Sam Rubin, longtime entertainment reporter for KTLA in Los Angeles, died of a heart attack on Friday. He was 64.
Rubin called out sick on Friday morning. He collapsed and died hours later at home.
KTLA anchor Frank Buckley fought back tears as he announced Rubin’s death on the air.
“We have some news from the KTLA family that is shocking and hard to comprehend at the moment,” Buckley said. “We have the profoundly sad duty to report that our friend and colleague Sam Rubin has died. Our hearts, as you can imagine, are broken.”
“Quite simply, Sam was KTLA. His laugh, his charm, his caring personality,” Buckley said before choking up.
“We don’t know what exactly happened but we know it was sudden because he was here yesterday. Just over 24 hours ago we were sitting with him on this set,” Buckley added.
Rubin was beloved by Hollywood celebrities. He joined KTLA in 1991 and often interviewed A-list stars on the red carpet at awards shows.
Rubin famously called actress Anne Hathaway a “b*tch” for stealing his cupcake hack and not crediting him.
Stars paid tribute to Rubin in posts on X/Twitter.
“So sad to learn that we’ve lost Sam Rubin,” Oscar-winning actress Octavia Spencer tweeted Friday. “It was always a pleasure to see him and to be in his presence. My condolences to his family and fans.”
So sad to learn that we’ve lost Sam Rubin. It was always a pleasure to see him and to be in his presence. My condolences to his family and fans. https://t.co/xWDA8wY787
— octavia spencer (@octaviaspencer) May 10, 2024
So sad and sorry to hear of Sam Rubin’s passing. Consummate pro. I did my first interview with him in something like ‘93, and countless times over the years. He loved actors and movies. He made everyone feel comfortable and it was always fun and easy. He was an institution. We…
— Ben Stiller (@BenStiller) May 10, 2024
@SamOnTV @KTLA I am so sorry to hear about my friend Sam Rubin going to heaven. I have known him for decades. He was always interested in my projects and always laughed at my silly jokes.
Sam you will be missed…
Love,
Richard Simmons— Richard Simmons (@TheWeightSaint) May 10, 2024
