Lawrence.com

TV news next for duchess

She's pitched weight loss products, written books and was British royalty. Now, the Duchess of York has taken on another role � TV news anchor.

Sarah Ferguson made her debut Thursday as guest news anchor on the "KTLA Morning News." Her co-hosts immediately prodded her into uttering the words of another famous British subject, "Weakest Link" game show host Anne Robinson: "You are the weakest link. Goodbye."

"I can't believe it!" was the reaction from weatherman Mark Kriski when he saw the Duchess of York on the Hollywood news set. Helicopter traffic reporter Jennifer York gushed, "Wow! That's awesome."

McLean returns to alma mater

Thirty-three years after receiving his bachelor's degree in business administration, Don McLean is returning to his alma mater in New York to collect a doctorate honoring his music career.

The singer-songwriter, who received his bachelor's degree from Iona University in New Rochelle in 1968, plans to be back on campus Saturday to receive his honorary doctorate in liberal arts.

"To receive this doctorate degree 30 years after graduation is an honor my parents would value above all others," McLean said recently. "It underlines one thing � you can be whatever you want to be in America."

Perseverance paid off in music and education for McLean, who started college in the early 1960s with another successful singer-songwriter, the late Jim Croce. "I left Villanova University at midterm 1964 with Jim Croce, the one friend I had there, to seek my musical fortune on the open road and club circuit," McLean said. "I returned to Iona, crestfallen, a year later."

Three years after earning his business degree, he broke through in music with one of the biggest hit songs of all time, "American Pie."

Carter toasts Mondale

Former President Jimmy Carter praised Walter Mondale, his vice president and a former Minnesota senator, describing him as "an equal partner with me."

Carter called Mondale "a leader of absolute integrity" at the Thursday dedication of a University of Minnesota Law School building being named Walter F. Mondale Hall. Mondale graduated from the law school in 1956.

The former president joined in a champagne toast to Mondale.

He used the appearance to challenge the nation's colleges and universities to make a greater effort to help reduce poverty around the world. His Carter Center in Atlanta works on global health and human rights issues. Carter, 76, also reminisced, recounting that it was a tough sell persuading Mondale to be his running mate in 1976. Mondale consulted with ex-Vice Presidents Hubert Humphrey and Nelson Rockefeller and returned with a book of suggestions.