Amazing, utterly, she really tries amid the slurring to continue using her famous inflections.
hahnd guHN... and it actually works. At the time you would be listening to it saying to yourself, did I just hear her slur? O wait, no she's okay except now what was that sound she just made? O no no she's okay, she ended it perfectly, see?
I remember her. I was 12 years old when she died. I'll never forget that a few days before she died watching her on the television, I heard this voice inside my head that said " She will die in car wreck in a few days, her car will be in a ditch". ) I turned the television off and thought I lost my mind, a few days later I heard the horrible news. FREAKED ME OUT! Still does and I'm 41 now. RIP J.S.
Kinda sad to see this happen to Savitch. I think they wanted to either stage an intervention or fire her because of this. She really, really needed help and before she could get it, she was gone.
Notice how they cut to commercial abruptly and come back after only one 15 second spot. I think the timing messed up because she was sluring and mispronouncing. They had to get so many commercials in according to whatever contract NBC signed. (I think)
I remember watching this that night. A friend and me were like: 'did Jessica... sound a little...odd?'
She did have her demons. We all do. She WAS a NEWS reporter, and, in this ago of ever-increasing 'new readers' (Ugh), she was one of the pioneers. Gotta respect her for that.
It's all from the same tape as was found when I found it, so I didn't get the 9:59 broadcast, I think it was replaced, at least in Portland Oregon, with a local news update.
My best guess is: NBC edited the two broadcasts into one that evening for the West Coast (including Portland). The original - which went out live in east - and which I've seen dozens of times - is horrific , esp. in the second part. Savitch makes absolutely no sense: mumbling something about Pres. Reagan's planned trip to the Philippines "not, not" happening - or something unintelligible like that. At the very end, she looks as though her head is going to sink onto the desk. Sad.
The original live east coast version, which made its way onto the internet about 2 or 3 years ago, seems to have now (sometime in last 9 months or so) vanished from the internet. Perhaps someday it may return. To tell the truth, it's very sad seeing Jessica Savitch in such as state as she was during that infamous broadcast.
For the record: this wan't her last night broadcasting NBC News Digest. She had three weeks left before being killed in a freak car accident in New Hope, PA (Oct. 23, 1983). And, she wan't drunk or on drugs the night she died, as her autopsy later revealed - and she wan't driving the car (the man she was dating at the time was driving).
I'm still 100% sure this isn't the entire 'NBC News Digest' that's so infamous. It appears as though the first half (before the commercial break) may be from her 8:59 PM broadcast (the one where she really blew her lines) and the portion after the commercial break is from her 9:59 PM broadcast (the same evening in early Oct. 1983) in which she had managed to pull herself together. Either that or the entire above video is from her 9:59 broadcast - an hour after the infamous on air meltdown.
@licentia1963 what was her infamous on air meltdown? are you talking about the one where she was angry and saying this is primetime TV folks? was that the same night? this story interests me, i had heard their was a book written about her claiming drug abuse ect you seem to know what the story is can you help me with the truth thanks
No, they're two completely different instances. The "This is Primetime TV folks" clip was never aired; it wasn't an actual broadcast - it was taped when Savitch was 'off-camera' and - most likely - unbeknownst to her. (By the way, I personally think her actions were perfectly justified - imagine if it were a man instead of a woman: No one would blink an eye, most likely.) The so-called "meltdown" was broadcast live during a news capsule.
The "meltdown" took place at 8:59-9:00 PM (EST) live on NBC Monday Oct. 3, 1983. What we see posted above by kwtvads appears to be an edited version showing the first half of the 8:59 broadcast and the last half of the 9:59-10:00 broadcast wherein Savitch was able to pull herself together. The original second half of the 8:59 broadcast (which I've seen dozens of times and seems to have now disappeared completely from the entire internet) is extremely painful to watch.
People, this isn't the infamous broadcast that got her in trouble. That broadcast is currently only viewable on roadode.com. Scroll down in the top section where the jukebox is, and you can watch it.
I really don't understand how this is as bad as everyone makes it out to be. I am pretty sure Ive seen anchors do worse than this today. She has some slur over a few words - mostly only in the beginning, If I didn't read an unsubstantiated book of her drug use, I am certain I would never quest'ion this and I am sure the same would be true for everyone else.
Holy shitballs----don't take no rocket scientist to tell me this lady was seriously high (or low) on some substance!!! I'm sorry that she died so young, but this little clip shows someone with a HUGE problem which she carried to work with her....
I've seen the original - and this isn't it. Odd how the original has disappeared (perhaps NBC made sure of it?) and this edited version has suddenly appeared to take its place.
You must be the only person who has a tape of this from a personal collection. For years all I had ever seen was a cut up version from a bio on Jessica.
@Pin33 Don't know much about his new guitarist, but I read a great article on Lightfoot in a Canadian mag (can't remember which one) where he talked about his past, his family and the aneurysm which almost killed him. He used to play concerts regularly out here and was always on a.m. radio in the 70's-80's. Kinda miss a.m. We no longer have any "oldies" stations on a.m. anymore but have on f.m. The difference is a.m. always played great, old, obscure stuff because the station was old (CFRN).
@rever65 Yeah, AM oldies radio as we knew it has pretty much vanished here, too--the FM oldies stations mix in a little too much disco and early '80s stuff for my liking. It sounds like Gordon Lightfoot went through a truly horrendous time with the aneurysm, and I'm so glad he survived. I planned to see him again this year but it just wasn't in the cards, so maybe next year.
@Pin33 Thanks for the comment. The net has got to be the best and yet worst thing ever invented by man. I'm not a bastard, but sometimes feel a need to get a point across. Good debate, though. Can't always shake my past. I was a psychology student 20 years ago at MacEwan College in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Too bad we didn't live closer. Imagine the debates we could have over fish and chips and a few beers. Maybe we should both put "Sundown" on the stereo and relax a bit. My fingers hurt!
@rever65 "I'm not a bastard, but sometimes feel a need to get a point across." As do I--I think tenacity is important. Do you know much about Carter Lancaster, Gord's new guitarist? Terry Clements was very impressive at the show I saw.
@Pin33 Again, books or no books, video footage or not, one has to walk a mile in that persons shoes to make definitive comments about anyone. My point to you is that you've made some statements based on the opinions of others, with no personal experience with that person to substantiate any of it. Many, including myself, have made knee-jerk comments on various sites on youtube at times and regret it. It's ironic, but these books were both released years after death, and that makes me wonder.
@Pin33 Innocent people can be judged guilty because of your type of mindset. Heresy can be a dangerous thing. You've accused both her and I as being unpleasant and I of "hectoring" (don't google people, it means "bullying") and yet you've never even known us. My first post to you was somewhat sarcastic at one point, but I was neither condescending or mean, nor did I attack you. Remember, YOU e-mailed me and I was just commenting with an open mind. "If you can't stand the heat...
@rever65 I didn't e-mail you; I responded to a publicly posted comment on a publicly posted video, and YouTube notified you that you had a response. This is clearly a very tender issue for you, so much so that you're having trouble distinguishing between legitimately critical comments and flaming. My condolences if you're a relative or friend of Ms. Savitch, but you've been incredibly defensive from the outset. That, too, is an observation (and an accurate one)--not a personal affront.
@rever65 "How about we put an end to all this and just agree to disagree." That sounds good to me; there are few things I enjoy less than verbal knockdown dragouts.
Re Mr. Lightfoot: he's written a ton of good songs over the years. He really seemed to be enjoying himself the night I saw him; both sets were first-rate.
@Pin33 I don't know how much more accurate one could get with "you do this all the time", but anyway. Your comment "those who feel distressed tend toward overly generalized statements" seems to indicate you are professing to know what she was thinking. OK. Remember, books are written to sell, and information can be manipulated. Imagine someone with an agenda and a need for cash writing something about you in a negative light. I'm sure your family and friends would have something to say about it.
@rever65 "I'm sure your family and friends would have something to say about it." And the impulse to defend a loved one is not unreasonable, especially in light of some of the nasty comments here. But the Nash book, in particular, was well researched and I don't remember anyone ever calling its contents into question. At any rate, while some who have commented on the video have an ax to grind, I don't--and I find it hard to understand why they would say those deliberately hurtful things.
@Pin33 Did I accuse you of saying she wasn't human? Think about what you write BEFORE making emotionally charged, bold faced comments about people. You've alleged that she was a "prima donna" with a "vastly inflated sense of self-importance" and an "obviously unpleasant" person. You've accused me of being "unpleasant and hectoring" and yet you have never sat down with either one of us and had a conversation. Have you never endured an endlessly annoying situation and just lost it? Review the vid
@rever65 "Think about what you write BEFORE making emotionally charged, bold faced comments about people." As I'm sure you'll recall, you're the one who got sore--not me. I don't see anything in my first post that could be considered offensive, yet you took offense to it. I made the observation that she was tightly wound and handled the situation less than gracefully--and this is borne out by her co-workers, who remember her as being difficult. And yes, she was described as a prima donna.
@Pin33 You admit Doug has a problem "on that day" and yet you acknowledge the "you do this all the time" bit. Contradictory. That is, no doubt, what made her loose her cool, and IS a typical response of anyone who has had to endure it for a period of time. She was HUMAN. Also, she responds, in an apologetic tone, to the man approaching her desk, "it's not you". Though I've never stated it, you assume I am "a fan". Are you a psychologist? Look in the mirror. There's your "cognitive bias".
@rever65 All we know about the hapless Doug is contained in that one clip. On the other hand, Savitch's history of tantrums is a matter of record. My point about her "you do this all the time" rant is that when people say things like that, it's not a barometer of accuracy. Those who feel distressed tend toward overly generalized statements.
"She was HUMAN." Did I say she wasn't? You're going out of your way to defend an obviously unpleasant person by being unpleasant and hectoring yourself.
@Pin33 You CAN tell from the clip that "Doug" clearly has a problem. Though neither you nor I or anyone else can say for certain, it appears his lateness/disorganization was frequent enough to cause her anger. Her supposed "inflated sense of self-importance" and "tightly wound" demeanor could only be stated if you personally knew her. You can't be certain unless you worked with her. Did you? "Flash-in-the-pan" is somewhat inaccurate considering she was an anchor for several years on NBC.
@rever65 "...'Doug' clearly has a problem." Yes, on *that* day. Savitch's you-do-this-all-the time bit is a typical response from anyone who's angry or under pressure, and there's no way to judge from her reaction whether this was a regular occurrence. Availability heuristic resulting in cognitive bias.
Savitch's instability and flashes of rage are well documented (Alanna Nash, "Golden Girl"; Gwenda Blair, "Almost Golden"). Being a fan doesn't mean you have to defend her every action.
She had her problems but NO ONE can deny that she had that STAR QUALITY that made you take notice and wanna watch her. One video calls her out supposedly having a tirade, But I have to say it sounds as if someone wasn't doing his or her job. Some of the Irabic names she would have to pronounce she did PERFECTLY not like that moron Brian Kilmeade on Fox today who constantly mispronounces a guests name. Jessica sadly had her decline caught on air. But it doesn't represent the whole of her!
It's altered and it's not her last "last-known" appearance on NBC Digest. She died 3 weeks later and appeared many times between 10/3/83 and the time of her death. This is a lie!
Despite the likelihood she was drunk here, and used drugs in her life, those were highly common of that time across society. She was a classy anchor whose career shouldn't be judged on this one broadcast.
She died a horrific death, if anyone dares look it up.
She was great in her prime it is sad what happened to her, anyone saying hateful comments remember that when your mother or sister or a friend dies in an accident you shitheads.
@DancingSpiderman You are right! Jessica was one in a million. She was put through a lot of hell by jealous, vindictive colleagues..she always had to be on her guard, they were tough on her. It's no wonder she had a little "come apart". Not to mention she found her husband dead from suicide. Found him hanging in the basement, and miscarried their child. She had a rough life, and her only peace came in death.
@whatanightmare1 Actually, from what I've read, her death was anything but peaceful. Maybe you meant, in the afterlife. Which is ridiculous as there's no such thing.
@MrFungud Uhmmm...it was simply a figure of speech. Death does bring peace from the world and it's idiots...I mean, iffin I was dead, I wouldn't be sittin' here typin' to yo ass, now would I? Thanks, k, bye!
@classact1010 You're are spot on! The times I watched Tom Brokaw, it seemed like he did not pronounce his words clearly. And poor Jessica. Her eyes did not look good here. I was 13 when she died and was not much of a news-watcher at that age, but I have watched other clips of her broadcasts, and I looks to me like she did a great job of reporting the news.
@classact1010 I know in retrospect this was nothing! But I was alive at the time and it was a HUGE deal back in that era. How the world has changed. Now you would be more popular for it. Loved your comment BTW.
The car accident was confirmed not to have been caused by alcohol or drugs. She died with her dog trapped in the car, upside in sinking mud, whilst water poured in. She was awake, so think on you haters.
@ifudge9 Her date didn't see where he was driving because of the weather and all thre drowned because the vehicle was upside-down. Her beloved dog's ashes were mixed in with hers after their bodies were recovered.
This is spooky because I remember this live. I was only 12 but I remember asking my dad what she had just said, and he had no clue. Wow. That is really, really weird I remember this.
@whalers59 Yes, it's funny how many people saw this and talked about it the next day along with the news of her drowning. I guess lots of people watched their three channels at night, back in the day. It was just a little news brief, but I saw it live too, and remember thinking, "What's up with her?". I was about 22 at the time.
I found a later Jessica Savitch appearance from Tuesday, October 18th 1983 doing another NBC News Digest. Not sure if it is her last appearance on-air or not, but it's 5 days before her untimely death.
It's on our main website - fuzzymemories DOT TV - not the YouTube site, if you're interested.
This video has been altered: It has the original version in the first half (9:00 pm) and the later (10:00 pm) version in the second half. Savitch was able to pull herself together for the second (10:00 pm ) Digest.
