CNN is mourning the loss of their stage manager Jay Conroy, who died over the weekend. On Monday, anchors Jim Sciutto and Poppy Harlow paid an emotional tribute to Conroy.
Details surrounding the death of Conroy, including cause and exact time, aren’t known to the public. Nonetheless, Sciutto called Conroy “a deeply special person” who, among other things, shepherded the staff at CNN to safety following a 2018 bomb threat.
“We’ve lost a friend at CNN. Jay Conroy was a stage manager – and so much more,” CNN’s Brian Stelter said on Twitter.
“He was a producer, greeter, fixer, hype man, unsung hero for anchors and guests. Just last month, he ran two hours’ worth of Reliable Sources tapings with a 1000-watt smile, putting us all at ease.”
Before joining CNN, Conroy worked backstage with various bands. Furthermore, in 2012 CNN stunned him on camera as the network provided their stage manager with an in-person meeting with Conroy’s favorite band, Aerosmith.
“Jay brought out the best in us, every show, every time. I think that’s because he was a broadcaster in his own right, hosting his own hard rock show. He knew how to prep us, and he knew how to make us laugh,” Stelter added.
Eduardo Razo is the Assistant Content Editor for BNM, which includes writing daily news stories on the news media industry. He can be found on Twitter @eddierazo_ or you can reach him by email at eddie1991razo@gmail.com.
