while. I'm missing
more snow and I haven't gotten a yes for Chuck yet,
(25:19):
but Phoebe is ready to go, and I think George
will go with us. I would love to go to Japan.
I'd love to go to India, a lot of places.
I haven't been that, but I have a filly. Chucks
doesn't want to do all those places.
Speaker 3 (25:34):
We'll see all at once.
Speaker 4 (25:36):
Well we can, you know, we can have a sort
of a check off list.
Speaker 1 (25:39):
Yeah. Is he more relaxed and chilled now than no?
Speaker 3 (25:43):
Not at all.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
Take your time answering that, Allen.
Speaker 4 (25:49):
I'm afraid afraid relaxed and chilled has never described me
very well.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
But it's like the general it's just there's more time
to tell me what I need to do. But he's
very busy doing things himself.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
Well, that's what I love about Chuck.
Speaker 3 (26:03):
Sy.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
People don't know that side of you, but when I
went to visit you at your home in Southampton, Chuck's
got the tool belt on he's you know, in the carpentry,
he's out in the field, he's out on the lawn.
He's a hands on guy.
Speaker 3 (26:15):
He really would be a very good engineer. He can
figure out every broken piece of equipment, every broken furnace
on the property and before the repairman can. So he's
good at that. I don't know if that's where he
wants his future to be.
Speaker 4 (26:32):
I'm gonna want a yeah, a Placid repair store' Oh, Chuck, you're.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
A man's man, man, Yeah, get in there.
Speaker 4 (26:39):
It's all logic, you know. It's the same thing. What
don't we do as journalists? We look into things and
try to figure out how they work, right, yeah, everywhere exactly,
and try to figure out what's really going on. And
that's it's the same thing with with around the house,
the same thing with all the things around you. If
you're if you're curious enough, you'll kind of dive in
and figure out how it works and what makes it tick,
and then you can fix it.
Speaker 1 (27:00):
While this has been so much fun, this is so
great catching up with you, and I can't wait till
our next show to see Ellen what Shock is up
to and where he's at with everything.
Speaker 3 (27:12):
I'm waiting to see that too.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
Yes, And on a final note, anything for our animal
loving audience, any messages you want to share with them
to encourage people to open up their hearts and homes
to these wonderful animals in need.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
Rescue animals are so grateful and so wonderful, and they're
usually very healthy because they aren't a single breed and
they are ready to be loved and taken care of.
And I can't imagine my life without rescue animals. In fact,
I might be without my husband if I have as
many as I would like, but he has drawn the
(27:48):
limit at times. But it's just the most wonderful, rewarding,
joyful part of your life that you can imagine, and
it would be a shame to not take advantage of
that for yourself and for the animals.
Speaker 4 (28:01):
And I'll stick at that. That's so beautiful, That's wonderful.
Speaker 1 (28:04):
Yeah. Oh, thank you both so much. You're amazing people.
Thank you nice to talk, and thank you all for
joining us on this first show of Wrap Aport to
the Rescue for twenty twenty five.
Speaker 4 (28:17):
Let's Talk Pets every week on demand only on Petlife
Radio dot Com.
This is Pet Life Radio. Let's talk Pets.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Wrap Aport to the Rescue with award winning animal advocate,
best selling author, journalist, and pet products creator Jill Rappaport.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Hey, Welcome to Rappaport to the Rescue. I'm Jill Rappaport,
our first show in the new Year, and I want
to wish all of you a very happy and healthy
new Year. And here's to a great twenty twenty five
filled with love, peace, health, happiness and of course, what
do I always say is the most important thing, adoptions.
(00:40):
Make this your year to make a difference for animals
in need who need your help now more than ever. Well,
I certainly have a great show kicking off the new
year today because my guest is one of the most
recognized faces in TV news. He's won an incredible thirty
six Emmy Awards, and he's also one of the first
(01:01):
inductees into the New York State Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame.
Chuck Scarborough has been in the anchorchair in New York
for an incredible fifty impactful years. Did you hear that number?
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Five? Oh fifty?