I saw this happen live,,, and I thought it was my set and I messed with the volume knob. When that didn't work, I assumed it was me. I actually believed I was so tired my ears weren't working right. I gave up and went to bed. Much later I learned about the scandal.
Her mouth was like that in other clips. Anyway her addictions and personal issues are sad to this day. She was barely coherent here...only enough to read the words on the TelePrompTer, and she couldn't even form those right. Heavy.
I read that she had been in pain from surgery she had and was on major pain killers at the time this was done. If she had been doing cocaine, her looks and presentation would have gone downhill much faster than this. But when you're in the public eye you open yourself up to speculation and rumors. That's the trade-off for all that money and success. A remarkable, under-appreciated woman that opened alot of doors for women in the business.
@falldownhard Yeah it looks like she had dental surgery her mouth is not moving evenly. Its crooked at some points as if she is numb(although cocain will numb what it touches)
this is PAINFUL to watch!!...wow if a person of color went on air high they wouldn't say..."Ohhh she was called in...poor baby"....yeah right..the lynch mob would be out in full force.......just sayin'
@musclenigga09 True, but if she was a person of color, she could have sued NBC for discrimination and wrongful termination and would've had her job back. Instead, since she was white, she simply had to accept the consequences of her choices and pay for them herself instead of making others pay for them for her.
@reymatt76 well as someone who has worked hard since age 7...someone who earned a college degree at age 21 ...um I think I know what discrimination is...you don't believe me...I know
To assess this intelligently, you need to listen to other clips of her. It is striking that she *ALWAYS* slurred her words, albeit not this badly. Also, her general demeanor and posture is unchanged -- it is only the word slurring.
@WellConditioned These videos vary in quality and this one is no exception. There is a pause at 20 seconds that may make her sound as though she is under the influence but neither you nor I can make an unequivocal diagnosis as to her condition. Regardless, in the "Angry Anchor" vid, it appears that the problem with "Doug" was ongoing and that she was justified in her anger. If you notice, she's not ragging on anyone but him, drugs or no drugs.
Okay, so her speech was a bit slurred and she stumbled over her copy - I don't think one can characterize this brief segment as "career-ending." I can feel only pity for this poor woman.
In viewing the "Angry Anchor" vid, it sounds as though Doug, the station manager, had a problem with arriving on time, prep, etc. I'd be pissed too. Try wearing the shoes of those you criticize before you post comments, people. She didn't sound like a bitch. Just someone who was fed up with incompetence.
@rever65 I couldn't agree with you more. I was in broadcast media myself for over two decades, and I know just how she feels. I've had to play "clean up guy" in countless situations because of people who couldn't be bothered to do their friggin' jobs due to laziness, irresponsibility or incompetence.
I wouldn't say "bitch"...but a prima donna with a vastly inflated sense of self-importance, yes. It's impossible to tell from that brief clip what the day-to-day working situation in the newsroom was really like; maybe everybody was just having a bad day. But Savitch didn't come off well.
See "Rod serling Bloopers" here on YouTube for a celebrity of greater stature (as opposed to a tightly wound, flash-in-the-pan news anchor) handling a similarly chaotic situation gracefully.
Tragic. When she and her dinner companion, Martin Fischbein, (pres of New York Post) were leaving Odette's Restaurant in New Hope, P.A., he accidentally drove his car into the canal adjacent to the restaurant's parking lot. Poor visibility due to a rainstorm was the cause. The car ended upside down in just 4 ft. of water, but mud sealed the doors shut. No one saw the accident and it was hours before they were found. Her dog also drowned. She was 36.
@rever65 Yeah, and she was only in a few feet of water, ha! Fitting end to this narcissistic ego driven bitch. Always get a chuckle when I pass the site. Hope Couric takes the same turn someday.
@ccfc73 I need help?? Why, because I spew a little venom back at you pathetic fawners who are pining over a very noxious character from long ago? Why can't this bitch just fade away?
@spagandtuna Yeah, that's exactly why you need help. Chuckling when you know you're passing the site where someone died is not the sign of a healthy individual.
And I'm not pining for Savitch at all. Reached this from somewhere else. I'm actually too young to remember her reading the news. But I do have a problem with the clusterfuck that forum comments (not just YouTube, but all over the Internet) have become due to individuals such as yourself.
@ccfc73 Look. I'm getting bored by having to school you pathetic little moralizers on YT. Make your experience on YT whatever you want it to be and don't go condemning others if they choose to see the humor in content like this. After all, posters (NOT ME) rush to put on the person's most embarrassing moments. They should beware they reap what they sew. So do yourself a favor, go diagnose Uncle Barney or your sister Kate, limit your speculation to the nuts in your own family.
@wheelinthesky300 Of course. Why don't they just bring back fucking Douglas Edwards. Read the fucking news. I don't need or want to know anything about you. (By the way thanks for letting me relive my comments above. They really were good!)
Back then, this kind of performance was rare. Less than a handful of these would get you fired. Her words were a little kitschy, but that's the least of it. I can hear the 'nasal hum', at the end of her sentences (deviated septum), but it's not as bad as Ann Coulter (don't even get me started). As for the eyes....Had someone stuck pennies in the bags under her eyes, they probably would've stayed in place. Her pupils are nowhere. Yep, that's coke. I should know. I kicked it twice, during the 80s.
This is the famous clip of her under drugs that confirmed her downward spiral. NBC had originally tried to destroy any copies of this news digest to avoid further embarrassment.
she's a freakin' pill popper she even used that as an excuse for fucking up so much here. there's also a book & a biography that's right here on youtube that talks about her problems with addiction. you know nothing about this story so stop being all high & mighty and just keep poppin' them pills, corpse lover.
She is not under the influence of anything here, she just plain messed up. I know a book was sold saying she was trashed here but i find that highly unlikely.
If you watched the documentary on her life, which is to the right of this video, you'll find out she WAS in fact under the influence of something. Everybody on YouTube is a know it all. Get facts before posting on threads, people.
So you believe she was under the influence of "something" because you saw it somewhere on YouTube? But you don't know "what" she was under the influence of? What great "facts" you have. "under the influence of something" I'm really jealous of how much wisdom you possess. lolz Her sisters say that is a bunch of drivel, but i guess they didn't know her well enough for your liking.
Look to your right, scroll down a bit & select "Jessica Savitch" (1995) 4 of 5. You probably won't, because you don't want to be proved wrong. Or, if you do watch it, I'm sure you'll have some comment of denial.
What you are referring to is an Exposé that provides no proof of anything. It is hearsay from an author who was trying to sell books at the expense of Jessica. So spare me your gotcha moment because you have no "facts" She just messed up her lines, it happens. I understand simpletons like you need to buy into gossip, but please don't act like you know the "truth" about anything.
@ MaxCady911 Wow! You must be another road scholar.. I'll say to you what i said to the last person who had no proof of Jessica being under the influence, Stop relying on salacious gossip while "attempting" to prove your argument.
