Celebrity Legacies
In this column, Kaylee writes about different celebrities and the legacies that they left behind.
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Celebrity Legacies: Barbara Walters
Celebrity Legacies: Barbara Walters
By Kaylee Brazzle
By Kaylee Brazzle
Barbara Walters, born Sept. 25, 1929, in Boston, Massachusetts, was a famous TV news journalist, having her own television show called The Barbara Walters Summer Special. Walters was one of the most influential and richest TV news journalists, who specialized in interviewing celebrities.
Walters earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Sarah Lawrence in 1954, and after a short period of time working as a secretary, she landed a job on NBC (The National Broadcasting Company), where she quickly rose to producer and writer. The Encyclopedia of World Biography states, “She also held various writing and public relations jobs, including a stint as a women's program producer at WPIX-TV in New York City. Walters's abilities and experience in research, writing, filming, and editing earned her a job as news and public affairs producer for Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) television”. Later, in 1961, she was hired on NBC as a writer and an occasional on-air feature.
As Walters quickly rose to fame, and was increasingly popular in the media, she started becoming famous from her interviews with many different celebrities. Different celebrities such as Barbra Streisand, Bette Davis, Michael Jackson, Cher and, most importantly, Brooke Shields. In her interviews with all of these different celebrities, some people criticized Walters' interview techniques and thought that she would bash her interviewees and ask them personal and inappropriate questions about their bodies and lives. Brook Shields told the pop culture publication Decider, “The way the press treated us and what was acceptable — whether it’s asking me my measurements on nationwide television, asking me to stand up, Barbara Walters did that and compared herself to me.” Walters took major risks while taking on interviews with these well-known people and some could argue that her views were wrong while others appreciated her aggressive tactics.
As Walters got older, around 2012, Walters' health began to rapidly decline and, in 2017, she was diagnosed with dementia. According to Stylecaster, a fashion beauty and entertainment website, “In the final years of her life, she suffered from memory loss, which is why we haven’t heard or seen from her in a few years.” She felt most alive when she was interviewing people and being on TV but, as her health went in a downward spiral, for the last few remaining years of her life, she was wheelchair-bound. On Dec. 30, 2022, Barbara Walters passed away in her home in Massachusetts at the age of 93.
Barbara Walters, as a famous TV show host, got a lot of media backlash for the absurd questions that she asked. However, she is still one of the most influential journalists of her time. She is someone who will be remembered for her determination and willingness to do whatever it takes to get to the top of the journalistic ladder.
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