Since Sam Rubin’s sudden death, KTLA employees have been sifting through hours upon hours of archived footage and on-air interviews with the entertainment reporting icon. 

But not everything made the air. 

KTLA anchor Chris Schauble posted a never-before-seen interview with Rubin to X on Sunday night that touched on what makes him and KTLA so successful. 

The 2021 interview was posted in five parts and discussed various aspects of Sam’s workplace opinions: 

Sam on how to be successful in TV news 

“What makes someone successful in broadcasting, in my view, is that you know what you’re talking about,” he said. “I’ll be honest with you, and I’ve said this before, you either have it or you don’t.” 

Sam on being yourself 

“One thing that’s happening in TV more than anything else now is this idea of warmth and emotion,” he said. “You’re really being yourself…it’s not a cloak of yourself, it’s who you really are.” 

Sam on news station camaraderie 

“It sounds cliché but it’s true; we genuinely get along and we really like one another,” he said. “We really sincerely do.” 

Sam on a good workplace environment 

“Nobody here is stingy with their laughter,” he said. “You know how there are people that you just can’t crack up? People here are honest – they won’t laugh if it’s not funny — but we have the capacity to have a big laugh and the capacity to enjoy each other.” 

Sam on what makes a good boss 

“Well, we’ve had bosses here that have been terrific, and we’ve had bosses here that have been less than good over the tenure Mark [Kriski], Eric [Spillman] and I have had,” he said. “A good boss cares, and they care beyond the bottom line, and there’s this sense that it means more to him or her than just money.” 

The things Sam Rubin admired the most about KTLA and all those who worked alongside him just so happened to be what made him special and proved that he was truly one of the best entertainment reporters to ever live.