Personal Life
Champion is active in many charitable organizations in the New York City area. He was the Grand Marshal of the Multiple Sclerosis Society Fall Bike Tour, the chairman of the 25th annual March of Dimes NYC WalkAmerica, and master of ceremonies of "Stopping AIDS Together", a part of Sunday by the Bay. He hosted the New York City Project's 2002 "Courage Awards", along with movie critic Frank DeCaro.
The Wall Street Journal reported in November 2011 that Sam listed his New York Penthouse for $5.5 million. He has lived there since 1996. On February 20, 2013, The Wall Street Journal reported that a former Mets teammate of Mike Piazzas said in 2000 that the two of them were involved in a homosexual relationship. Piazza denied this in 2002.
Sam had a cancerous spot (basal cell carcinoma) removed from his skin in May 2010 while on air, this after numerous previous bouts with the disease, which is rarely life threatening. Criticisms were made that it was a sweeps month publicity stunt, but Sam maintained that raising awareness about skin cancer during Cancer Awareness Month was his real cause.
A New York indie rock band is named after him.
Champion and his partner of several years, Rubem Robierb, announced on October 5, 2012 that they were engaged. They married on December 21, 2012.
Read more about this topic: Sam Champion
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“We of this Congress and this administration, will be remembered in spite of ourselves. No personal significance, or insignificance, can spare one or another of us.”
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“Glorious bouquets and storms of applause ... are the trimmings which every artist naturally enjoys. But to move an audience in such a role, to hear in the applause that unmistakable note which breaks through good theatre manners and comes from the heart, is to feel that you have won through to life itself. Such pleasure does not vanish with the fall of the curtain, but becomes part of one’s own life.”
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