With Trump鈥檚 inauguration ceremony just over a week away, his team has gone against tradition by firing the man who has been the official presidential inauguration day announcer since Dwight D. Eisenhower was sworn into office.
Charlie Brotman has announced every inauguration parade since 1957, but after six decades, Trump鈥檚 camp contacted him to say that his services would not be needed this year.
Instead, Steve Ray will be the official inaugural announcer when Trump is sworn into office on Jan. 20.
鈥淒evastated is a word that covers it all,鈥� Brotman said in an interview on CTV News Channel Thursday. 鈥淵es, I was really disappointed, to say the least.鈥�
The 89-year-old said had been preparing for the announcing duties when he received an email that praised him as 鈥淢r. Washington.鈥� The email, he says, came with a 鈥淗owever鈥︹��
鈥淎nd that is, 鈥榊ou鈥檙e not going to be the announcer this year.鈥欌��
Brotman said he was floored: 鈥淚鈥檓 asking, 鈥楧id I do something? Am I too old? What鈥檚 going on?鈥欌��
Brotman, who has announced 15 consecutive inaugural parades, for 10 different U.S. presidents, still hasn鈥檛 received an answer.
However, 鈥渙ne good thing did come out鈥� of his abrupt firing, Brotman said. A Washington-based TV station has asked him to share his anecdotes, thoughts and experiences from past inauguration parades on air. 鈥淚 am going to do that on inaugural day.鈥�
And people have expressed a lot of support for Brotman since the firing made headlines.
鈥淚鈥檝e never received so many emails, so many voicemails and even letters to the editor in the Washington Post,鈥� he said, adding the response has 鈥渂een overwhelming.鈥�
