Ted Koppel

Character Analysis

Making his celebrity guest appearance in Tuesdays with Morrie, Ted Koppel is a well-known news anchor from ABC. We pretty much just see him as a professional, doing his job by interviewing Morrie for Nightline. During their first interview together, Morrie is a bit leery of Ted, whom he half-jokingly calls a "Narcissist." That's one way to break the ice…

However, by the third interview Morrie proudly announces, "I'm getting to him" (22.4). For his part, Koppel calls Morrie a "friend," and kisses him in greeting. When the interview is over, Ted is almost in tears as he says goodbye, which solidifies Morrie's ability to make friends with anyone.