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It’s Ted Out of Control ! Buffalo In Big Sky or on a Bun
Boulder, Colorado, Tuesday, September 28:  Ted Turner, “Call Me Ted, ” received the Wallace Stegner Award today at the Wolf Law Building on the University of Colorado-Boulder campus where about 250 guests listened to his comments.  The event was  sponsored by Al and Carol Ann Olson.   The Stegner Award is presented to individuals who have sustained contributions to the American West culture via literature, environment, etc.  In Turner’s case, it’s a lot of bison.  That’s right! 

“Keep an open mind,” he said referring to his inviting Rupert Murdoch to lunch because Turner was “tired of him.”  But, Turner said he believes the right wing should have a voice.  How nice!

Coloradoan John Malone said “Ted just does it.” 

Turner said the difference between being a winner or loser is that winners keep on going like his Atlanta Braves.  He turned them around from being the biggest losing team to the biggest winning one for 14 years.  “I just couldn’t quit,” he said.

Turner’s words were inspiring in part.  He went to military school and even made military type movies like “Gettsyburg” and “Andersonville.”  He said he respects the military but doesn’t think we should be in any wars. 

Turner likes to sail and has several types of flags on his boat.  “I will not surrender,” he said adding that the one flag he doesn’t have is a white one!  He used four letter words often in his presentation but the words seemed natural as they rolled off his still southern tongue!

Turner doesn’t like cattle and said he really doesn’t like American westerns because of it.  “Old western movies have too many damn cows in them,” he said.  “Hard to like them both.”

“The media mogul Ted Turner cannot be controlled or led!” the host said.  And as to Ted’s Montana Grill she quipped, “Bison were starting to fade but now they are saute’d.”  

Turner referred to himself as “old” at 71 years of age but actually looked a bit older when he entered the room hunched forward.  He said he fell in love with the west and studied bison because they were nearly extinct.  Thirty-one years ago he had three and now has 55,o00 bison.  “Call it exponential growth,” he said.  He bought 15 million acres to raise the largest mammals in the USA.  “The ranches are for sale,” he said.

 “When discouraged, fight to the bitter end,” he told the audience.    Turner is Chairman of the United Nations Foundation, Turner Enterprises and others.   

“These days,” Ted Turner said, “I’m leaning toward… I have nothing more to say” which brought laughter from the quite elderly audience.

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