I don't know, if it was a male acting like Ms. Savitch, I don't think there would be this issue. You don't get as far as she did without being a total bitch and a perfectionist. Yes, it's OK to be a bitch! I saw the tapes showing her having fits, and I agree with her. She wasn't unreasonable either, not compared to how some of my bosses have acted to me when I messed up. Oh wait, but they were men, so that was OK, right? Sure.
She did alright.Didn't she?
MrCraigblaze 1 week ago
The Earth rotation graphic at the beginning is backwards! It shows the sun setting to the east.
level2789 3 weeks ago
Sealy? Really!
rdmb57 4 weeks ago
This has been flagged as spam show
October 3, 1983 - a coked-up Jessica Savitch tries to deliver the news. Epic fail.
sd31263 4 weeks ago
Comment removed
sd31263 4 weeks ago
Amazing, utterly, she really tries amid the slurring to continue using her famous inflections.
hahnd guHN... and it actually works. At the time you would be listening to it saying to yourself, did I just hear her slur? O wait, no she's okay except now what was that sound she just made? O no no she's okay, she ended it perfectly, see?
THEJET52 1 month ago
I remember her. I was 12 years old when she died. I'll never forget that a few days before she died watching her on the television, I heard this voice inside my head that said " She will die in car wreck in a few days, her car will be in a ditch". ) I turned the television off and thought I lost my mind, a few days later I heard the horrible news. FREAKED ME OUT! Still does and I'm 41 now. RIP J.S.
JEFFFAIRCHILD 1 month ago in playlist Art
Kinda sad to see this happen to Savitch. I think they wanted to either stage an intervention or fire her because of this. She really, really needed help and before she could get it, she was gone.
gazebo46 1 month ago
Notice how they cut to commercial abruptly and come back after only one 15 second spot. I think the timing messed up because she was sluring and mispronouncing. They had to get so many commercials in according to whatever contract NBC signed. (I think)
evangar 2 months ago
@63kraft Yeah, they use the term "terrorist" instead
wolfpacguy 2 months ago
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she was taken out for not being able to say "constitutional"
oatstao 3 months ago
R-I-P J.S. Feb. 1947-Oct. 1983. She brought us GOOD journalism, not this biased Fox News crap we have today.
JesseL85719 3 months ago
@JesseL85719 Biased MSNBC Crap is worse.
puttputtking 3 months ago
@JesseL85719 - She read from a teleprompter. Just like your Kenyan President. That's not journalism.
KickDownDoors 1 month ago
On the "angry anchor" youtube clip, she said "moslem militant." They are not allowed to say that today. That is not PC.
63kraft 4 months ago
I remember watching this that night. A friend and me were like: 'did Jessica... sound a little...odd?'
She did have her demons. We all do. She WAS a NEWS reporter, and, in this ago of ever-increasing 'new readers' (Ugh), she was one of the pioneers. Gotta respect her for that.
uszoninyc 4 months ago
When she said "professional pilots", it sounded like she said, "professional pirates."
mycorolla07 4 months ago
Not the last broadcast, this was about 3 weeks prior to her death. BTW can you say QUAALUDES!!!!!!
git011 5 months ago
@git011 no, it was cocaine
derigible5 4 months ago
Sorry...I aint seeing the problem. This broadcast seems okay to me.
I am holding my 21st Budweiser of today in my right hand.
I raise it on behalf of Jessica Savage.
pbrick6301 5 months ago
It's all from the same tape as was found when I found it, so I didn't get the 9:59 broadcast, I think it was replaced, at least in Portland Oregon, with a local news update.
kwvtads 5 months ago
@kwvtads
My best guess is: NBC edited the two broadcasts into one that evening for the West Coast (including Portland). The original - which went out live in east - and which I've seen dozens of times - is horrific , esp. in the second part. Savitch makes absolutely no sense: mumbling something about Pres. Reagan's planned trip to the Philippines "not, not" happening - or something unintelligible like that. At the very end, she looks as though her head is going to sink onto the desk. Sad.
licentia1963 5 months ago
@kwvtads
The original live east coast version, which made its way onto the internet about 2 or 3 years ago, seems to have now (sometime in last 9 months or so) vanished from the internet. Perhaps someday it may return. To tell the truth, it's very sad seeing Jessica Savitch in such as state as she was during that infamous broadcast.
licentia1963 5 months ago
For the record: this wan't her last night broadcasting NBC News Digest. She had three weeks left before being killed in a freak car accident in New Hope, PA (Oct. 23, 1983). And, she wan't drunk or on drugs the night she died, as her autopsy later revealed - and she wan't driving the car (the man she was dating at the time was driving).
licentia1963 5 months ago
I'm still 100% sure this isn't the entire 'NBC News Digest' that's so infamous. It appears as though the first half (before the commercial break) may be from her 8:59 PM broadcast (the one where she really blew her lines) and the portion after the commercial break is from her 9:59 PM broadcast (the same evening in early Oct. 1983) in which she had managed to pull herself together. Either that or the entire above video is from her 9:59 broadcast - an hour after the infamous on air meltdown.
licentia1963 5 months ago
@licentia1963 what was her infamous on air meltdown? are you talking about the one where she was angry and saying this is primetime TV folks? was that the same night? this story interests me, i had heard their was a book written about her claiming drug abuse ect you seem to know what the story is can you help me with the truth thanks
kylas124 5 months ago
@kylas124
No, they're two completely different instances. The "This is Primetime TV folks" clip was never aired; it wasn't an actual broadcast - it was taped when Savitch was 'off-camera' and - most likely - unbeknownst to her. (By the way, I personally think her actions were perfectly justified - imagine if it were a man instead of a woman: No one would blink an eye, most likely.) The so-called "meltdown" was broadcast live during a news capsule.
licentia1963 5 months ago
@kylas124
The "meltdown" took place at 8:59-9:00 PM (EST) live on NBC Monday Oct. 3, 1983. What we see posted above by kwtvads appears to be an edited version showing the first half of the 8:59 broadcast and the last half of the 9:59-10:00 broadcast wherein Savitch was able to pull herself together. The original second half of the 8:59 broadcast (which I've seen dozens of times and seems to have now disappeared completely from the entire internet) is extremely painful to watch.
licentia1963 5 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
She seems drunk...was she drunk when she drove off the road after signing off from this broadcast?
mypalrocco 5 months ago
She seems drunk...was she drunk when she drove off the road after signing off from this broadcast?
mypalrocco 5 months ago
People, this isn't the infamous broadcast that got her in trouble. That broadcast is currently only viewable on roadode.com. Scroll down in the top section where the jukebox is, and you can watch it.
WaitingtoHit 5 months ago
@WaitingtoHit Apologies...I just compared the two, and they are identical. I wish YouTube would bring back the option to delete useless comments...
WaitingtoHit 5 months ago
They cremated her with her dog Chewy. God bless them. She was beautiful, whol thing was tragic.
psychoannalist1 6 months ago
All I have to say is this she aged a LOT from the 1979 clip to this-something aged her 15 yrs in only 4 years
srando761 6 months ago
@srando761 Indeed, that looks more like a 56 year old woman than a 36 year old.
helikestv 4 months ago 2
@helikestv Well, I'm 37 and people tell me I still look like a 20 year old. Bless her heart, she had a hard life, and short life.
mycorolla07 4 months ago
THIS IS PRIME TIME TELEVISION FOLKS.
