Carlos Amezcua: Sam Rubin was a giant personality, and my friend

Sam Rubin, the KTLA leisure journalist, died Friday at 64. Rubin turned a fixture of Los Angeles tv after becoming a member of the station in 1991 as a reporter on “KTLA Morning Information.” He labored alongside Carlos Amezcua, a co-anchor of the progressive morning present. In his personal phrases, Amezcua remembers his good friend and longtime colleague.

Sam Rubin was the spark that ignited the success of “KTLA Morning Information.” His passing leaves an enormous void not solely in our hearts but in addition within the Hollywood leisure neighborhood.

He was cherished and even revered in some circles. All who wanted consideration for his or her movies, music, TV reveals and comedy may depend on Sam to be there for them. He had an enormous persona with a delicate contact and was equal components mischievous and stable journalist.

He was all these issues to those that watched and interacted with him, however to me, he was my good friend Sammy. He actually didn’t prefer to be referred to as that any greater than I preferred him calling me Chuck, however such was our relationship. On the air, we carried on with laughter, sarcasm and wild-eyed enthusiasm. He knew what our viewers needed and delivered each single time — he by no means failed, not as soon as.

When he got here to us, Barbara Beck and I had been informed to go simple on this new man they had been bringing in. They needed to attempt him out to be the Hollywood reporter. I don’t know what the bosses had been afraid of, however we had been welcoming and type to this brash younger man, filled with bravado and quirky mannerisms. He sat down, delivered his tales and started to interact us in dialog, which stunned us. That was the start of the magic that Sam Rubin would carry to “KTLA Morning Information.” I cherished his wit, his smarts, his daring method to leisure protection. He was to not be denied!

I started to study what buttons to push and what would set him off. I challenged his film opinions and caught him in a fib every so often. It was sport for Barbara, Mark Kriski and I, and we cherished each minute of it. The present turned a hybrid information and leisure program, not like something Los Angeles or America had seen earlier than.

What I usually say about Sam is that he linked us to Los Angeles. He knew L.A. higher than any of us. He knew the folks, the showbiz gamers and he spoke their language. Sam and I had many spirited conversations about what he was doing, and I informed him we’d all again him up if the bosses ever bought in his approach. To their credit score, the bosses by no means did, and our present turned probably the most profitable applications in L.A. historical past. For greater than 30 years he gave all of it he had. He was unwavering, cheerful, magnanimous and pushed. At 64, he may outwork any reporter half his age.

The final time we had drinks collectively, we had been each a bit melancholy. Time had handed too rapidly, and we talked about all of the stuff we nonetheless needed to do in our outdated age. He was enthusiastic about his household, particularly his youngsters, and we shared tales about our youngsters. He was a really loving man who made everybody round him higher. He cherished his leisure crew, who labored tirelessly to satisfy his artistic and generally kooky concepts.

For me personally, I’ll all the time be grateful that he listened to my suggestion that we promote Latino expertise. Sam invited a younger George Lopez and a parade of Latino actors, writers and musicians who weren’t seen on every other morning present within the nation. My Latino neighborhood cherished him, and I revered his efforts and was grateful that he made all of that occur.

KTLA’s Sam Rubin and Jessica Holmes.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Instances)

The entire morning information crew expertise in these early years was like lightning in a bottle. The every day roll name, because the present began, declared who you’ll see on the present: “Carlos Amezcua, Barbara Beck, Mark Kriski — climate, Sam Rubin — leisure, Eric Spillman, Michele Ruiz and Jennifer York in Skycam5!” What a lineup, what bravado! It took a big and devoted crew to make all of it work, although Sam would sheepishly like to take a lot of the credit score!

There is no such thing as a denying that he was the central catalyst that made “KTLA Morning Information” the powerhouse that it continues to be in the present day. His mark on the published is plain and indeniable. He was an unique, a genius, my colleague, however most of all, he was my pricey good friend. I’ll miss you, Sammy. Relaxation in peace. Love, Chuck.