Speaker 1 (01:14):
And he ended twenty twenty four with one of the
most memorable and heartfelt farewells and TV history along with
his stellar career. What I love about Chuck is he
also happens to be one of the most passionate voices
for animal welfare and together with his equally talented and
beautiful wife Ellen, they have made such a huge impact
(01:35):
for animals in need. So when we come back, the
legend himself, Chuck Scarborough along with his better half Ellen,
will both be joining us on rapaport to the rescue,
So stay tuned.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
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(02:13):
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the neutered cat at give them ten dot org. That's
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Speaker 4 (02:24):
Oh sure, it's all fun and games until someone ends
up in a cone. That's right, we're animals.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Deal with it.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
At Life Radio.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Let's talk pets.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
Let's talk pats. Let's talk pets. Talk Radio, Headline.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
Radio, at light radio dot com.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Welcome back to Rapaport to the Rescue. I'm Joe Rapaport,
and you heard the intro. We have a legend in
the doghouse, the one and only Chuck Scarborough, my dear
friend and his incredible wife. I love you guys so much,
and would you believe we're going on almost five years
since you were last on this show. You were one
of my debut guests back when COVID started in twenty twenty.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
I was hoping to get a notation back. I've waited
year after year, and finally, finally.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
It took a little while, but Chuck, you're so famous.
Even the Empire State Building lit up for you. It
was very hard to get you back until now. But
I have to tell you I am so honored. And
what a year it's been for you. And first month
off in retirement, how has it been.
Speaker 4 (03:34):
Well, it's been very quiet, and we coincided with the holidays,
so it sort of felt like the usual christmasification.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
He's my handyman.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
Yes, I've been a handyman. We won't go too deeply
into that, but we've spent a lot of time at home,
so I really haven't kind of grasped the idea that
I don't have to go anchor broadcasts now that I'm
liberated from the anchordesk if that's the proper term. I
dearly loved it for actually more than half a century,
because I began my television career news eight years before
I arrived in New York in nineteen seventy four, so
(04:03):
it was actually fifty eight years. Yeah, it's a big transition, Jill,
But I'm looking forward to whatever adventurers lae ahead now.
And I've got lots of directions I could I could
go this being one of them. Being on a podcast
with you.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
Well, our audience can't see your faces, but I love
that you're both still smiling and so happy now that
you have him home twenty four to seven, Ellen, that is.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Encouraging, encouraging for whom for all of.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
These years that you've been married. You know, Chuck gets up,
he goes to work, he comes home very late at night,
and you've kind of had this time to yourself and
now you got him around full time.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
Is it a good thing or not? Well, I just
tell him he has to wear a suit every day,
and that voice Hello, Willen welcome.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
To my house.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
It gets a little awkward at night when it's bed time,
but you know, if that's what Evan wants, that's what
she gets.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Well what is that like for you, Chuck? I mean,
you know, you talk about fifty eight years and for
those of you who didn't hear, and I find it
hard to believe that you wouldn't have heard about all
of the celebrations starting last spring when you actually had
your fifty year celebration in the anchorchair there, it was
so unbelievable. The Empire State Building lit up in blue
(05:13):
and gold. There were tributes from celebrities, from politicians, from
officials all over wishing you well. And then you made
this incredible decision recently, literally right before December, that this
was it. You were going to call it quits. Why
why now? Well, the time.
Speaker 4 (05:32):
Seemed about right. The fiftieth anniversary occurred in March, and
we had this over the top kind of two week
thing that you described. It was fun. The company dredged
out all kinds of reports I'd done over the last
fifty years and some of my favorite stories, and we
got to rerun them. And yes, there is this blizzard
of congratulations and happy farewells when you finally decided to go.
(05:55):
But I guess I'm sort of still recovering from that
wild ride that last seven months, because after the fiftieth anniversary,
there were some discussions about whether how much longer I
would stay with the company, and how much longer I
say on the acer desk rankly, I'm still under contract
with NBC, and still, if I choose to do so,
can go in and do some special reports. But for
the meantime, I don't have the tyranny of the acro
(06:18):
desk pinning me there, except when I beg to get
away to go do something which ideally love to do
years past. But just the idea of cutting back after
all these years after I'm eighty one years old now,
and I bomb I thought it was just time to
sort of relax a little bit and spread my wings
a little bit. I've been doing one thing for a
long time.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Jill, do you think he looks eighty one? You know again,
because this is audio.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
If you know Chuck, you know he looks at least
twenty five years younger than he is minimum. And I'm
looking at you now and I'm thinking it's shocking to
think that you're eighty one years old. But I also
believe you look that good because you've done what you
love for the majority of your life, you truly love.