TheFirstClassedFreak 6 months ago 2
Like a milder female version of Foster Brooks...
HeRacesTheSun 6 months ago
I really don't understand how this is as bad as everyone makes it out to be. I am pretty sure Ive seen anchors do worse than this today. She has some slur over a few words - mostly only in the beginning, If I didn't read an unsubstantiated book of her drug use, I am certain I would never quest'ion this and I am sure the same would be true for everyone else.
MarkHayes75 6 months ago
Was she having a stroke?
pongespob 7 months ago
Holy shitballs----don't take no rocket scientist to tell me this lady was seriously high (or low) on some substance!!! I'm sorry that she died so young, but this little clip shows someone with a HUGE problem which she carried to work with her....
staceyrsteele 7 months ago
The broadcast wherein Jessica Savitch infamously slurred her words and ran over time wasn't aired during Johnny Carson's 21st anniversary.
licentia1963 8 months ago
@licentia1963 - I don't know why this wouldn't be it, it's on a tape marked "Johnny Carson 21st anniversary" which is from 1983.
kwvtads 8 months ago
I've seen the original - and this isn't it. Odd how the original has disappeared (perhaps NBC made sure of it?) and this edited version has suddenly appeared to take its place.
licentia1963 8 months ago
LOL she can't feel her tongue or her lips..Inside of her nose is all frozen as well.
CRAIGARRR 8 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
talentless jewish bitch
chrissblack22 9 months ago
That cocaine is some goooood sh*t, eh Jes?
Uaohio 9 months ago
Why do people's voices sound so different when commentating the news compared to nowadays? The tone or inflection ??
Abriggs500 9 months ago
That woman is very obviously tweaked.
liamtz 9 months ago
You must be the only person who has a tape of this from a personal collection. For years all I had ever seen was a cut up version from a bio on Jessica.
celdu224 10 months ago
@Pin33 Don't know much about his new guitarist, but I read a great article on Lightfoot in a Canadian mag (can't remember which one) where he talked about his past, his family and the aneurysm which almost killed him. He used to play concerts regularly out here and was always on a.m. radio in the 70's-80's. Kinda miss a.m. We no longer have any "oldies" stations on a.m. anymore but have on f.m. The difference is a.m. always played great, old, obscure stuff because the station was old (CFRN).
rever65 10 months ago
@rever65 Yeah, AM oldies radio as we knew it has pretty much vanished here, too--the FM oldies stations mix in a little too much disco and early '80s stuff for my liking. It sounds like Gordon Lightfoot went through a truly horrendous time with the aneurysm, and I'm so glad he survived. I planned to see him again this year but it just wasn't in the cards, so maybe next year.
Pin33 10 months ago
@Pin33 Thanks for the comment. The net has got to be the best and yet worst thing ever invented by man. I'm not a bastard, but sometimes feel a need to get a point across. Good debate, though. Can't always shake my past. I was a psychology student 20 years ago at MacEwan College in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Too bad we didn't live closer. Imagine the debates we could have over fish and chips and a few beers. Maybe we should both put "Sundown" on the stereo and relax a bit. My fingers hurt!
rever65 10 months ago
@rever65 "I'm not a bastard, but sometimes feel a need to get a point across." As do I--I think tenacity is important. Do you know much about Carter Lancaster, Gord's new guitarist? Terry Clements was very impressive at the show I saw.
Pin33 10 months ago
@Pin33 Again, books or no books, video footage or not, one has to walk a mile in that persons shoes to make definitive comments about anyone. My point to you is that you've made some statements based on the opinions of others, with no personal experience with that person to substantiate any of it. Many, including myself, have made knee-jerk comments on various sites on youtube at times and regret it. It's ironic, but these books were both released years after death, and that makes me wonder.
rever65 10 months ago
@Pin33 Innocent people can be judged guilty because of your type of mindset. Heresy can be a dangerous thing. You've accused both her and I as being unpleasant and I of "hectoring" (don't google people, it means "bullying") and yet you've never even known us. My first post to you was somewhat sarcastic at one point, but I was neither condescending or mean, nor did I attack you. Remember, YOU e-mailed me and I was just commenting with an open mind. "If you can't stand the heat...
rever65 10 months ago
@rever65 I didn't e-mail you; I responded to a publicly posted comment on a publicly posted video, and YouTube notified you that you had a response. This is clearly a very tender issue for you, so much so that you're having trouble distinguishing between legitimately critical comments and flaming. My condolences if you're a relative or friend of Ms. Savitch, but you've been incredibly defensive from the outset. That, too, is an observation (and an accurate one)--not a personal affront.
Pin33 10 months ago
@Pin33 How 'bout we put an end to all this and just agree to disagree. By the way, I like Gordon Lightfoot.
rever65 10 months ago
@rever65 "How about we put an end to all this and just agree to disagree." That sounds good to me; there are few things I enjoy less than verbal knockdown dragouts.
Re Mr. Lightfoot: he's written a ton of good songs over the years. He really seemed to be enjoying himself the night I saw him; both sets were first-rate.
Pin33 10 months ago
@Pin33 I don't know how much more accurate one could get with "you do this all the time", but anyway. Your comment "those who feel distressed tend toward overly generalized statements" seems to indicate you are professing to know what she was thinking. OK. Remember, books are written to sell, and information can be manipulated. Imagine someone with an agenda and a need for cash writing something about you in a negative light. I'm sure your family and friends would have something to say about it.
rever65 10 months ago
@rever65 "I'm sure your family and friends would have something to say about it." And the impulse to defend a loved one is not unreasonable, especially in light of some of the nasty comments here. But the Nash book, in particular, was well researched and I don't remember anyone ever calling its contents into question. At any rate, while some who have commented on the video have an ax to grind, I don't--and I find it hard to understand why they would say those deliberately hurtful things.
Pin33 10 months ago
@Pin33 Did I accuse you of saying she wasn't human? Think about what you write BEFORE making emotionally charged, bold faced comments about people. You've alleged that she was a "prima donna" with a "vastly inflated sense of self-importance" and an "obviously unpleasant" person. You've accused me of being "unpleasant and hectoring" and yet you have never sat down with either one of us and had a conversation. Have you never endured an endlessly annoying situation and just lost it? Review the vid
rever65 10 months ago
@rever65 "Think about what you write BEFORE making emotionally charged, bold faced comments about people." As I'm sure you'll recall, you're the one who got sore--not me. I don't see anything in my first post that could be considered offensive, yet you took offense to it. I made the observation that she was tightly wound and handled the situation less than gracefully--and this is borne out by her co-workers, who remember her as being difficult. And yes, she was described as a prima donna.
