| Sue Simmons | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 27, 1943 New York City |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Newscaster |
Susan "Sue" Simmons (born May 27, 1943) has been the lead female news anchor at WNBC television in New York City since 1980.
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Simmons grew up in the New York City neighborhood of Harlem; her father was John Simmons, a renowned jazz bassist whose compatriots included Louis Armstrong, Art Tatum, John Coltrane, Billie Holiday, Benny Goodman and Nat King Cole.[1] Before joining WNBC, Simmons was with WRC-TV in Washington, D.C., from 1976 to 1979, where she co-anchored with Jim Vance. Before her arrival at WRC, she was with WBAL-TV in Baltimore from 1974 to 1976. There, she was an anchor for the station's Action News and Baltimore At One broadcasts. She began her career as a consumer action reporter at WTNH-TV in New Haven, Connecticut.[2]
From 1980 to 2007, she was a co-anchor for Live at Five with several co-anchors, including Jack Cafferty, Tony Guida, Matt Lauer, Dean Shepherd, Jim Rosenfield, Perri Peltz, and David Ushery. In 2007, Live at Five broadcast for the final time.[3] Weeknights at 6 and 11 p.m., she co-anchors with Chuck Scarborough. Chuck and Sue (as they are affectionately known in New York) have been together since Simmons' arrival at WNBC—the longest run for an anchor team in New York television history.[4] She is one of the highest paid anchors in New York, making $2.5 million a year.[5]
Each Groundhog Day, Simmons does an on-air facial impression of a groundhog for fun.[6]
On May 12, 2008, as a live news teaser was played, Simmons was heard angrily asking a co-worker, "The fuck are you doing?!" She later apologized on the air for her inappropriate language.[7] The incident was mocked in several sketches on CBS's Late Show with David Letterman.[8] The incident has been viewed on YouTube over two million times.[9]
In November and December 2010, Simmons was away from her job while she underwent back surgery.[10] She returned on January 3, 2011.[11]