Speaker 4 (06:57):
I think there's a lesson to that. Yes, I think
that if you do something you like, have you really
committed to it and passionate about it. Yes, I think
that that keeps you vital, It keeps you engaged, and
it keeps you probably more youthful. It keeps your brain
working anyway to some extent, and that's rather critical. But yes,
if you can do that, if you can find your
passion and find a way to make that work for you,
(07:20):
I think it does. It does help a great deal
over the long haul.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
Well, you know very few people in this business, and
I really can count them, maybe less than one hand.
And now I have to say you and hoe a
copy who have decided to leave at the top of
their game. That is a privilege and an honor that
very few people get.
Speaker 4 (07:38):
I think the thought was that I better since I'm
thinking about it, since the idea has been put into
my head on I'm thinking about stepping back from the
anchor desk, that I better do it before I start
to fail. Seriously, before I start to become less competent
and embarrass myself at some point. Yes, there are lessons
(07:58):
about that that abound in our society, about people hanging
on too long beyond their appropriate retirement date. I just
think that that was part of the consideration that this.
Although I think probably the top of my game was
several years ago, it wasn't just now. I think I
was still on my game and am still on my
game to a large extent, and that was I think
an appropriate time to step back a little bit and
(08:21):
begin to pull the plug.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
But we were really shocked, and Ellen, I think I
messaged you immediately, I said, please say it isn't so,
because back in March when we had this huge celebration,
nobody even had an idea, thought a hint that you
could be going into this direction of like I'm going
to call it quits you right before the holidays. Was
this something that just came up in the fall. Did
(08:44):
you think about it last March when you hit the
fifty year milestone.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
Yes, I was thinking about it then. The fifty year
milestone was kind of important to me. I wanted to
get there just because that's a big number and a
nice round number and we love round numbers, and so.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
Many people came up to and said I won't ever leave.
Speaker 4 (09:02):
Yes, that was hard, but yes the thought was flitting
around but not fully formulated. At that point. I reached
the fiftieth anniversary, and after that I began thinking about, well,
how much longer do I really want to do this?
And should I really think about, as we were talking
a moment ago, before things start to disintegrate, before I
(09:24):
start to deteriorate with age, maybe I should get out
before I do something in embarrasses myself so or another
thing that embarrasses myself worse. But nothing. There haven't been
embarrassing moments before, which we won't go into, of course,
Joe jil In any of that. That was Yeah, it
was a process, and the process kindly finally came to
a head a couple of several months ago.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
Of course, as we all know how to copy. Just
bid Ado to the Today Show and Andy Cohne says
something very interesting to her on the set the other day.
He said, you know, this is so great. You went
out on your own terms. It was your decision. I
want to check back with you in a month, and
now you are a month out. Was it the right decision?
Speaker 3 (10:05):
Chuck?
Speaker 1 (10:05):
Are you thrilled you did this or do you really
kind of miss that?
Speaker 4 (10:08):
No, I'm not thrilled, not thrilled I did it, But
I can't tell you that it was the wrong decision.
It wasn't a thrilling thing. In fact, I feel sort
of people could gratulate join the retirement. Did you know that?
Don't you feel people when you retire, people cropt you
even congraduate, you say cond graduation you in your retirement.
I think, is it just that you actually didn't get fired,
that you were able to retire?
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Was it?
Speaker 1 (10:29):
What's to you?
