He wasn't a phony. He was real and genuine. He would not look over your face while pretending to interact with you. A true, class act.
I knew Bob MacKenzie-- not very well, but well enough to have many conversations with him on the phone and a few lunches with him in Jack London Square. I spoke to him a few years ago and that was the last time I had saw him. He helped me out with a feature report on the Fox Oakland Theatre renovation. A friend of mine was involved in the grand opening and Bob did me a favor. He was that kind of guy.
Bob was born and raised in Oakland and went to UC Berkeley. Wrote for TV Guide and the Oakland Trib before heading to television at KTVU in 1978. He would later become their ace commentator and multi-Emmy winner for over thirty years. He was one of the best writers in the biz and his famous bits on "Segment 2" drew the admiration from everyone in the business. Beyond the Bay Area and nationwide, Bob MacKenzie was a renowned artist, a true TV news journalist.
But again, he was a very cool person. In an era when the worst peeps in the biz--even the most talented have egos up the ying-yang and think they are bigger than God, Bob was a far superior performer than most of 'em and beyond that, just a fine human being and a good person.
He will always be remembered as a journalistic giant, not just his TV roots, but newspaper too.
We will all miss him.
100% agreed.
ReplyDeleteA good man. Certainly a gentleman. Well liked around his second home in Dunsmuir. Reminds us of a time before most journalism became superficial nonsense.
ReplyDeleteVery nice tribute RL!
ReplyDeleteA guy devoid of false pretense. A real gem.
ReplyDeleteHe will be sorely missed.
Right on, Rich, they don't "make them" like Bob MacKenzie anymore! Just like Walter Cronkite, someone you could trust! So many of today's "talking heads" could learn a thing or two from him, instead, we're stuck with the likes of Liam "What's the Hell is He Talking About" Mayclem and Henry "Wanta Buy a Watch" Tenenbaum. RIP Bob, just like all the good guys, you left us too soon!
ReplyDeleteI was in graduate school when I won an award from the East Bay Press Club. And who was the emcee of the event? Bob Mackenzie. He was unusually kind and entertaining as well, just a great guy. Rita Williams and Lloyd LaCuesta are in the same mold, have gone out of their way to be nice to everyone.
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