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Detroit sports anchor Bernie Smilovitz receives ‘lovely, just lovely’ on-air tribute on final day at WDIV

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Detroit sports anchor Bernie Smilovitz receives ‘lovely, just lovely’ on-air tribute on final day at WDIV

There may be no crying in baseball, as the film “A League of Their Own” famously noted. But on WDIV-TV, there were plenty of heartfelt emotions as Local 4 News said goodbye to longtime sports anchor Bernie Smilovitz on Monday night.

In late May, the station officially confirmed that Smilovitz — along with reporters Mara MacDonald and Paula Tutman and business editor Rod Meloni — would be leaving as the result of a voluntary retirement package. The buyout also was taken by numerous off-air employees.

Smilovitz, who cemented his light-hearted style with recurring segments like “Weekend at Bernie’s” and “Bernie’s Bloopers,” joined the station in 1986 and has been a Detroit TV icon ever since except for a brief stint working in New York City in the 1990s.

During the 6 p.m. newscast, Channel 4 anchor Devin Scillian narrated a segment celebrating Smilovitz’s achievement of covering all of the major sports events and delivering the nightly highlights for nearly 40 years and understanding that “after a newscast that could often be filled with news that was hard to take, it was his job to send you away smiling.”

More: WDIV-TV’s Rod Meloni eyes retirement, reflects on decades of business news in Detroit

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The segment also described the heartbreak that Smilovitz endured in 2023 after the sudden death of his wife, Donna Rockwell, and the compassion he received from colleagues and viewers. “Bernie was overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support, but because he’s a pro’s pro, I defy you to find one moment where he allowed his personal torment to accompany him on the air,” said narrator Scillian.

Describing the Channel 4 news team as a family that put its “collective arms around Bernie,” Scillian added: “All of the luckiest families have a comedian at the table, someone to leave you with a smile or a hearty laugh at the end of the day. Bernie did that night after night after night.”

Concluded Scillian: “And how is it only now dawning on me that you have to start ‘Smilovitz’ with a smile.”

A clearly moved Smilovitz called the segment “lovely, just lovely.” He said: “I’ve worked in other places and they’re like, ‘When are you leaving?’ These folks want you to stay and to do whatever it is you do.”

Of his humorous bits, Smilovitz explained, “I think what I did was, I wanted to include everybody in this. I didn’t want anybody left out. I know there are guys that don’t like sports. I know there are women that don’t like sports. But everybody likes that last bit at the end.”

Before the news ended, Smilovitz’s sons, Zach and Jake, joined him on camera. And when Scillian said that the son of two Holocaust survivors “has no choice but to end up being something extraordinary and special,” Smilovitz replied with his trademark light touch.

“You’re way too sweet,” he said. “My parents up above are probably going, “Eh, he wasn’t that special. Try living with him for a few days.”

In late June, Scillian and Gill did similar segments during the 6 p.m. news that celebrated the careers of MacDonald, who joined Channel 4 in 2004, Meloni, who’s been there since 1995, and Tutman, who came on board in 1992.

And in a move that demonstrated the scope of the buyouts, the 6 p.m. newscast ended with a video and photo montage of 20 departing staffers that included Smilovitz, MacDonald, Meloni, Tutman, photojournalist Tim Pamplin (better known as Nightcam) and director of local programming Ro Coppola.

In addition to the 6 p.m. goodbyes, Tutman received a farewell during the 4 p.m. newscast from anchor Karen Drew, who said: “Thank you as a co-worker and as a woman. There’ve been many times that I’ve walked up to your desk and asked your advice. … You have helped me become a better woman and a (better) person. And I’ve shared your wisdom with other young women. And you’re a leader. I really appreciate you. I do.”

As Drew’s voice choked up and she hugged her soon-to-be former colleague, Tutman responded with her trademark humor. “I thought you said no crying!” she quipped.

Contact Detroit Free Press pop culture critic Julie Hinds at jhinds@freepress.com.

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