So, yesterday, Larry King announced that he’ll retire from his nightly talk show starting in September. While the timing of his announcement was somewhat surprising, the nature of it wasn’t.

King’s ratings had been in the tank for several years now. The format of his show feels old and dated. And his recent personal problems didn’t help his credibility. Truth be told, he probably should have retired a few years ago.

Still, Larry King will go down as one of the greats of the industry. In the 1980’s and 1990’s he set the bar for interviews. He drove news cycles. He got all the big interviews. He helped make CNN what it is today.

I interned for King during the 1992 Democratic National Convention in New York City.* The experience was incredible. He interviewed names like Al Gore, Jesse Jackson, Bill Bradley, and Jimmy Carter. And, I got to meet them all.

King himself was a little gruff. He expected his coffee to be perfectly brewed with just the right about of creamer and sugar (a concoction that I never quite got down). And, one day he arrived at Madison Square Gardens drenched in sweat. He had walked with a group of protestors from his hotel to the convention site. Since he was wearing his bright dress shirt for the show that night, it was incumbent upon the interns to get him a new dress shirt.

Still, for a small town kid from Texas, the entire experience was eye opening. In fact, it was incredible as I watched history being made both on television and in person… thanks in large part to Larry King. 18 years later, I say thanks to Mr. King once again.

* My choice to intern at the Democratic National Convention wasn’t based on politics. It was based on location. The Republican Convention at year was in Houston in August. Since I grew up in Texas, that location wasn’t as appealing at New York City. And, New York City isn’t nearly as hot at Houston in August!