Mediabistro has been running an interesting little video series as part of their mediabistroTV interview slate, My First Big Break. So far they’ve chatted with NBC Nightly News anchor and managing editor Brian Williams about his career beginnings, and now they’ve turned their camera onto veteran journalist Dan Rather, formerly of CBS. He discusses his humble start and the life-changing events that helped propel him to where he is today — including battling snakes (sadly not on a plane, but in the badlands of Texas) and massive hurricanes. He says charming things like “dark as a crow’s wing” and talks about how getting the story is the only thing that really matters. It’s pretty clear that as far as reporters go, they don’t make ’em like this anymore. Media-savvy and writerly types will definitely appreciate Rather’s tales. Head past the jump to listen to one of the OGs of journalism tell it like it is.