Larry King announced on his CNN show last night that his 25 years old program would be coming to an end this fall.

His sometimes messy personal life aside, ratings and changing viewer tastes no doubt contributed to his “decision.”

Personally, I’m sorry to see the suspenders go (though everything must end sometime). While he was often criticized for not challenging his guests enough, I actually respected the fact that he let them talk and actually seemed to be interested in what they were saying.

In an era (and time slot) dominated by the likes of Sean Hannity on the right and Rachel Maddow on the left, the concept of a talk show host who actually listens to his guests may seem outdated but, in an increasingly polarized political climate, it’s never been needed more. 

King did listen. Even when talking about the divisive subjects of politics or religion (or a combination of the two), he didn’t yell over his guests. He let them speak and allowed them to make points that weren’t cut off with his own.  

Whether talking with a Catholic priest about God’s love for people of non-Christian faiths or leading a panel discussion on the Christian view of war or differing interpretations of the Bible, Larry King listened. 

Whether speaking with New Agers like Marianne Williamson, an evangelical minister like Rick Warren, eternal Christian optimist Joel Osteen or the Dalai Lama, Larry King listened. 

When non-believers like Lewis Black or Bill Maher weighed in on religion, Larry King listened. When Dennis Prager and Perez Hilton debated gay marriage, Larry King listened to them both.

And, because he listened, we were allowed to actually hear what they had to say. It was never about Larry King’s opinion. It was about allowing his guests to voice there’s.

In a society were too few of us really listen to what the other person is saying, that’s a quality that will be sorely missed.