On Monday, I was honored to be recognized by Guild Hall — the world-class museum, performing arts venue, and cultural center in East Hampton. Hamptons local Christie Brinkley introduced me, and I was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award in Media & Communications alongside Carl Bernstein — so I was clearly in good company! In all seriousness, I felt deeply grateful to the Guild Hall Society and wanted to share my remarks from the ceremony.
Good evening, everyone. I don’t know about you, but I think asking Christie Brinkley to introduce me should also qualify me for a Profiles in Courage award. I’ve long admired Christie’s passionate commitment to the many causes she cares about — not only locally but globally, and I’m so grateful to you, Christie, for being here tonight.
First of all, a huge thank you to the Guild Hall Society. I can’t help but think of the original mission of Guild Hall as I accept this award. Thank you for being a centerpiece for art, creativity, and culture — a place where people come to be moved and inspired. A place where ideas are heard, considered, and perhaps debated — a place that’s been doing all that and more for almost a century. To receive a lifetime achievement award from the pulsing intellectual and cultural heart of the Hamptons, and everyone who supports this work, is truly an honor. It’s also particularly meaningful for me to be honored alongside Carl Bernstein, one of the OGs of my generation of journalists — someone who taught so many of us about what it means to speak truth to power.
I became a journalist for two reasons: I love to write. And I’m very nosy.
Ever since I was a little girl, I was asking questions, which I’m sure was at times, exceedingly annoying, especially to my three older siblings. My father, who had been a political reporter for the Macon Telegraph, the Atlanta Constitution, and United Press, witnessed my insatiable curiosity and encouraged me to pursue journalism. He called me irrepressible and said I had moxie.
Not only did my dad send me detailed critiques of the articles I wrote as a reporter for the Cavalier Daily, UVA’s student newspaper, but he also encouraged me to work at Washington, D.C., radio stations during the summer so I could get some real-world experience. Later in my career, he would often call to praise me for interviews I had done — like the time I put White Supremacist David Duke in his place by reading back to him quotes of some of his most racist rants; or when I asked Sarah Palin what magazines and newspapers she read. And my assistant Lauren would shout out, “Your dad’s on the phone!” so he could tell me they’re actually called Canada geese, not Canadian geese. But most importantly, he taught me the values that have been my North Star for my entire life: honesty, fairness, and integrity. So I really have my dad to thank for this award.
I am one of the lucky people who wake up every morning feeling energized and excited about the day ahead. OK, admittedly, there were a few mornings during my TODAY show tenure that I really cursed my alarm clock — and admittedly, the profession I chose wasn’t always easy. After all, as I often say, I got into TV news when “harass” was two words, instead of one. And when critics claimed that I didn’t have the gravitas to anchor an evening newscast, I told them gravitas was actually Latin for testicles.
But for the most part — despite some of the naysayers and obstacles I faced along the way — my career has been a dream. To help people understand the who, what, when, where, and most importantly, the why of the world, has been a privilege and a gift. Today, reporting the truth, in an era when facts have become fungible commodities concocted and manipulated to fit a particular narrative, it’s not just a privilege: It’s essential. In my nearly (gulp!) 50 years of working in the news business, I have never felt a greater sense of purpose. As Carl once said, “You can’t serve the public good without the truth as a bottom line.”
We live in perilous times when expertise is derided, science is refuted, and the Constitution is too often ignored. So much is at stake. I am doing all that I can to be on the right side of history.
While covering the news has been my life’s work, my commitment to cancer research, funding, and awareness has been equally important. From getting a colonoscopy on the TODAY show — because let’s face it, nothing says “good morning” like showing your colon on national television — to co-founding Stand Up to Cancer — which has raised more than 800 million dollars for cancer research — helping the public understand the importance of early detection and supporting lifesaving research is my greatest source of pride. It’s the best way I know to honor my husband Jay, my sister Emily, and countless others I have known and loved who have succumbed to this disease. So taking care of yourselves — getting screened and spreading the word — is honestly the best way you could honor me tonight.
Thank you again for recognizing my so-called body of work. It is truly a thrill. The only problem with this night is that I’m actually old enough to get a lifetime achievement award. I often joke with my husband, John Molner, about being on the “back nine.” He helpfully corrects me and says, more like the back four. Well, wherever I am on the golf course of life, I’m just happy I can keep doing what I love, and being with people like you who care about the world — and each other.
So thank you, thank you, thank you.