Jul 22 2008
Roger Ebert Announces Departure from “At the Movies”
Hum, something weird is going on. Yesterday, I blogged about Richard Roeper leaving “At the Movies with Ebert & Roeper” because a contract could not be reached with Disney-ABC Domestic Television. Right after that, Roger Ebert, who has been on the show for 33 years barring the last few, announced that he too is leaving the show. Of course, as you probably know, Ebert has been off the show since his bout with thyroid cancer in 2006.
This makes me question why Ebert announced he is departing the show. I mean, no disrespect to Roger – I love him dearly, but he hasn’t been on the showin two years. So it seems some symbolic form of solidarity against Disney for the two to both make this announcement on the same day.
Ebert’s statement read, “After 33 years on the air, 23 of them with Disney, the studio has decided to take the program named ‘Siskel & Ebert’ and then ‘Ebert & Roeper’ in a new direction. I will no longer be associated with it.”
The film critic for the Dallas Observer, Robert Wilonsky, said that the show brought “thoughtful conversation” about film and that the arguments “were always spirited, and I hope Disney can find some way to keep that spirit alive without allowing the series to roll its end credits.”
Hum, sounds like Wilonsky is bucking for a job.
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