Pin33 10 months ago
@Pin33 You admit Doug has a problem "on that day" and yet you acknowledge the "you do this all the time" bit. Contradictory. That is, no doubt, what made her loose her cool, and IS a typical response of anyone who has had to endure it for a period of time. She was HUMAN. Also, she responds, in an apologetic tone, to the man approaching her desk, "it's not you". Though I've never stated it, you assume I am "a fan". Are you a psychologist? Look in the mirror. There's your "cognitive bias".
rever65 10 months ago
@rever65 All we know about the hapless Doug is contained in that one clip. On the other hand, Savitch's history of tantrums is a matter of record. My point about her "you do this all the time" rant is that when people say things like that, it's not a barometer of accuracy. Those who feel distressed tend toward overly generalized statements.
"She was HUMAN." Did I say she wasn't? You're going out of your way to defend an obviously unpleasant person by being unpleasant and hectoring yourself.
Pin33 10 months ago
@Pin33 You CAN tell from the clip that "Doug" clearly has a problem. Though neither you nor I or anyone else can say for certain, it appears his lateness/disorganization was frequent enough to cause her anger. Her supposed "inflated sense of self-importance" and "tightly wound" demeanor could only be stated if you personally knew her. You can't be certain unless you worked with her. Did you? "Flash-in-the-pan" is somewhat inaccurate considering she was an anchor for several years on NBC.
rever65 10 months ago
@rever65 "...'Doug' clearly has a problem." Yes, on *that* day. Savitch's you-do-this-all-the time bit is a typical response from anyone who's angry or under pressure, and there's no way to judge from her reaction whether this was a regular occurrence. Availability heuristic resulting in cognitive bias.
Savitch's instability and flashes of rage are well documented (Alanna Nash, "Golden Girl"; Gwenda Blair, "Almost Golden"). Being a fan doesn't mean you have to defend her every action.
Pin33 10 months ago
She had her problems but NO ONE can deny that she had that STAR QUALITY that made you take notice and wanna watch her. One video calls her out supposedly having a tirade, But I have to say it sounds as if someone wasn't doing his or her job. Some of the Irabic names she would have to pronounce she did PERFECTLY not like that moron Brian Kilmeade on Fox today who constantly mispronounces a guests name. Jessica sadly had her decline caught on air. But it doesn't represent the whole of her!
exonian1 10 months ago
we are all human.. she was a lovely lady and I enjoyed watching her... she had that special something that made u take notice.
1212matt 10 months ago
It's altered and it's not her last "last-known" appearance on NBC Digest. She died 3 weeks later and appeared many times between 10/3/83 and the time of her death. This is a lie!
licentia1963 11 months ago
Jessica sounds quite normal for today's news info-lady. They ALL sound that way nowadays.
DancingSpiderman 11 months ago
Sounds like Jess should have skipped that fourth martini.
Uaohio 11 months ago
Despite the likelihood she was drunk here, and used drugs in her life, those were highly common of that time across society. She was a classy anchor whose career shouldn't be judged on this one broadcast.
She died a horrific death, if anyone dares look it up.
zenmachinefilms 11 months ago
Seems much more like the effects of alcohol than cocaine. Perhaps a fine combination?
beowulven 11 months ago
Wow! How awkward! I could barely understand anything she said! I wonder if this performance might have been a career breaker for her. Poor lady!
chinagrrl 11 months ago
Was this a stroke like Serene Branson's?
manofsteelbuns 11 months ago
She was great in her prime it is sad what happened to her, anyone saying hateful comments remember that when your mother or sister or a friend dies in an accident you shitheads.
DA90027 11 months ago
They fired her for mimicking Tom Brokaw?
classact1010 1 year ago 22
@classact1010 No. Tom Brokaw does NOT sound like Jessica Savitch.
Tom Brokaw sounds like Billionaire Thurston Howell the 3rd, without Lovey.
Jessica Savitch sounds like some tight New Yorker lady.
Man, I really miss Ms.Savitch. She made the national news interesting. RIP Jessica.
DancingSpiderman 9 months ago 2
@DancingSpiderman You are right! Jessica was one in a million. She was put through a lot of hell by jealous, vindictive colleagues..she always had to be on her guard, they were tough on her. It's no wonder she had a little "come apart". Not to mention she found her husband dead from suicide. Found him hanging in the basement, and miscarried their child. She had a rough life, and her only peace came in death.
whatanightmare1 9 months ago 4
@whatanightmare1 Yes. One in a million.
RIP Jessica Savitch.
DancingSpiderman 9 months ago
@whatanightmare1 Actually, from what I've read, her death was anything but peaceful. Maybe you meant, in the afterlife. Which is ridiculous as there's no such thing.
MrFungud 2 weeks ago
@MrFungud Uhmmm...it was simply a figure of speech. Death does bring peace from the world and it's idiots...I mean, iffin I was dead, I wouldn't be sittin' here typin' to yo ass, now would I? Thanks, k, bye!
whatanightmare1 2 weeks ago
@DancingSpiderman Exactly. He's a mushmouth, he sounds intoxicated and ridiculous. Jessica's great
classact1010 8 months ago
@classact1010
HA !!!
:-)
JubalCalif 7 months ago
@classact1010 You're are spot on! The times I watched Tom Brokaw, it seemed like he did not pronounce his words clearly. And poor Jessica. Her eyes did not look good here. I was 13 when she died and was not much of a news-watcher at that age, but I have watched other clips of her broadcasts, and I looks to me like she did a great job of reporting the news.
brooke050870 4 months ago
@classact1010 I meant, YOU ARE spot on!
brooke050870 4 months ago
@classact1010 I know in retrospect this was nothing! But I was alive at the time and it was a HUGE deal back in that era. How the world has changed. Now you would be more popular for it. Loved your comment BTW.
calalilygirl 4 months ago
@classact1010 She was never fired.
JesseL85719 3 months ago
@jazzscherzo ...This was near the end, she was struggling with problems and needed help. She did not sound like this normally or on other braodcasts
ifudge9 1 year ago
RIP Jessica. The world misses you.
don417 1 year ago 2
@bigfatAMERCANbastard Yup, maybe today, lol! Not back in 1983! That mattress is so beat up now a little mess won't matter.
whattheheck1000 1 year ago
The car accident was confirmed not to have been caused by alcohol or drugs. She died with her dog trapped in the car, upside in sinking mud, whilst water poured in. She was awake, so think on you haters.
ifudge9 1 year ago 3
@ifudge9 Her date didn't see where he was driving because of the weather and all thre drowned because the vehicle was upside-down. Her beloved dog's ashes were mixed in with hers after their bodies were recovered.
bluenail03 1 year ago
why do you think its called dope...you dope...
darrylhaynes 1 year ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Crazy old broad. Better off dead.
UnseenCaller 1 year ago
Utterly appalling. To one who realized such success she sure frittered it away on drugs and alcohol.
Sodnal 1 year ago
This is spooky because I remember this live. I was only 12 but I remember asking my dad what she had just said, and he had no clue. Wow. That is really, really weird I remember this.
whalers59 1 year ago
@whalers59 Yes, it's funny how many people saw this and talked about it the next day along with the news of her drowning. I guess lots of people watched their three channels at night, back in the day. It was just a little news brief, but I saw it live too, and remember thinking, "What's up with her?". I was about 22 at the time.
dmaRules 1 year ago
If you listen to how Jessica sounded all the time, this is less dramatic than it at first appears.