Speaker 4 (10:30):
Graduate? You ours? And I guess you achieved it. You
you got there, You survived the entire work life, and
now theoretically have a lot of retirement or ants. I
will figure out after I do a lot of little
things which kind of got swept by the wayside during
my working life, little things around here. I will look
for other things to do, and one of them might
be to become a competitor of Jill Rappiport the Well.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
The difference with you and me is I've had my
shows taken away. I didn't want to say goodbye Unfortunately
for me, it's like, ah, no more show, and I'm
still hoping and working to get that show again. I
don't think I could ever walk away from anything because
I always feel when I get something it was so
hard to get it that I just never want to
let it go. But that's why I'm saying, you are
(11:15):
in this rarefied air, Chuck. Very few people get to
the point in this business at that level and their
career in Ellen, I know you agree with me where
they are at the top and they choose to leave
on their terms. And it's an enviable position that you know.
Even your last day, you're so humble, Chuck, when all
of your co anchors and you had your beautiful grandchildren
(11:38):
on with you, and I could tell you were choked up,
but you know, you do it in the Chuck Scarborough
way with class and dignity. But I could tell it
was very emotional for you.
Speaker 4 (11:49):
Oh it was. There was no doubt about that. It
was that last broadcast was extremely emotional. A lot happened
that I didn't I wasn't expecting. I didn't expect some
of the things that were said. I particular was touched
by both Hoda and Al Roker, who had very nice
things to say, and my grandchildren completely blindsided me. They
(12:09):
went in with my daughter and her husband and they
had said they had lunch in the city. That was
the very day, the day that of the last broadcast.
They had this ruse set up that I did nothing
wrong and they were going to the city to meet
a friend with the kids and all having lunch together.
What they were doing was going to NBC and doing
this little newscast with the two grandchildren by granddaughter seven
(12:29):
of my grandson ten, planting them on the anchored asking
and my daughter Elizabeth had prepared a script for them
about granddaddy.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
And they were so good. I saw future.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
Yeah, that was the first take I've told Actually, they
pulled it off beautifully and they had pictures to support it,
and I had no idea that was going to happen.
So that was that knocked me for a loop on
the broadcast. But I think, just you know, you work
in this business, Jill, and you work with people every
day who you admire, and it's a fairly intimate thing
doing broadcast. Notice, as you know, you get deeply into
(13:02):
the stories with other people you are involved in this
frenetic deadline every day getting broadcasts put together, and there
isn't a lot of time doing that to sip back
and tell people how much you appreciate it. So to
have all of that happen, and for me to have
an opportunity to explain hot to my coworkers how much
(13:23):
I appreciated them and how what an honor it was
to work with them was really it was really emotional.
It was really humbling and very satisfying. It was a
little surprising, frankly, from several the things that were said,
but I did appreciate it all. And I think I'm
probably still coming down from that blizzard of kind thoughts
and farewells, so coming back down to earth. But it's
(13:45):
been a month now, so the eagle should have landed
at this point.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
Well, and now that Ellen has gotten carpenters in there
to widen the doors, right Ellen, First of all, for
our audience listening to this, Ellen is like a super mood.
She's about five eleven, She's absolutely dropped dead gorgeous. She's
as brilliant as she is beautiful, and always stays out.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
Of the limelight.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
You don't like it, Ellen, I've noticed that about you know.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
When people say, are you also in the news business,
Oh Evans.
Speaker 4 (14:15):
No, yeah, but what she does is what you do.
What you're so passionate about two and I as well,
and that's her passion for animals and for animal welfare.
That's right, you guys, the two of you are really
involved in that.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
Well, and you too, Chuck. You know, in the intro
I talked about the fact that the two of you
together have been so powerful for animal welfare. And my
favorite event every year is the Humane Lunche ayas yah yay.
It is the most unbelievable experience. Then every year Chuck
is the host of the event. And you are so passionate,
(14:48):
you and Ellen, what you've done for animals and your rescues.
What is it about these animals that give us back
so much?
Speaker 3 (14:56):
They don't ask for money, and they don't talk back.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
And unconditional love and they never looked at you, go
did you gain a little weight?
Speaker 3 (15:04):
Right?
Speaker 4 (15:05):
They love you no matter what you listen looking at.
We've have Phoebe snoozing on the sofa directly opposite the.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
Dog rescue, your black lab that you actually went quite
a far distance to rescue from Texas.
Speaker 4 (15:19):
Yes, we had to go to Texas to get this
one we had and it was an adventure over the
summer when the Grandchuldren were here. There was a little
gray cat that was found in Central Park and it
was abandoned in Central Park, a little tiny thing.
