Dan Rather is aware of TV’s over-saturation regarding the 50th anniversary of JFK’s assassination.
But Rather, 82, is also one of the few surviving journalists who witnessed the assassination first-hand. Then a CBS News reporter, he was near Dealey Plaza in Dallas as JFK’s limo sped by, carrying the dying president to Parkland Hospital.
“Initially I was not in favor of doing anything special,” he told reporters Thursday by way of promoting “My Days in Dallas: A Remembrance with Dan Rather,” premiering Monday on AXS TV (8 p.m.). “Later it was pointed out to me the number of people actually in Dallas covering [Kennedy’s visit that day] as journalists when the assassination happened . . . there weren’t that many people alive,” he said. “So it might be interesting and mildly important to get down on record what happened that day . . . and give context and historical perspective to not just the assassination but to the time and place in which it happened.”
Rather was asked if he’s harboring a grudge against his old network, CBS — both sides parted bitterly in 2006 — for omitting him from its anniversary coverage of the assassination.
“I’m at peace. I have my own work and I know my record — and you are what your record is,” he said. “CBS put out a press release which made very clear what the corporate and the head of the news division’s intentions were. . . in effect they’re trying to airbrush me out of my history [there].”
Last, but not least…
Actor Peter Facinelli (the “Twilight” saga, “Nurse Jackie”) will be here next week with Rob DeFranco to sign copies of their new comic book, “Protocol Orphans,” which they co-created. Facinelli and DeFranco will be at Midtown Comics NYC (64 Fulton St.) next Wednesday, Nov. 20 (7:30 p.m.) . . . CBS’ “The Talk” had its best-ever week, averaging nearly 2.9 million viewers for the week ending Nov. 4 . . . “Bluesie,” a song from Margie Balter’s CD (“Music from My Heart: Solo Piano Pieces”) was featured on Thursday night’s episode of ABC’s “Scandal” (Kerry Washington) . . . ID snared a best-ever 1.14 million viewers Tuesday night, led by “Homicide Hunter: Lt. Joe Kenda” . . . 21st Century Fox is a founding partner for the 2014 Special Olympics USA Games (June 14-21) and airing across several Fox TV networks . . . Out on DVD: “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman: The Complete Series” (Dec. 3). Norman Lear’s ’70s-era nighttime soap parody starring Louise Lasser spun off one of my all-time faves, “Fernwood 2 Night,” starring Martin Mull and Fred Willard . . . “Top Chef” Season 5 finalist Jeffrey McInnis and current “TC” contender Janine Booth will be whipping up five-course dinners in the kitchen at Brooklyn’s The Brew Inn (Greenpoint) over the next two weekends.