Andy Rooney, age 92, is leaving 60 Minutes. Why is that important? That starts with my history – I am 38 years old. Andy Rooney has been on 60 minutes for 23 years. I remember watching 60 minutes with my parents and enjoying his little bits at the end of the show. My mother adored those little bits. What always got me was the fact that lots of people hated those little bits – I have no idea why. Perhaps it was how Andy was pointing out the obvious, sometimes that can get annoying to people. Oddly enough when other people point out the obvious they are exhaulted like some form of a deity – take John Madden for instance. When was the last time that guy said anything of value in a football game? We know John – to win you do have to get the most points. Thanks buddy.

So why is it amazing for one person to state the obvious when another is lambasted for doing the same thing? Is it topic based? Maybe. Back to John Madden – it isn’t like every single week John talked about a different topic – no – John only ever talked about football – the sport that he was a successful coach in. Maybe that is the difference. John is remembered for being a great coach and thus no matter what he says about football people act as if he is spouting gospel. This leads us to beg the question – what the hell has Andy Rooney done – prior to 60 minutes anyway?

Andy Rooney was, is, and will remain always, a writer. He wrote everything. TV shows. Commentaries. Most of all? Essays. For 60 minutes alone Andy Rooney has written 1097 essays – and you were whining about having to write three essays in the same class in college. Granted Andy gets to write about stuff that he likes – and with any luck his audience enjoyed as well. It was said that Andy Rooney is an “American Original” – an icon. I agree. The odd thing with that is Andy Rooney never really tried to be liked, loved, or hated. He just tried to inform and entertain. His sometimes witty perspective made take just a moment, and to ourselves, say “hmmm? Yeah really.”

In his own words:

Thanks Andy. You will be missed. Mom loved you.