The legendary Chris Wallace, age 77 and apparently just getting warmed up, is saying “See ya!” to CNN after his three-year contract wrapped up. And guess what? He’s more than a little hyped about it.
“It’s the first time in 55 years I don’t have a job waiting for me. I feel like I just got my high school diploma and someone handed me a surfboard,” Chris told The Daily Beast. Yes, he said he feels liberated—a word not typically used by people about to enter their 78th year, but hey, Wallace is ready for his next chapter, even if he doesn’t know what in the world it’ll be.
Now, before you imagine Chris as a beach bum with flip-flops and a sunset backdrop, he’s already got his eyes set on the streaming and podcasting realms. Yep, he’s thinking “Why not go head-to-head with the likes of Joe Rogan and Charlamagne tha God?” And in case you’re thinking, “Chris, have you lost your newsman mind?”—he says, “Not knowing is part of the thrill.” So yes, expect anything. Chris Wallace might soon be reporting the news while whipping up recipes on a podcast or narrating true crime—the sky’s the limit.
CNN, meanwhile, is over here like, “Chris, are you sure about this?” They did everything short of chaining him to the studio desk to keep him, with CEO Mark Thompson singing his praises: “Chris Wallace is a legend with a résumé longer than most novels. He’s been everywhere—radio, TV, cable, streaming. You name it, he’s done it. We’re grateful for his dedication and brilliance.”
Will Chris go full podcaster? Start a streaming show where he takes cooking lessons from celebrities? The world waits with bated breath, and Chris Wallace just might be on the verge of his boldest adventure yet.
