I no longer work at News 4 New York, but I enjoyed serving stories for anchorwoman Sue Simmons when I was a field producer there.
Simmons was one of the jovial members of the team, constantly poking fun at herself and everyone else on the set. She liked to laugh. So it's no surprise that many viewers may remember a Groundhog Day impersonation (which can be viewed here).
Sue was a solid anchorwoman who would suggest story ideas from time to time. While at News4, I covered lots of stories. One of the most memorable ones was a short walk from the newsroom to Radio City, where I had the pleasure of listening on stage and then interviewing a young up-and-coming singer. He then became a popular crooner. The late Luther Vandross, whose birthday just passed. on April 20th. https://youtu.be/wmDxJrggie8?s
WNBC-TV 4 enjoyed the greatest and most talented anchor team ever assembled. Chuck, Sue, Jack, Anna, Ralph, John, Frank, Marv, Frank…etc.
Sue was a genuine NY news legend and a Wonder Woman in local television's cut-throat, take-no-prisoners world. Sue was the nighttime news anchor for NBC's Owned and Operated leading station WNBC and had been for nearly 33 years as one of the most popular and therefore paid local news anchors in the country making $5 million a year.
Toppers at the station refused to renew her contract, which meant that Simmons was taken off the air for good, The peacock fired her after she dropped an F-bomb. Although she apologized it was not acceptable.
.https://youtu.be/IyQ7ViHL4Xc?si=SA9329knGbqYwSG7
She was let go and Sue Simmons was absent from the airwaves that were bare and never to be seen on their air again.
https://youtu.be/Nx3Lc5EUpKE?si=D9DjRpoQX4bWVMZf
We miss you silly Sue, as my daughters while little fans used to call you. Meanwhile, Sue's co-anchor, Chuck Scarborough's contract was renewed. The two were both 68 years old at the time. Chuck was not replaced on the station's 11 pm broadcast until August 2020. He remained as the anchor of the station's 6 pm broadcast. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/25/nyregion/chuck-scarborough-50-years-…
It's unclear what Sue has been up to in recent years, but she's been enjoying retirement. Here is a video of her 2018 induction into the Gold & Silver Circle. She was inducted by Chuck Scarborough. You can watch it here.
"The thing about retirement is every day is Saturday, but I watch the news with nostalgia," she said in that 2018 induction. "Then I think thank god I don't have to do that anymore. How did I have all of that energy?" Simmons turned 82.