COUNTY BORED: How old is too old?

Is Cook County Commissioner Jerry Butler aging himself just a bit too much with his wisecrack Thursday about retiring broadcast newsman Art Norman.

The longtime reporter and news anchor for NBC-owned WMAQ-TV announced his retirement two months ago, but the Cook County Board took it upon themselves to pass a resolution praising Norman’s contributions to the Chicago-area.

MOST OF THE county officials’ witticisms were along the lines of comments from Commissioner Earlean Collins, who said Norman’s polite demeanor ought to be taught to all kinds of news reporter-types.

Then, there was the comment from Butler, who gets our “Quote of the Day” honors for the way in which he tried to say that Norman has been around Chicago for a long time (since 1982, to be exact).

Only it came out of Butler’s mouth as follows:

“Whenever I see one of you young guys retiring, it reminds me how old I’m getting. I remember when you weren’t here.”

FOR THE RECORD, Butler is three decades older than Jack Benny’s perpetual age of 39.

The "Iceman's" birthday is Dec. 8.

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EDITOR’S NOTE: Needless to say, many of the people who had nothing better to do with themselves two months ago than to take anonymous cheap shots at Art Norman (http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/towerticker/2009/05/wmaqtvs-art-norman-retires.html) on the Internet will disagree with the thought that went behind the county board’s resolution praising the broadcaster’s career.