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babylonsister

(171,145 posts)
Sun Jan 14, 2024, 07:56 AM Jan 2024

Pulitzer Prize-Winning TV Critic Tom Shales Dies at Age 79



Pulitzer Prize-Winning TV Critic Tom Shales Dies at Age 79
FAREWELL SPECIAL
In more than 40 years reviewing television, he never pulled his punches.
Edith Olmsted
Breaking News Intern
Updated Jan. 14, 2024 3:58AM EST / Published Jan. 13, 2024 12:32PM EST


Pulitzer Prize-winning television critic Tom Shales died on Saturday in Fairfax County, Virginia. According to his caretaker Victor Herfurth, Shales died after experiencing complications from COVID-19 and renal failure. He was 79.

In 1977, Shales became The Washington Post’s chief television critic, and in 1988 won the Pulitzer Prize for criticism, making him the fourth tv reviewer to win the award. His columns never pulled their punches, but Shales didn’t concern himself with the ire they’d attract from whiny television executives. “People who respect TV are the ones I respect,” he said. “It’s the ones who wipe their feet on it whom I probably write nasty things about.”

The former president of CBS News Bill Leonard once told Time magazine that Shales used “the English language like a sword to punch holes in whatever he feels like punching holes in.”

Shales took a buyout from the Post in 2006, but remained on contract for another four years.

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https://www.thedailybeast.com/pulitzer-prize-winning-tv-critic-for-the-washington-post-tom-shales-dies-at-age-79?ref=home
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Pulitzer Prize-Winning TV Critic Tom Shales Dies at Age 79 (Original Post) babylonsister Jan 2024 OP
... 2naSalit Jan 2024 #1
Damn... 50 Shades Of Blue Jan 2024 #2
I knew him in college mountain grammy Jan 2024 #3
At my newspaper, I had to occasionally copy edit his stuff when it came in on the wire. ificandream Jan 2024 #4

mountain grammy

(26,710 posts)
3. I knew him in college
Sun Jan 14, 2024, 09:58 AM
Jan 2024

Witty guy.I knew someday he’d win a Pulitzer. He was a couple of years ahead of me. Rest in peace Tom.

ificandream

(9,461 posts)
4. At my newspaper, I had to occasionally copy edit his stuff when it came in on the wire.
Sun Jan 14, 2024, 11:01 AM
Jan 2024

Great writer. Glad he never dumb enough to cross over into the Fox dark side like Howard Kurtz did.

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