AUDIO: TRUMP DUMPS TRADITIONAL INAUGURATION ANNOUNCER
President-elect Donald Trump fired a legendary announcer who has been the voice of the inauguration parade for the last 11 presidents. Charles Brotman, 89, had already been preparing for the job, when he learned by email Thursday he’d be benched for the inaugural parade he’s announced since Dwight D. Eisenhower. Brotman, the former voice of the Washington Senators baseball team, said he was “heartbroken” by the Trump team’s decision. “I’ve been doing this for 60 years,” Brotman said. “… I was destroyed.” In his place, Trump has tapped Steve Ray, a 58-year-old Washington based freelance announcer who volunteered for Trump’s campaign. Ray, who had done work for the Washington Nationals, said, “I’m not replacing Charlie. I’m not filling his shoes. I’m really just the guy who’s next, because Charlie is irreplaceable. He’s an absolute legend.”
* Geeze, it’s not like broadcasters to get treated so shabbily in this world.
* So between Carrier, Ford, and Jack Ma, Trump is on track to create over a million new jobs – and eliminating one.
* Was the golden-throated homeless announcer guy not available? Or did he not vote for Trump?
* I know one person who isn’t going to do it: Meryl Streep.
* Of course, she’s overrated anyway.
* If you don’t know, Trump responded to Meryl’s Golden Globe speech bashing him by calling her overrated. Finally, someone who gets it.
* Charles Brotman was “heartbroken” and “destroyed”? That’s even more drama than Meryl Streep brought in her speech.
* You know … come to think of it … Meryl is awesome in a lot of movies, but have you heard her Italian accent in “Bridges of Madison County”? It sounded about as authentic as Forrest Gump.
* If Trump actually was the one who fired this announcer we may have a micro-manager here.
CLIP: From a 2014 interview with Charlie Brotman (this is three years ago, mind you), he describes (in the third person) where he sits during the parade. Let’s all listen and enjoy the big, golden voice of the legendary announcer, Charlie Brotman!
