Famous broadcast journalist Connie Chung surfaced about backstage drama with several of her former colleagues, including Diane Sawyer and Barbara Walters, in a new podcast interview.
Chung, who anchored at several prominent outlets such as ABC, CBC, CNN and NBC before retiring in 2006, leaked a bunch of secrets this week on the Los Angeles Magazines podcast ‘The Originals’.
Among the most striking was his description of working with Sawyer and Walters on ABC, which he said “doesn’t look like what Tonya Harding did to Nancy Kerrigan.”
The 74-year-old, who has been married to talk show host Maury Povich since 1984, also revealed her flirtatious relationship with David Letterman:
Chung surfaced backstage drama with several of his former teammates, including Diane Sawyer and Barbara Walters, in a new podcast interview
Chung (right) appears with Diane Sawyer (left) and Barbara Walters (second left) in 1998
Chung described her flirtatious relationship with David Letterman, saying, “I had this thing for him, and he had something for me.” She is seen as a guest on Letterman’s 1989 show
Chung also described an ice cream exchange with Hugh Grant when he made a cameo on HBO’s The Undoing. “He wasn’t very kind,” Chung said of Grant (pictured in the show)
Chung began his career as a Washington correspondent for CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite in the 1970s before becoming an NBC morning news presenter in 1984.
He returned to CBS five years later and joined Dan Rather in anchoring Evening News, an experience he mentioned in his podcast interview.
Chung described Rather as “a very Texas gentleman” before comparing his partner to a 1960 horror film, adding, “If I turned my back, I felt like I might be in a Psycho scene in the shower “.
Chung and Rather separated in 1995, after which she moved to ABC News as a reporter during 20/20.
Chung is seen with CBS News co-presenter Dan Rather in the 1990s. Before comparing his partner to a 1960 horror film, he described Rather as “a very Texas gentleman,” adding, “If I turned my back, I felt like I might be in a Psycho scene in the shower.” “.
Explaining the transition to podcast host Andrew Goldman, Chung said, “When I got to ABC News, I teamed up with Barbara Walters and Diane Sawyer there and thought,‘ Oh, it’s going to be great. They will be three women who get along well. ”
But things didn’t go as well as she had hoped.
“Diane and Barbara were in the same field trying to get these big interviews,” Chung said.
So when I tried to go after them, they told me I couldn’t. That Barbara and Diane were the only ones who could compete for the interview and I had to stop. And I said, “Really?”
Chung then compared the behavior of Sawyer and Walter to that of figure skater Tonya Harding, who was accused of planning an attack on her rival Nancy Kerrigan before the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics.
A Walter representative responded to Chung’s comment in a statement to TMZ, saying, “Barbara paved the way for all the women journalists who came after her. She has been a tremendous supporter for all women.”
Chung and Walters smile together at an American Women in Radio and Television event
Tonya Harding (left) was accused of planning an attack on rival Nancy Kerrigan (right) before the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics.
Chung had nicer things to say about Letterman, whose show appeared several times.
“Out of the air, it’s dark,” he said of the comedian. He’s kind of dark and unhappy, I don’t mean he’s unhappy. It is what is antisocial.
Chung recognized a chemistry between her and Letterman, calling it inexplicable.
“I love people who have a sense of humor and who are charming, and that was when I was on the air,” she said.
Chung has been married to talk show host Maury Povich since 1984. The couple appeared together in 2003
In more recent news, Chung lifted the lid off his cameo in the HBO drama The Undoing, revealing an unpleasant interaction with lead actor Hugh Grant.
“He wasn’t very kind,” Chung said of Grant.
“I had interviewed him right after ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’ for his next film. So when I saw him, I said, ‘Oh hello. I interviewed you … do you remember? “And he said,” No. “
Chung said he got on a nerve with Grant and director Susanne Bier when he tried to give advice to the actor on set.
When Hugh Grant sat down, everything looked wrinkled. He’s one of those ruined British fellows, ”he said.“ His tie was stretched and I’m very OCD. So I said, “Hugh, straighten your tie.” And go and fix it.
And then there was a neck out of the dress. And I said, “Hugh, fix this.” And then he looked like Rodney Dangerfield. It should sit on the back, like “Broadcast News,” on the back of the jacket, so it’s nice and tidy. ”
Chung said he was about to give Grant another piece of advice when he tossed, “Now what?” – as Bier gave him “an evil eye”.