American television host Larry King passed away at 87 from septic shock. 

Throughout all of 2020 and early 2021, we have witnessed the passing of many influential people, including Kobe Bryant, Chadwick Boseman, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, and Pop Smoke. Now adding to the list, on January 23rd, 2021, Larry King, the host of Larry King Live and Larry King Now, died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. King had previously endured lung cancer, and with complications from COVID-19 and several other medical conditions, he underwent septic shock during which the blood pressure drops, rapidly killing off organ tissue. 

King was a father to five children and worked in broadcasting for more than 63 years. He was responsible for thousands of interviews, awards, and global acclaim, including an Emmy and ten Cable ACE Awards. King has also appeared in several films, including the Bee Movie, Enemy of the State, and the Shrek franchise. He had a unique style of hosting, as he would ask his guests concise questions with little expression. Audiences around the world caught onto his show, and he hosted more than 50,000 interviews with guests ranging from presidents, singers, and politicians. 

As many continue to grieve for King, it is without a doubt that he had a tremendous impact on television around the world. His contributions to the broadcasting industry resulted in increased viewership and brought about many other talk show hosts such as Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert. The past year has most certainly been rough for everyone, but Larry King will always have his mark in the television industry.