Fox News anchor Neil Cavuto signed off from his “Your World With Neil Cavuto” program for the final time on Thursday after nearly 30 years on the network. Cavuto left the air just as he did every show, with a level of grace, honesty, and professionalism that’s all too rare in today’s hyperpartisan world of politics.
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While reports circulated that Cavuto would make the announcement on Thursday, the veteran anchor waited until the very end of his show to make his announcement — and what an announcement it was. He began:
This is it. The final segment, but today I also wanted to let you know this is my final show. I’m leaving Fox. I’ve been planning this day for some time. This just seemed like a good time. Now, some of you might be thinking, ‘Well, Neil, it’s about time!’ After all, I’ve been doing this for nearly three decades here. You know, there are people working with me now who weren’t even born when I started at Fox — that’s how old I am. But I’m not leaving journalism, I’m just leaving here. But I’m forever grateful to my bosses here.
They have been very good to me these many years and offered a very generous opportunity for me to stay years more. That’s pretty amazing considering the fact that — I don’t know — I might have missed a day or two here and there battling everything for multiple sclerosis and Covid to countless infections, even open heart surgery. Then there were all of those awful series of hang nails, don’t get me started on that one. I might’ve been unlucky in health but very lucky for the support I got here and the things I got to do here because I got to do what I love to do, report the news.
While Cavuto’s various maladies were well known, I never saw him talk about any of them, much less complain.
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And “report the news,” Cavuto did. As he put perfectly put it (emphasis, mine):
Not shout the news. Not blast the news. Not — well, call names, just call balls and strikes, following the news, hold truth to power and fairness to all. That’s it, that’s me.
That’s Cavuto, indeed. He didn’t call names. He didn’t disagree, disagreeably. He let his guests talk, and he didn’t interrupt them. Moreover, he listened.
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While Cavuto might have often been the smartest guy in the room, he didn’t throw his weight around like so many on-air personalities do — on both sides of the political spectrum.
My dad used to tell me, ‘Neil, stay humble because in your case it will come in handy.’ I don’t think [he] would ever imagine my incredible run, but I do think he’d remind me to thank those who made it possible, all of you.
“Humble.” Tick through a list of on-air personalities on any network and see how many truly humble hosts you can come up with. If you’re objective, you’ll be able to count them on one hand.
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‘Let’s Just Say You Kept Me Grounded’
Cavuto continued to thank his audience in a way I’ve seldom seen — if ever.
Let’s say you kept me grounded to. My Irish mom used to say, ‘We should count our blessings and never forget who blessed us.’ In the end, that should be our focus and that is mine tonight. Not all the stuff that divides us or the nastiness that embitters us, but the far more important stuff that unites us and defines us and lifts us. I tried to appeal to those better angels and I’m grateful you get me that chance.
Finally, the end came.
That is why I say goodbye with only good thoughts and good wishes. I hope you have a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful holiday season. May the new year be as fulfilling for you as these nearly 30 incredible years you blessed me. It means a lot, you do, too, thank you and good night.
And there it was.
The end of 28 years of grace, honesty, and professionalism in a world that sorely needs all three.