RIP Dick Oliver: New York Reporter And Star Of An All-Time Classic Viral Video

NYDN- Award-winning journalist Dick Oliver, a former Daily News copyboy who held several posts on the tabloid’s masthead before moving to radio and television, died Friday. He was 77. The Queens native was an old school presence in the Daily News newsroom of yore, inimitably directing news coverage from the paper’s former E. 42nd St. headquarters. He died after suffering a severe stroke, according to his wife. The Emmy-winning Oliver was also the first TV reporter on the air after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, reporting from the steps of City Hall just a few blocks away.

Sad to hear of Dick Oliver’s passing. Anytime someone from the news dies, you feel like you lost a casual friend because they are always in the background of your house. Dick was like the uncle from the crazy part of your family, since Fox was (and still is, I guess) the unpolished, kinda bad boy news network. You definitely develop some sort of weird relationship with them. I don’t even want to think about how I will feel when Chuck Scarborough, Sue Simmons, or Ernie Anastos pass away. Greg Kelly and his resting bitchface…not so much.

Anyway, one of Dick’s claim to fame outside of the accolades in the obituary was when he went toe to toe with Jim Ryan and his blinding white hair. Pres mentioned this tiff on The Rundown a few months ago and I felt it needed to get some shine on the blog again after Dick died.

Just a mollywhopper of an argument. Some would say that Jim won the fight, but as someone that is #TeamOllie for life, I’m going to score it 10-9 in Mr. Oliver’s favor. RIP in Peace, Dick.