Speaker 3 (15:31):
Probably balancing on a wire fence in the rain, this
little cat.
Speaker 4 (15:37):
And we'll tell the story about how she was found
and what happened.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
Well, a friend of mine, Sonya Isaac O'Donnell, she's a
real hero for cats in the city, and a friend
of hers, who also rescues cat saw this cat in
the city. She was walking a dog, I don't know
if it was her own dog or someone else's, and
saw this cat teetering on this wire fence, and she
picked up the cat, put her on her shoulder and
(16:02):
continued to walk her dog and walked blocks on blocks
to get to a vet. And this cat just calmly
was there on her shoulder. Can you imagine, and all
the chaos of New York and marched on her shoulder. Yes,
I mean this cat wanted out and was looking for
the first ride. And that's where it started too, you can.
Speaker 4 (16:23):
Well. Ellen got wind of this and she called arf
so asked if ARF would take the little cat in.
The cat needed a home and needed someplace to go.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
And ARF is the animal rescue front of the Hamptons,
and it's just a wonderful organization.
Speaker 4 (16:38):
Yeah, that's the east end of Long Island. So the
ARFs that of course will take the kitty cat in.
And so we had the cat taken from Manhattan to
the east end of Long Island. And Ellen fell in
love with the cat. It was the little kitty cat.
We had to go went to visit the cat.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
It just was so amazed that this cat was so
clever and so resourceful and in the rain to make
herself seen and it worked.
Speaker 4 (17:02):
For what was the name they gave the cat, Celeste Celesti. Yes, Celeste,
the cat has a new name. Now this is where
the story gets interesting. So Ellen decided that we would
foster the key. We have a dog and a cat,
and so with the grandchildren in Southampton, we brought this
little kitty home and everybody was very happy to see
a little kitty, everybody except our dog and cat, who
(17:25):
initially were curious but eventually were absolutely terrified. The dog
is forty eight pounds, our cat's probably fifteen pounds. This
was a little six pound gray kitty.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
And your cat is like a person. I've never met
a cat like George the cat.
Speaker 4 (17:41):
And George was intrigued initially until the first time the
little gray cat swatted him. Then the two of them
bar two animals were petrified of this, this little creature,
and we thought it would would settle down. So it
didn't settle down for the couple of weeks in Southampton.
So now the cat has moved from Southampton to our
house and etiquette and as in the being kept in
(18:03):
the room we're in now, just to acclimate itself and
dynamic doesn't shift. We look when one day we were
sitting here where we are right now, in the sofia
in our library, and we see the little gray cat
is sitting on a chair staring at the door, and
they look at the door which is twenty feet away,
and both our dog and cat are sitting side by side,
(18:24):
backs to the door, looking terrified, wanting nothing but out.
They went out of the room with that other, that
animal in there. So we decide very reluctantly that this
is just not going to work out. We can't just
can't get this cat to integrate into the family. So
my son calls his mother in Florida to cut to
(18:46):
the chase. Here we end up flying the little kiddie
down to live with my ex wife, oh in Florida,
who lives alone in an apartment. She adopted the cat.
So now the catway from Celtil Park to the east
end of Long Island to Southampton to Connecticut and then
to Jacksonville, Florida. And it's now living happily in Jacksonville, Florida.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
And she officially adopted CELESTI.
Speaker 4 (19:11):
You officially adopted Celeste is now Catherine, named Catherine by
our grandson.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
When you consider the beginning and now where she's ended up,
and does your ex wife adore her? Yes?
Speaker 3 (19:23):
And you know what a good sport she was to
take on this who, clearly I don't know, had a
few problems. I think she survived Central Park so that
they're getting along beautifully.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
I can't believe this boy good herd of story is.
This is amazing. But Ellen, on the board of Earth,
and I know you're not just a board member. You
are out there reaching out to people, texting people when
you hear of a disaster situation, urging people to please adopt,
please Foster do whatever you can. You both are really
(19:57):
in the trenches trying to spread the word, aren't you.
Well yes, and the nice thing is that Chuck and
M see so many events that we've done over the
years for thing give them a voice.
