There are a pair of profiles out today on Fox Business’ Charlie Gasparino and one thing that stands out is the relationship he had with his father. It appears his dad worked multiple jobs (a construction worker, a bartender) to support his family. Despite encouraging Charlie not to pursue the very career that he’s been so successful in, he still played a key role in teaching his son the value of hard work, and that lesson certainly helped Gasparino become the perseverant reporter he is today. Below are some excerpts from Downtown Magazine and the Journal News that provide some insight on Charlie’s background.
Charlie Gasparino in Downtown Magazine:
Fox Business Network’s Charlie Gasparino Is The Toughest Guy On The Street:
“My dad was a construction worker with an Old World mentality and a focus on achieving the American dream,” he says. “When I told him I was going to journalism school, he was disappointed. He wanted me to get a job at IBM…not covering their stock.” The elder Gasparino worked hard to get his family out of the Bronx and into the suburbs of Westchester, so he didn’t want his son to get caught up in the glamor of the life of a reporter or forget about the value of hard work…a message that was was far from lost on his hard-working son. “My dad knew I was a nose to the grindstone guy too…but just like in the movie, Wall Street, he wanted me to earn a living and be better off than he was…I just fell in love with reporting and I put the same work ethic into it.”
Charlie Gasparino in Journal News
Tuesday Q&A: TV newsman Charlie Gasparino talks local roots
Q: What inspired you to pursue a career in journalism?
A: It certainly wasn’t the money. My parents hated the fact that I wanted to go into journalism for both the low pay and particularly because my father hated reporters for bringing down Nixon (he was one of those “silent majority” types who wasn’t so silent). I just liked the fact that I could write something and get a reaction from lots of people. I did this first by sports-writing at the old North County News, then covering local government for various papers in northern Westchester
