Trump fires legendary inauguration announcer

Charles Brotman, 89, the son of Russian-Jewish immigrants, has called for 11 presidents since Eisenhower in 1957; president-elect lets him go in an email

US President-elect Donald Trump is starting his term by firing the legendary announcer who has called every inauguration since Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1957.

Charles Brotman, 89, said he got an email from the Trump team telling him that after announcing 11 presidents, his time was up.

“I looked at my email, then I got the shock of my life,” Brotman told CNN. “I felt like Muhammad Ali had hit me in the stomach.”

Brotman, the son of Russian-Jewish immigrants, was working as an announcer at the Washington Senators baseball team when Eisenhower heard him and offered him his initial job.

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Trump transition spokesman Boris Epshteyn told CNN in a statement that Brotman would be replaced by Steve Ray, a freelance announcer who would be “introducing a new generation of Americans to the grand traditions of the inaugural parade.”

Epshteyn said Brotman would be honored as “announcer chairman emeritus.”