Speaker 4 (20:08):
Right, well, yes, but I think you underestimate your contribution,
my sweet Well.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
I know it cracks me up because Ellen comes off
somewhat shy and I always say your personality the way
you look, I mean, get out there, sister, and she's like, no, no,
I'll be in the background. But I actually had the
huge shoes to fill for the Wildlife Rescue when I
was filling in for Chuck's host this summer and following
Chuck Scarborough. Literally you know who needs ozembic. You're nauseous,
(20:35):
you're scared, Chuck, you are a hard act to follow.
I have to tell you, Oh, I think you can
do it, just old Jill, No.
Speaker 4 (20:45):
No, no, job. I've been to many of your events
and we've even co anchored you and I. Some of
these events were wildlife and they need help. You take
a back seat to nobody in that, my dear.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
And that's what I love about both of you, because
it's not just dogs and cats. It's the wildlife and they,
you know, not enough people care exactly.
Speaker 4 (21:03):
Yeah, that place has a lot of difficulty and just
struggles to stay afloat, and it's so necessary. It's the
only place you can go on Long Island on the
east end of Long Island. If you find an injured
animal somewhere, a wild animal, you have any kind of
an issue with wild animals, they're there twenty four to seven,
but they're hanging on by their fingertips financially.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
Ev Lin and Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
And I've called them several times. I've seen a literally
dear hit right in front of me and I call them,
and they are the most wonderful people. They are there
is like within minutes and to comfort that animal, whether
they can save it or even in its last minutes
of life, they will give that animal a warm blanket
and comfort that animal. They're incredible. They're truly doing God's work.
(21:48):
But Chuck, now that you have more free time and Ellen,
now that you have them around more, what's your wish,
what's your hope and dream?
Speaker 4 (21:56):
I haven't formulated that yet. Of course, animal welfare will
always be of the program. That's something that we're both
committed to. But the rest of the time, the time
that I've freed up here has yet to be filled in.
I've got this looking at this, at this void, I've
had this.
Speaker 3 (22:12):
Jill has a few ideas.
Speaker 4 (22:14):
Yeah, so I'm going to be considering options for a while,
and I've got I'm under contract for the next six
months with NBC, so that's a good time to think
about if there's anything else I'd like to do, and
we'll see what happened.
Speaker 1 (22:24):
Well, I am a failing chuck that that six months
would be sixty years. I don't think they'd ever put
an expiration date on anything you'd want to do.
Speaker 4 (22:33):
Probably I didn't. The one thing I didn't do, and
I think properly was the National Broadcasting Company effusively enough
for keeping the employee for the last fifty years. It's
been a marvelous company to work for. And I know
you've been there, and you know what an extraordinary place
it is, what a historic place is, it's what a
storied place it is thirty Rock. That was certainly a
(22:55):
grand privilege, and I really really appreciated being able to
work there for so long with so many extraordinary people.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
When you watch Hodah and all the tears and the emotion,
I know you can relate more than most. What are
your thoughts and feelings for her now that you've been
away from it for almost a month. How do you
think she'll deal with it? Because it's going to be
an adjustment, I think so.
Speaker 4 (23:17):
I think everybody goes through there, it's differently. It's a
major change in life. This is something that's been a
huge part of my life for a long time. So
to veer away from that to not completely, because as
you say, the door is open and always will be,
I hope, but to not have a daily role in that,
I think it's going to require an adjustment. I'm not
(23:38):
far enough ahead of her in the process to give
her any terrific advice on this. There's nothing I can
say right now that we give her any guidance or comfort.
But I think she is, as you mentioned earlier, because
she's retiring at the car stepping out, not retiring, I
don't think, but at the top of her game, and
she has other interests she was to pursue. I think
she will whatever she decides to do, she will accept
(24:00):
ellen and she'll spread her wings and have new experiences
and make the turn, make the adjustment one that I
hope to be able to make as well.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
So no regrets, right, Chuck, Oh, I.
Speaker 4 (24:11):
Don't know regrets.
Speaker 1 (24:12):
I've got a few, Okay, Frank Sinatra.