7beers 1 year ago
I found a later Jessica Savitch appearance from Tuesday, October 18th 1983 doing another NBC News Digest. Not sure if it is her last appearance on-air or not, but it's 5 days before her untimely death.
It's on our main website - fuzzymemories DOT TV - not the YouTube site, if you're interested.
FuzzyMemoriesTV 1 year ago
This video has been altered: It has the original version in the first half (9:00 pm) and the later (10:00 pm) version in the second half. Savitch was able to pull herself together for the second (10:00 pm ) Digest.
licentia1963 1 year ago
@licentia1963 No, it hasn't. I just taped it right as it was on the tape it was on.
kwvtads 1 year ago 3
I saw this happen live,,, and I thought it was my set and I messed with the volume knob. When that didn't work, I assumed it was me. I actually believed I was so tired my ears weren't working right. I gave up and went to bed. Much later I learned about the scandal.
Hammerlix 1 year ago
She doesn't even seem drunk. It might've been some other sedative available in the early 80s, like quaalude, or a muscle relaxer.
jaybone23 1 year ago
@jaybone23 It was cocaine.
dp6876 1 year ago
Her mouth was like that in other clips. Anyway her addictions and personal issues are sad to this day. She was barely coherent here...only enough to read the words on the TelePrompTer, and she couldn't even form those right. Heavy.
The7MISSFITS 1 year ago 2
damn shame the way she died. she was a good news anchorwoman, and she got treated like shit, i guess.
mochafiend1 1 year ago
I read that she had been in pain from surgery she had and was on major pain killers at the time this was done. If she had been doing cocaine, her looks and presentation would have gone downhill much faster than this. But when you're in the public eye you open yourself up to speculation and rumors. That's the trade-off for all that money and success. A remarkable, under-appreciated woman that opened alot of doors for women in the business.
falldownhard 1 year ago 2
@falldownhard Yeah it looks like she had dental surgery her mouth is not moving evenly. Its crooked at some points as if she is numb(although cocain will numb what it touches)
itsjustme2919 1 year ago
WoW,was she stoned or what!
amapunker76 1 year ago
She's obviously drunk or fucked up on pills. I remember her. I was about 14 when she died. It's too bad. No one deserved to die that way.
MsMercury 1 year ago 2
@hucklebuckle1990 I don't feel bad fro her.
She doesn't jsut look like a car wreck.
She literally became one.
wheelinthesky300 1 year ago
@TheAltoQueen If you are a top paid newsreader, that's not a bad life.
She was a bitch.
wheelinthesky300 1 year ago
I remember her.
And form what I understand, nobody shed a tear when she croaked.
A miserable, miserable, woman.
wheelinthesky300 1 year ago
How did you get the full video?
zapjaste 1 year ago
this is PAINFUL to watch!!...wow if a person of color went on air high they wouldn't say..."Ohhh she was called in...poor baby"....yeah right..the lynch mob would be out in full force.......just sayin'
musclenigga09 1 year ago
Comment removed
reymatt76 1 year ago
@musclenigga09 True, but if she was a person of color, she could have sued NBC for discrimination and wrongful termination and would've had her job back. Instead, since she was white, she simply had to accept the consequences of her choices and pay for them herself instead of making others pay for them for her.
reymatt76 1 year ago
@reymatt76 well as someone who has worked hard since age 7...someone who earned a college degree at age 21 ...um I think I know what discrimination is...you don't believe me...I know
musclenigga09 1 year ago
drunk beeeyach....you betta work girl...LOL!!!!
musclenigga09 1 year ago
Something was wrong with her.
MommieDearest67 1 year ago
@MommieDearest67 She was a bitch, and all coked up.
Other than that, she was fine.
wheelinthesky300 1 year ago
To assess this intelligently, you need to listen to other clips of her. It is striking that she *ALWAYS* slurred her words, albeit not this badly. Also, her general demeanor and posture is unchanged -- it is only the word slurring.
7beers 1 year ago
Networks seem to love those 'Barbara-Wa-Wa' voices. Add drugs, and you get a mouth full of marbles...
forcedRcon 1 year ago 2
@WellConditioned These videos vary in quality and this one is no exception. There is a pause at 20 seconds that may make her sound as though she is under the influence but neither you nor I can make an unequivocal diagnosis as to her condition. Regardless, in the "Angry Anchor" vid, it appears that the problem with "Doug" was ongoing and that she was justified in her anger. If you notice, she's not ragging on anyone but him, drugs or no drugs.
rever65 1 year ago
Okay, so her speech was a bit slurred and she stumbled over her copy - I don't think one can characterize this brief segment as "career-ending." I can feel only pity for this poor woman.
dumont1957 1 year ago
@dumont1957 Actually, NBC was about to run her out of town.
wheelinthesky300 1 year ago
In viewing the "Angry Anchor" vid, it sounds as though Doug, the station manager, had a problem with arriving on time, prep, etc. I'd be pissed too. Try wearing the shoes of those you criticize before you post comments, people. She didn't sound like a bitch. Just someone who was fed up with incompetence.
rever65 1 year ago 19
Point taken, but she is obviously obliviated here with drugs/alcohol at no fault of Doug.
WellConditioned 1 year ago
@WellConditioned hahaha, "obliviated"? hahaha, just hahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
IAmIsNigh 1 year ago
@rever65 I couldn't agree with you more. I was in broadcast media myself for over two decades, and I know just how she feels. I've had to play "clean up guy" in countless situations because of people who couldn't be bothered to do their friggin' jobs due to laziness, irresponsibility or incompetence.
wannawatchu66 1 year ago
@rever65
I wouldn't say "bitch"...but a prima donna with a vastly inflated sense of self-importance, yes. It's impossible to tell from that brief clip what the day-to-day working situation in the newsroom was really like; maybe everybody was just having a bad day. But Savitch didn't come off well.
See "Rod serling Bloopers" here on YouTube for a celebrity of greater stature (as opposed to a tightly wound, flash-in-the-pan news anchor) handling a similarly chaotic situation gracefully.
Pin33 10 months ago
Tragic. When she and her dinner companion, Martin Fischbein, (pres of New York Post) were leaving Odette's Restaurant in New Hope, P.A., he accidentally drove his car into the canal adjacent to the restaurant's parking lot. Poor visibility due to a rainstorm was the cause. The car ended upside down in just 4 ft. of water, but mud sealed the doors shut. No one saw the accident and it was hours before they were found. Her dog also drowned. She was 36.
rever65 1 year ago
@rever65 Yeah, and she was only in a few feet of water, ha! Fitting end to this narcissistic ego driven bitch. Always get a chuckle when I pass the site. Hope Couric takes the same turn someday.
spagandtuna 1 year ago
@spagandtuna: Dude, you need professional help. Seriously.
ccfc73 1 year ago
@ccfc73 I need help?? Why, because I spew a little venom back at you pathetic fawners who are pining over a very noxious character from long ago? Why can't this bitch just fade away?
spagandtuna 1 year ago
@spagandtuna Yeah, that's exactly why you need help. Chuckling when you know you're passing the site where someone died is not the sign of a healthy individual.
