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‘Like It Is’ host Gil Noble stable after stroke

Legendary African-factologist and conscious-programming TV journalist, Gil Noble, has been hospitalized since surviving a stroke late last month.

Although Noble (79) is alert and communicating, he’s been in stable condition and breathing through a tube – according to reports.

“I just visited with his family at the hospital, and the good news is he has stabilized and all his vital signs are good,” Channel 7’s general manager – David Davis notified the veteran newsman’s staff, via e-mail.

Chronicling indigenous cultures throughout the African Diaspora for the past four-plus decades, the native Harlemite [February 22nd 1932] has conducted candid conversations with a variety of relevant people from many different aspects of life.

Beginning as an on-location correspondent at New York City’s ABC News in July 1967, he eventually elevated to anchor of the Saturday/Sunday evenings newscasts, by the following January.  Gil also gained valuable experience, as well as amassing numerous interviews, on some of ABC’s other community-oriented shows throughout that year.

That summer, Noble  joined Melba Tolliver on Channel 7’s newly established, weekly, Black community-affairs talk-show, ‘Like It Is’.  He has concentrated exclusively on the show, which is currently in its 43rd season, since 1986.  The program provides a perspective which primarily focuses on issues relevant to Americanized-Africans.

“Like It Is” has educated many people about the African experience.  The devotion and love he puts into his series displays the honest efforts he’s made to inform the African community at large about our rich culture and heritage,” commented sociologist, Irving Pierre-Louis.

Some prominent guests featured included:

Premier scholars: Dr. John Henrik Clarke, Dr. Yosef-ben Jochannan, Dr. Ivan Van Sertima, Dr. Leonard Jeffries, Dr. Herb Boyd;

Progressive urban-community leaders/Black Panthers: Stokely Carmichael/Kwame Ture, H. Rap Brown/Jamil Al-Amin, Charles Barron;

Heads-Of-State: Sam Nujoma-(Namibia), Sekou Ture-(Guinea), Julius Nyerere-(Tanzania), Kenneth Kaunda-(Zambia), Thomas Sankara-(Burkina Faso), Robert Mugabe-(Zimbabwe), Maurice Bishop-(Greneda), Michael Manley and P.J. Patterson-(Jamaica);

Entertainers: Harry Belafonte, Aretha Franklin, Bill Cosby, Dizzy Gillespie, Erroll Garner, Sarah Vaughan, Wynton Marsalis, Sammy Davis Jr., Nancy Wilson,  Nipsey Russell, Lena Horne;

 Athletes:  Sugar Ray Leonard, Arthur Ashe, Jim Brown;

Political figures: Jesse Jackson, David Dinkins, Harold Washington, Andrew Young and, religious leader: Minister Louis Farrakhan.

Noble also produced documentaries about: Malcolm X, Fannie Lou Hamer, Martin Luther King Jr., Adam Clayton Powell Jr., Jack Johnson, Ella Baker, Charlie Parker, Essays On Drugs, Decade Of Struggle and Paul Robeson.

One of his favorite guests, Muhammad Ali, advocated for Gil to… “always give back to the community”, and “not to be afraid of being Black.”

Gil’s dedicated his career and life to informing Africans about their true heritage, and his refusal to compromise, along with his diligent commitment to mentally-liberate his people, set “Like It Is” apart from competitors.  He often shared many true-to-life stories which depicted the suffering and struggles of Africans globally, with the metropolitan area every Sunday noon.

Reports say it’s premature to know if Noble suffered any long-term aftereffects.  For the time being, WABC will air ‘Best of’ episodes of ‘Like It Is’, until further notice.

“I know you will join me in keeping Gil in your thoughts and prayers, and look forward to welcoming him back to work,” Davis informed staff.

To express support for ‘Like It Is’ to continue on-air, contact WABC management:  212.456.7777/212.456.7000, and CEMOTAP 718.322.8454.

“For those of us who know Gil, we know the best medicine is his fighting spirit, and all the support from his family and friends,” WABC general manager  Dave Davis informed.

No details were released on Noble’s return to the station.