Feder: Chet Coppock: In his own words
Truth be told, no one loved talking about Chet Coppock more than Coppock himself. In interviews with me over the years, the unabashed showman revealed himself with remarkable candor and self-awareness, Robert Feder writes.
His death at 70 Wednesday from injuries sustained in a car accident near Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, elicited an outpouring of accolades and anecdotes from countless fans, friends and colleagues.
In his own words, here are some highlights:
On his legacy
I'm the first to tell you, and you can put this on my tombstone: Love me, hate me, but please react to me ... How many people in this town do make people react? There are not too many who do.
On his reputation
I'm not a carve artist. I did not earn my rep in this market by opening up people's gullets and splashing their intestines all over Michigan Avenue. That was never the game. With me, the game was always trying to climb inside the cranium, get to the nerve endings and find out what was making them cook ... Sure I ask tough questions like anyone else does, but I'm doing it in a manner in which it's fair, and I'm not doing it trying to knock the guy's teeth into the street.
Get the full report, and more Chicago media news, at robertfeder.com.