After 40 Years on Philly TV, Ukee Washington Still Feels Like Family

Ukee Washington is approaching 40 years on CBS 3. / Photography courtesy of CBS

Next month — July 9th, to be exact — marks a big milestone for CBS’s Ukee Washington. On that day, the esteemed anchor for Channel 3 will hit his 40-year mark with the station, which makes the 67-year-old West Philly native, Philadelphia Boys Choir alum, and second cousin to Denzel Washington (!) one of the longest-running local news personalities in the history of Philly television.

Years before seriously thinking about a career in broadcast journalism, the kid from 57th and Addison had been already bitten by the local TV news bug. “Malcom Poindexter [legendary Black Philly journalist and veteran Channel 3 news reporter] actually went to the church I grew up in — Camphor Memorial UMC in West Philadelphia,” Washington recalls. “I used to see him come into church. I’d poke my mom: ‘There’s Malcom Poindexter!’”

He adds: “Hopefully, one day in the near future, some young person — no matter what their culture or race — will say the same thing about me.”

Here, Ukee reflects on that sort of Philly TV-news fame, as well as the job, his love of yacht rock, that whole Denzel thing, and what makes this city such a singular place in which to report the news to his viewers — or, as he calls them, “his family.”

It’s been a few years, now. But do you remember your first day on the air?
I remember my first week, couple of weeks. I remember doing a feature at Veterans Stadium on the popularity of the afternoon “businessperson’s special” games. I just put a different spin on it, wearing a suit to the game and carrying a briefcase. I think I opened my briefcase, and there was a program and hot dog inside of it. That was part of the “thinking outside of the box” vibe I used to help tell the story of how folks would take off of work during the middle of the week to see the Fightin’ Phils play. When [Phillies outfielder] Von Hayes was up to bat, I shouted “Von! Von!” while delivering my lines on camera.

What are some of the more memorable stories you’ve covered in your day — as a sports anchor or a news anchor?
Believe it or not, as a sports anchor it was covering the high school sporting events that I saw around town, watching these “stars of tomorrow” — kids trying to make a name for themselves. I go back to the late Kobe Bryant when he was at Lower Merion, and covering some of his games. And going to Nagano, Japan, to cover the 1998 Winter Olympics. And covering the Eagles’ Super Bowls, of course. There’s just so many to name.

As for news, there was a presidential summit that happened here many years ago. [Ed note: The President’s Summit For Service was April of 1997.] That was my first real opportunity to see what the news industry was all about. I worked that with the great [former Channel 3 anchor] Pat Ciarrocchi, and we had a wonderful time telling that story, witnessing history in the birthplace of America. It was such a patriotic and inspiring vibe. I didn’t meet any of the presidents — we were a stone’s throw away from them from where we were reporting. But in covering that story, we both knew what it meant to be a proud American.

There have been some tragic events, too. I actually did a story on a dear friend of mine — someone I grew up with, went to high school with. He was one of the most intelligent, fun-loving people you could ever know. And one day he just snapped. He committed a crime — it was domestic in issue — and was sentenced to 180-years-to-life in prison.

That must have been a really tough story to report.
It hit me very hard. We were like a brotherhood in high school, on both the track and basketball teams. When I heard the news, I couldn’t believe it. And it was an overall heartbreaking event and story for both families involved.

Let me ask you this: If you could go back in time and report on any stories from Philadelphia’s history, what would they be?
I’d like to go back and cover the President’s House when George Washington lived here, due to all the controversy that now surrounds it. I’d like to cover the signing of the Declaration of Independence. I’d also go back to the 1960s, when times were racially tough. And I’m also a music lover, so I’d like to cover the origins of the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Are you a fan of classical music?
I love all genres of music: from R&B, to pop, to classical. I love the Sound of Philadelphia, and all the artists affiliated with Gamble & Huff. I’m also a huge fan of gospel and yacht rock.

So Steely Dan, Christopher Cross, Michael McDonald …
Yeah, all of the above, including Luther Vandross, Elton John, and Lionel Richie. Just about everyone from that era. So coming to work, it’s KYW Newsradio, mixed with yacht rock. And going home in the middle of the night, it’s Kirk Franklin’s Praise on SiriusXM.

Speaking of work, most people probably don’t remember this, but in the early 1990s, I remember you hosted a late Saturday morning teen talk show called Rap-Around on Channel 3.
Rap-Around was social media before there was social media. We talked about every issue involving young people. Bradley Cooper and Seth Green were on the show.

How do you think television news has changed since those days? Or really, over the past 40 years?
The storytelling is still the same as far as I’m concerned, but gathering the news has become completely different. The technology is out of the roof now when it comes to gathering the news. I’m the OG of the station [laughs], and when it comes to editing and putting the stories together, you know, I can do it, but not as well as these young people who are helping me put my vision on the air. Once I have a vision, I explain it to them and I see what they’re able to do with the modern equipment that they have now, and it’s just amazing — not just at our station, but in the industry altogether. Now you can do it a lot faster with a lot of creativity and a lot of feeling. You can add a little bit more to make it visually appealing, and that goes a long way when it comes to telling a story.

So you grew up both in Philly and in Dover, Delaware, which is also reasonably local. Do you think being a lifelong native impacts how you do your job as a newscaster?
I can feel the pulse of the area — something that’s so important to newscasters. It’s a totally different vibe for someone who’s coming in from out of town. Being from here, you just feel what the community is going through, because you’ve been been raised in it. I think that’s helped me with my presentation on the air. Every now and then, I’ll throw something in, interject some of my personal feelings. And that’s because I’ve been there. And I think a lot of people can appreciate that. I think that’s one of the reasons that management wanted me to go to news from sports back in 1996.

What, for you, makes Philadelphia such a distinctive market?
I always say that Philadelphia is a major city with a small-town feel. You can walk up and down the streets, nod your head and say hello. Now, granted, every city in this country has its issues when it comes to negative aspects. But Philly was a great place to grow up and to be raised in. This city — and the surrounding area — has a lot of character. A lot of toughness. And a lot of compassion, as well. In fact, I like to display that compassion on the air in the stories that I do. Every story that I do, I try to tell it as if it’s affected my own family. Because we are all family.

So while we’re talking about what makes Philly Philly: What do you like on your cheesesteak?
Aww, c’mon, man! [laughs] You know, I’m different: I grew up eating cheesesteaks with — I don’t want to gross you out, now — mayonnaise and ketchup, no onions. It’s all about the roll, though. You got to have a good roll.

I happened across a video clip on YouTube of you and Denzel Washington — the Denzel Washington — in which you talk about how the two of you are related. Can you talk about this a little?
My late father told me that we were related the year St. Elsewhere premiered on television. I didn’t believe it at first, but he broke it down for me: Denzel’s father and my grandfather were first cousins, which makes Denzel and my father second cousins, and that makes me Denzel’s second cousin once removed. I got that family tree info from a genealogist who helped me do a story on the two of us. Now we’re only in touch if I happen to be covering a film project of his; our schedules are so different that it’s impossible to get together, unless I’m doing one of his film junkets. When that does happen, I get a little extra time for the interview. [laughs]

Final question, Ukee. Forty years is a long time. Are you thinking about retirement?
Retirement? Welllllll … yes, I have a date in mind. I don’t discuss it because, Lord willing, I still have a little bit of time left in this industry I love. And I know when that day comes, I’ll have trouble accepting it — but I also know it will be time to move on, to cheer on the next wave of broadcasters, communicators, storytellers and family at CBS.