Speaker 4 (24:15):
Yeah, but no, I think it was the right decision
and I'm comfortable with it, and I am curious about
what lies ahead, certainly, And Ellen.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
This is the time where you can really do some
great exciting things. Do you have any plans maybe that
you haven't even shared with Chuck yet.
Speaker 4 (24:33):
I think she might have plans, yes, to share with me.
I'm not quite sure what they are. But no, we've
been talking, and we've been talking about general trus you know,
about perhaps a little more ambitious travel that lies ahead.
Speaker 1 (24:43):
Yeah, you guys love to travel.
Speaker 4 (24:45):
We have to find a place we both agree on.
I suggested Australia. She doesn't want to go to Australia.
So that's where starting with I've never been. Have you
been to Australia?
Speaker 1 (24:54):
No? I hate flying. If I could drive there, I
might go.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
It'll be a tough one.
Speaker 1 (24:58):
Yeah, but Ellen, all that you don't have to worry
about adhering to Chuck's schedule with your plans. That's got
to be so freeing for the both of you. Well,
I was hoping to rent a place in Snow Mass
or go to the Adirondacks for a while. I'm missing
more snow and I haven't gotten a yes for Chuck yet,
(25:19):
but Phoebe is ready to go, and I think George
will go with us. I would love to go to Japan.
I'd love to go to India, a lot of places.
I haven't been that, but I have a filly. Chucks
doesn't want to do all those places.
Speaker 3 (25:34):
We'll see all at once.
Speaker 4 (25:36):
Well we can, you know, we can have a sort
of a check off list.
Speaker 1 (25:39):
Yeah. Is he more relaxed and chilled now than no?
Speaker 3 (25:43):
Not at all.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
Take your time answering that, Allen.
Speaker 4 (25:49):
I'm afraid afraid relaxed and chilled has never described me
very well.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
But it's like the general it's just there's more time
to tell me what I need to do. But he's
very busy doing things himself.
Speaker 1 (26:01):
Well, that's what I love about Chuck.
Speaker 3 (26:03):
Sy.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
People don't know that side of you, but when I
went to visit you at your home in Southampton, Chuck's
got the tool belt on he's you know, in the carpentry,
he's out in the field, he's out on the lawn.
He's a hands on guy.
Speaker 3 (26:15):
He really would be a very good engineer. He can
figure out every broken piece of equipment, every broken furnace
on the property and before the repairman can. So he's
good at that. I don't know if that's where he
wants his future to be.
Speaker 4 (26:32):
I'm gonna want a yeah, a Placid repair store' Oh, Chuck, you're.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
A man's man, man, Yeah, get in there.
Speaker 4 (26:39):
It's all logic, you know. It's the same thing. What
don't we do as journalists? We look into things and
try to figure out how they work, right, yeah, everywhere exactly,
and try to figure out what's really going on. And
that's it's the same thing with with around the house,
the same thing with all the things around you. If
you're if you're curious enough, you'll kind of dive in
and figure out how it works and what makes it tick,
and then you can fix it.
Speaker 1 (27:00):
While this has been so much fun, this is so
great catching up with you, and I can't wait till
our next show to see Ellen what Shock is up
to and where he's at with everything.
Speaker 3 (27:12):
I'm waiting to see that too.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
Yes, And on a final note, anything for our animal
loving audience, any messages you want to share with them
to encourage people to open up their hearts and homes
to these wonderful animals in need.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
Rescue animals are so grateful and so wonderful, and they're
usually very healthy because they aren't a single breed and
they are ready to be loved and taken care of.
And I can't imagine my life without rescue animals. In fact,
I might be without my husband if I have as
many as I would like, but he has drawn the
(27:48):
limit at times. But it's just the most wonderful, rewarding,
joyful part of your life that you can imagine, and
it would be a shame to not take advantage of
that for yourself and for the animals.
Speaker 4 (28:01):
And I'll stick at that. That's so beautiful, That's wonderful.
Speaker 1 (28:04):
Yeah. Oh, thank you both so much. You're amazing people.
Thank you nice to talk, and thank you all for
joining us on this first show of Wrap Aport to
the Rescue for twenty twenty five.
Speaker 4 (28:17):
Let's Talk Pets every week on demand only on Petlife
Radio dot Com.
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