Everyone likes to see themselves or their professions glamorized in the movies or even television. Many people have commented over time about how they or someone else they knew was just like Archie Bunker, Dr. Huxtable, Mary Tyler Moore, Betty White or J.R. Ewing.

With those sentiments, we note the passing this weekend of Ed Asner, the character that so many knew as Mary Tyler Moore’s (Mary Richards’) boss, Lou Grant, on television and a great television newsman by sitcom standards. Almost weekly, those of us in the news business would get a good chuckle about something he did or said, either because it was so close to being accurate or because it was so far from being believable.

Some people may relate to a harsh, no-nonsense guy who could point out that “you (Mary) got spunk,” only to complete the comment with, “I hate spunk.” He commanded the ultimate in respect from his employee as she would always address him as Mr. Grant, as certain as he was to just casually call her Mary.

The show also had its moments of predicting the future, as the whole cast, including Asner and Moore, were fired from their news jobs and had to move onto future possibilities, just like so many of our colleagues have in the past 20 years in the real news business.

Mary and Mr. Grant landed firmly on their feet, but never lost the identities they had as the principal news people. Was the show close to reality as those at the Eagle know it? Some days, it would seem. Was it totally a farce compared to the complicated life of covering local news? Some days, it would seem.

But it was a show without foul language, without blood and gore and crime. It was life as people in all walks of life experience daily. Lou Grant was an honest character. Lou Grant was a boss with a plan to make the whole company successful and, in turn, help the community.

We like those storylines, and we enjoy the days that resemble them much better than the days revolving around storms, shootings, political fights and pandemics. Goodnight, Mr. Grant. Goodnight, Mary.

— RV