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Profile Art Linkletter's age won't be mentioned in this headline By David Moye May 29, 2006 San Diego--Today is a pretty good one for TV pioneer Art Linkletter. Then again, he feels every day he reads the paper and doesn’t see his name in the obituary column is a good day. Even better, he says, is being able to read the obituary column without needing glasses.
For instance, even though Linkletter has just finished writing the book, he says the key to remaining vital is “promoting it—because writing is just the beginning. If no one reads it, what’s the point?” That doesn’t mean Linkletter isn’t proud of his past. He holds a unique place in pop culture for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is being the first (and possibly only) person to be featured on five different TV shows at the same time. Linkletter also coined the phrase “Kids Say The Darnedest Things,” which has been revived countless times in books and on TV. In fact, last year he reissued his 1957 best seller, “Kids Say the Darnedest Things” and didn’t have to change a single word because he discovered, “Kids between the ages of 4 and 10 are still the same as they were 50 years ago. They don’t want to eat their oatmeal or would like to get rid of their little sister. It’s the teenagers who’ve changed.” Linkletter is also the creator of the popular board game The Game Of Life and admits his grandchildren are impressed that he’s featured on that game’s $100,000 bill. But the credit that impresses his grandkids the most may be his appearance in a Bugs Bunny cartoon spoofing his old series, People Are Funny. Still, these days, the one thing that comes up time and time again is how youthful he remains despite being in his 90s. In fact, he rarely reads an article about him that doesn’t use his age as an adjective, such as “94-year-old Art Linkletter." He says the age-as-an-adjective started when he turned 80 and says that was also the year that he realized he was getting old and wondered if that meant he had to quit surfing, skiing or skating. As he puts it, “Looking at 94 when you’re 80 is a lot longer than when you’re 94 looking at 80.” Despite that brief mid-life crisis, Linkletter kept doing what he loved – except for skiing. Linkletter quit that last year after his wife told him she feared he might get run over by snowboarders. Linkletter hopes that his new book inspires those young whippersnappers who are only 70 to “reFIRE, not retire” and points out that there is a lot to live for – and a lot longer time to do it. “When I was born, the average life expectancy was 47. Now it’s 77. Yet we have Americans who are more afraid of growing old than dying. In fact, they did a survey and the average American said they’d like to be 85.” Linkletter says the key to growing old gracefully is to keep your dreams alive. As proof, he admits he still holds out hope to eventually fulfill his longtime dream “to be alone with Sophia Loren in a cave.” -------------------- David Moye is a fifth generation resident of San Diego county and has the same birthday as Reggie Bush--but none of the athletic ability. Suggested Vyuz reading... What it's like to be straight in Hillcrest | By Leopard J. Ferry San Diego Mayor talks corruption and the Strong Mayor form of government | By Larry Knowles Steve York, UCSD pornographer, chooses law over porn | By Larry Knowles The bare facts about Brazilian waxing | By Romina Cleary A look inside Imperial Beach border patrol | By Larry Knowles A serial networker walks among us | By April Labine-Katko |
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