The mention of Mario Cuomo brought another anecdote to King's mind that he shared. Larry evidently held the ex-governor is the highest esteem and felt he should have been president. Apparently, Cuomo once presented King with a lifetime achievement award for a first generation American. Larry's father was born in Austria, his mother in Russia.

In Cuomo's speech, he fantasized about how a conversation would have unfolded between a TV reporter and his mother, Teresa Cuomo, when she arrived at Ellis Island in the early 20th century. The reporter might have asked about her husband, who had immigrated from Sicily 6 months earlier and taken up residence in NJ without a job, an education or ability to speak English.

His mother might have been asked about her background as well, similar except she'd finished first grade. She might have been asked about her expectations for life in the U.S. with the odds against them. Then she would have proudly responded that she planned to give birth to the future governor of NY! In the same vein, King's accomplishments since his early days growing up the son of a poor, immigrant garment worker, and saloon keeper/defense plant worker are beyond impressive. Before his show on CNN began, he was earning a salary of $200k on the radio.

He started on CNN in June 1985 at Ted Turner's prodding. Initially, Larry was reluctant, not having heard of CNN at the time and not wanting to take on more commitments. At the time he finished his radio show in Miami at 9 PM and was free after that. Doing the TV show, would require him to work after the radio show, so he couldn't go out, go to ballgames, relax or otherwise enjoy his leisure time.

Turner offered King another $200k, so he would double his salary by working the radio and TV shows together. He further demanded an answer by the following day. It seems Turner wanted to get rid of the host of the previous program, whose husband had been instrumental in getting his wife on the air and was also quite a thorn in Turner's side.

Turner offered a 3-year-contract with the option for King to leave after a year if he wanted out. King accepted and Turner was all too happy to break the news to the husband of King's predecessor.

Before his first contract was up for renewal, Larry had an option to entertain other offers. Now a household name and his program a pinnacle of success, King World and ABC were both aggressively courting him and offering about $1.5 and $1.6 million a year respectively.

Both deals sounded great. King World promised to do for him what they did for Oprah and ABC would feature him after Nightline (when he took vacation, Koppel would cover for him and vice versa). Unsure which offer to accept, but sure it would be one of them, King's agent sent their attorney to break the news to Turner.

Upon hearing the unwelcome news, Turner promptly picked up the phone and dialled King at 9 AM on the East Coast, 6AM out west where King was at home asleep in LA. King answered and could hear his attorney in the background telling Turner it was inappropriate and unethical to call. Unmoved, Turner asked King to tell him "Goodbye" himself if he wanted to leave and he'd let him go.

Apparently, the night before Larry had flown into LA and Angie Dickinson, who was dating at the time picked him up. He told her about the offers on the drive back and she asked what he deemed a crucial question: Was he was happy at CNN? He said he was and she suggested he might reconsider leaving.

He took her advice to heart as he didn't have the heart to turn Turner down. Turner made him a deal that if he stayed another year, after that he would match the $1.6 million ABC was offering. Larry was grateful he stayed and learned from that time that if money's your sole motivator for moving, then think twice. If you take the money and things don't work out, you end up angry and bitter. It's better to have at least one or two other reasons besides money to make a move.

King spoke highly of Turner and told a funny story about visiting his massive ranch in Wyoming. Turner took King out in his Range Rover for a ride one night and said he "heard the words that Jews always fear, 'I'm lost!'". By then it had gotten dark and they'd just spotted a herd of bison nearby. It was before cell phones, so there was no one to call and they didn't know what to do. Turner suggested sleeping in the truck until it got light out in the morning.

That didn't sit well with King, who was afraid the buffalo would knock the whole SUV over with them in it. Suddenly, Turner realized he'd won the America's Cup and could use the stars to navigate. He did and they made it back safely in the end.