Celebrity News June 23, 2015
Lester Holt on ‘NBC Nightly News,’ His Wife Carol, and His Talk with Brian Williams, and Making History
Newsman Lester Holt officially took the anchor chair last night at “NBC Nightly News,” and after his first broadcast, he talked to “Extra's” Renée Bargh about taking over at 30 Rock, and the real rock in his life — his wife of 33 years, Carol — and the personal conversation he had with Brian Williams.
Lester said, “Brian said some things publicly, that he and I are friends and this broadcast will be in good hands, and I really appreciate that from him, it's been an awkward time, a difficult time."
Holt's wife and two sons also showed their support by surprising the news anchor on the “Today Show” Monday. Lester revealed the secret to making a happy marriage work is to “laugh.”
“We laugh a lot, we really do. I can be silly, she can be sillier. We just laugh through things and we know that everything, tough times will be a story at some point, and boy have I put her through some tough times with this job,” said Lester.
He continued, “She understands that when the bell rings, I like to answer it, when the big story's going on, I want to be there… I love her to death, she's has been so wonderful, she knows this job is going to bring a lot of late-night phone calls, but she's there for me and that means an awful lot.”
Holt, 56, is making history as the first solo African-American news anchor, but admitted he never defined himself professionally by his race.
“Of course it means a lot, the significance… It's always a wonderful thing that young people, anyone can turn on and see people on TV that may look like themselves or someone in their family or someone they know,” said Holt. “It's important that kids can hopefully be inspired, I'm honored that people are honored by this.”
