Osgood, So Good, So Long

My tears fell from 9:00 yesterday morning when Charles Osgood, in his Sunday best, showed up for his last show until he sang, “So Long It’s Been Good to Know Yuh” at the piano a little before 10:30.

Is there a better show than ‘CBS Sunday Morning’ on network television? Is there a classier host?

Between his colleagues’ well-deserved praise, Osgood played the piano and banjo, showed us his family, shared clips from earlier shows, and spoke. He said nothing can’t be improved by making it shorter. And that it’s important to like one’s work. Absolutely! My father used to tell me that. Osgood’s passion for his work is apparent. He’s made Sunday mornings our joy, too.

I love that he plays the piano and banjo. And composes music and rhymes. His family is important to him. Love and work, Freud said. Osgood’s life is balanced.

What gets me most: who he is. Classy, warm, engaging, present. Early on in her career, Meredith Vieira tried to unfurl his bow tie to see if it was fake or real. It came undone. Not fake. Of course not! Charles Osgood’s ties are like him. The real deal.