And I'm not pining for Savitch at all. Reached this from somewhere else. I'm actually too young to remember her reading the news. But I do have a problem with the clusterfuck that forum comments (not just YouTube, but all over the Internet) have become due to individuals such as yourself.
ccfc73 1 year ago
@ccfc73 Look. I'm getting bored by having to school you pathetic little moralizers on YT. Make your experience on YT whatever you want it to be and don't go condemning others if they choose to see the humor in content like this. After all, posters (NOT ME) rush to put on the person's most embarrassing moments. They should beware they reap what they sew. So do yourself a favor, go diagnose Uncle Barney or your sister Kate, limit your speculation to the nuts in your own family.
spagandtuna 1 year ago
@spagandtuna Unfortunately, she gave rise to the present generation of ego driven, narcissistic bitches.
Jesus Christ, they're multiplying.
wheelinthesky300 1 year ago
@wheelinthesky300 Of course. Why don't they just bring back fucking Douglas Edwards. Read the fucking news. I don't need or want to know anything about you. (By the way thanks for letting me relive my comments above. They really were good!)
spagandtuna 1 year ago
it sounds like cotton is in her mouth.
sanyo51 1 year ago
was she drunk?
roger6060 1 year ago
Back then, this kind of performance was rare. Less than a handful of these would get you fired. Her words were a little kitschy, but that's the least of it. I can hear the 'nasal hum', at the end of her sentences (deviated septum), but it's not as bad as Ann Coulter (don't even get me started). As for the eyes....Had someone stuck pennies in the bags under her eyes, they probably would've stayed in place. Her pupils are nowhere. Yep, that's coke. I should know. I kicked it twice, during the 80s.
knoxunflower1 1 year ago
I couldn't have said it better myself.
WellConditioned 1 year ago
Why is every body saying she was a pillpoper ,Its Known fact she was a coke fiend
brickchruch 1 year ago
This is the famous clip of her under drugs that confirmed her downward spiral. NBC had originally tried to destroy any copies of this news digest to avoid further embarrassment.
Scorpion1054 1 year ago
This wouldn't even get noticed today, with hundreds of TV channels, the internet, and the general video bombardment.
She sounds like she had dental surgery that day, and the novocaine had not worn off..
Compared to NBC News Easter 1979 video, it's sad how it shows the decline.
I remember Jessica Savitch...
m120105m 1 year ago 14
@m120105m I know this would be nothing today---if anything she'd have become more popular for it. What a difference 27 years can make.
calalilygirl 1 year ago 3
She looks TERRIBLE. She used to be so pretty.
rjharris1960 2 years ago 2
This has been flagged as spam show
yeah she's ugly as fuck.
MaxCady911 2 years ago
@rjharris1960 Her declining looks were reflecting her personality.
wheelinthesky300 1 year ago
This was nothing compared to what we see today.
calalilygirl 2 years ago
she's a freakin' pill popper she even used that as an excuse for fucking up so much here. there's also a book & a biography that's right here on youtube that talks about her problems with addiction. you know nothing about this story so stop being all high & mighty and just keep poppin' them pills, corpse lover.
MaxCady911 2 years ago
MaxCady911, Please spare me the "=" drivel. Jessica had a brilliant career.. unlike your career as a troll.
TheRealAlekHidell 2 years ago 3
This comment has received too many negative votes show
what about your career as a pill popper & a corpse lover does my career beat yours?
MaxCady911 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
jessica savitch = pill popping bitch
MaxCady911 2 years ago
Comment removed
TheRealAlekHidell 2 years ago
TheRealAlekHidell = pill popping bitch
MaxCady911 2 years ago
She is not under the influence of anything here, she just plain messed up. I know a book was sold saying she was trashed here but i find that highly unlikely.
TheRealAlekHidell 2 years ago
If you watched the documentary on her life, which is to the right of this video, you'll find out she WAS in fact under the influence of something. Everybody on YouTube is a know it all. Get facts before posting on threads, people.
klwewf 2 years ago
So you believe she was under the influence of "something" because you saw it somewhere on YouTube? But you don't know "what" she was under the influence of? What great "facts" you have. "under the influence of something" I'm really jealous of how much wisdom you possess. lolz Her sisters say that is a bunch of drivel, but i guess they didn't know her well enough for your liking.
TheRealAlekHidell 2 years ago
Look to your right, scroll down a bit & select "Jessica Savitch" (1995) 4 of 5. You probably won't, because you don't want to be proved wrong. Or, if you do watch it, I'm sure you'll have some comment of denial.
klwewf 2 years ago
What you are referring to is an Exposé that provides no proof of anything. It is hearsay from an author who was trying to sell books at the expense of Jessica. So spare me your gotcha moment because you have no "facts" She just messed up her lines, it happens. I understand simpletons like you need to buy into gossip, but please don't act like you know the "truth" about anything.
TheRealAlekHidell 2 years ago
bitch is on oxy! hahahaha
MaxCady911 2 years ago
@ MaxCady911 Wow! You must be another road scholar.. I'll say to you what i said to the last person who had no proof of Jessica being under the influence, Stop relying on salacious gossip while "attempting" to prove your argument.
TheRealAlekHidell 2 years ago
she's fucked up dude, it's so obvious. who needs proof to see that/ you sound like you're in love with her or something. pathetic dead fucker.
MaxCady911 2 years ago
So i was right you ARE a road scholar! LMAO
Who needs proof? That's always a great way to prove a point. &...."pathetic dead fucker" ???
Do you mean to say a Necrophealiac?
Look.. i'm just sticking up for a woman who cannot defend herself while you trolls on YouTube try & besmirch her reputation.
TheRealAlekHidell 2 years ago
stop trying to act all high and mighty, probably a pillhead yourself. go od and drown.
MaxCady911 2 years ago
@MaxCady911 You're the one.
calalilygirl 1 year ago
@MaxCady911 that wasn't popular then
calalilygirl 2 years ago
@MaxCady911 Dead wrong. Again.
calalilygirl 1 year ago
Sympathy?
Ha! I don't wish a drowning death upon anyone, but Miss Savitch was a royal _____ on the set, bossing people around and demanding perfection.
And then she did this. I detest people who believe everyone else is idiotic, and they are perfect.
I love when these people screw up. The reaction to Savitch mess-up was cruel, yes, but no different than how SHE treated her own colleaques.
harleykman 2 years ago
I don't know, if it was a male acting like Ms. Savitch, I don't think there would be this issue. You don't get as far as she did without being a total bitch and a perfectionist. Yes, it's OK to be a bitch! I saw the tapes showing her having fits, and I agree with her. She wasn't unreasonable either, not compared to how some of my bosses have acted to me when I messed up. Oh wait, but they were men, so that was OK, right? Sure.
reymatt76 2 years ago