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Charlie Brotman: Presidential inauguration announcer dumped by Donald Trump gets new job

The 89-year-old has been the official announcer for the Presidential Inauguration for 60 years 

Loulla-Mae Eleftheriou-Smith
Tuesday 10 January 2017 12:11 EST
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Charlie Brotman has been the announcer for every inauguration ceremony since 1957
Charlie Brotman has been the announcer for every inauguration ceremony since 1957 (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

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The 89-year-old man who has been officially announcing the Presidential inauguration festivities for 60 years has got a new job after he was unceremoniously dropped from his post by Donald Trump.

Charlie Brotman, who has announced the festivities of the Inauguration parade for 11 US presidents, said he was left “heartbroken” when he discovered he was being replaced for President-elect Donald Trump’s parade.

But since receiving this news Mr Brotman has been offered another chance to act as the Inauguration announcer. He told TMZ that WRC TV had contacted him and he will be “the make-believe announcer” for the station on the day, taking up his old post in an unofficial capacity.

Mr Brotman has been announcing events on Inauguration Day since President Eisenhower was sworn in for the second time in 1957.

After 60 years he is to be replaced by Steve Ray, a freelance announcer and producer, who Mr Brotman said will “do terrific”.

Mr Brotman said his replacement has a “great voice” and has wished him well, but told TMZ he would have liked to have been able to hand the job over to Mr Ray, or perhaps act as a producer or director for the new announcer.

Mr Trump’s inaugural committee had stated they would be honouring Mr Brotman as the announcer chairman emeritus for his 60 years of service and had offered him a ticket to the parade.

Unfortunately he will not be able to attend it as a visitor due to his new job for WRC TV.

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