Rivera's Edge

Mr. Infotainment retools for the 90s

Vanities

Trash TV's founding father, Geraldo Rivera has skillfully surfed the O.J. tidal wave to a major comeback. Now, as self-appointed ringmaster of the JonBenet Ramsey follies, Rivera can expect several more months of ratings glory for his CNBC and syndicated shows, GEORGE WAYNE catches up with Rivera between tapings to rehash the highs and lows of his roller-coaster career.

George Wayne:Your career in television spans 27years and counting. How are you feeling these days?

Geraldo Rivera: It's funny, I remember endorsing the "Live fast, die young with a beautiful corpse" philosophy 25 years ago. I'm sort of embarrassed to still be around at 53, going strong, because it's so unlikely.

As Marty Berman—my longtime executive producer—has said, I've always done everything wrong. I've always stayed out late, played too hard, worked too hard— and yet I'm thriving.

G.W.What about your accomplishments?

G.R. I think surviving at a certain level of achievement is a huge accomplishment. I'm very proud of a lot of the work I've done. I'm embarrassed by a lot of it, too. But I've done more right than wrong.

G.W.You have WABC New York to thank.

G.R. That's where it started. I was a notorious lawyer working with the Young Lords— the Puerto Rican equivalent of the Black Panthers, and I insisted that they take me on as their counsel, and they did. I was on TV as their spokesman, and someone from WABC saw me and said, "We're gonna make you a star."

G.W.Geraldo's first scoop was the Zapruder iJ film. Is that what put you on the map as a premier agent provocateur?

G.R. My first big story was the Zapruder footage shown for the first time ever on national TV in 1975. And raising the possibility of a conspiracy to kill the 35th president. My Elvis story in 1979 was the biggest story on 20/20.

G.W.Why were you firedfrom ABC [in 1985]?

G.R. I went up against Roone Arledge, the most formidable, wicked inside fighter in the news business. I was disloyal. I publicly lambasted [Roone], who had been my biggest supporter. He killed a story about the relationship between the Kennedy brothers and Marilyn Monroe. I complained bitterly about it. I went public to People magazine, and he said good-bye.

G.W.That skinhead melee on your show in 1988, in which your nose was broken, was trash TV at its nadir.

G.R. That was very spontaneous, and very violent. On one hand, I was the cover of Newsweek the same week George Bush was elected president. On the other hand, the negatives are so heavy I can barely carry them today.

G.W.People often ask me if I think you had an affair with Denise Brown. Once when I was on your set, I couldn't help but notice the sexualfrisson between you. So, did you?

G.R. No, I did not. I'm a flirt, George. You've probably seen that frisson with others as well. G.W. I have to say, I often find myself dumbstruck whenever I catch sight of your gluteus maximus. You have the tightest buns of any 50-year-old man I've ever seen.

G.R.[Laughs.] My mother says that is my best feature.

G.W.How many Emmys do you have on your mantle, Geraldo?

G.R. I have 10. G.W.Do you pack heat? G.R. From time to time. G.W.So you own a gun?

G.R. I own several guns. I got the guns in the 1980s when there were a lot of kidnappings, and I kept the guns on board my boat, mostly.

G.W.People often say Geraldo not only wants to report the story, he wants to be the story...

G.R. That is probably one of the reasons people think I was having an affair with Denise Brown or Faye Resnick. I do live my stories.

G.W.Lately you've been screaming about a particular network for not giving you the respect you think you deserve.

G.R. Yes, NBC. My career has been like a roller coaster. Now I'm on one of the upswings, enjoying a grudging acceptance I haven't seen in a while. Being one of the wise men of my generation is my goal now. If I can just kind of keep a lid on all of the volcanic aspects of my life, I have an opportunity.

G.W.One last question. The JonBenet Ramsey murder mystery—do you think Daddy did it?

G.R. I believe either Daddy did it and Mom is covering up for him or vice versa.

G.W.It's a twisted world out there, Geraldo. You keep letting them have it!