By Allen Bacon
Editor, The Daily Bosco
Sometimes things happen and then I am reminded that there is a God.
Take the return of Stephanie Edwards to the Rose Parade broadcast for instance.
For the uninformed.... Stephanie Edwards is the vivacious, red-headed ex-newscaster and Lucky Supermarket spokesperson who was unceremoniously dumped from the KTLA broadcast booth for the 2007 Rose Parade in Pasadena. She was relegated to the streets where it was raining that day...after about thirty years of giving us great commentary and color. This was in favor of a younger woman. While other long-time Rose Parade commentator Bob Eubanks (yes the Bob Eubanks of Newlywed Game fame) and the young lady broadcaster Michaela Pereira were comfortable and warm in the booth, Stefanie was getting soaked. Literally and figuratively. And everybody in Southern California was scratching their collective heads and going, "What the Hell?"
The outrage has not stopped from most of Southern Californians since Jan. 1, 2007. She was absent this parade..but starting Jan. 1, 2009 she will be back in the booth at the age of 65 under a new contract.
Channel 5 found out the hard way that we don't take too kindly to ageism. Which is what this case was pure and simple. And...We like our comfort food. We like coming down to the living room on New Years Day morning with our blanket and hot cocoa, flipping on the TV and watching the Rose Parade and hearing the voices of Bob and Stephanie. It looks like we are going to get that pleasure for a few more years.
Stephanie Edwards reportedly signed a two year deal with KTLA for $50,000/year to do the Parade. The same amount Bob Eubanks reportedly gets for the same function.
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