Andy Rooney

During his appearance at the end of the periodical CBS "60 Minutes" Andy Rooney expressed gratitude for a "chance" of life and thanked his fans, but not without adding a touch of curmudgeonly complaints has become an of television research firm.

"I did a lot of complaining here," Rooney's 92-year-old said, "but all the things I complained, I can not complain about my life."

Payment of Sunday night "a few minutes with Andy Rooney" capped a run of 33 years for the segment end to show where famous Rooney commented on everything from the mundane elements - often shows collections of household goods, wanted or not desired - the company questions.

During his farewell segment, Rooney thanked viewers for their good wishes, but admitted that he did not feel comfortable with adulation. "It was not always polite about it," he said. "I say this often, but thanks. Even if you see me in a restaurant, please let me eat my food."

His "60 Minutes" office has not been without controversy. He was suspended without pay in 1990 on air comments that were deemed offensive to homosexuals, but quickly recovered after the CBS show saw a significant dip in audience share. Four years later, he apologized to viewers for comments on suicide rocker Kurt Cobain, who was considered insensitive.

Rooney, who joined the network in 1949 as author of "Arthur Godfrey's talent scouts," said Sunday that it was his love for the written word, which led him to pursue a career in television.

"I do not think of myself as a TV personality," said Rooney. "I am a writer who reads what he wrote."

He began his career in journalism 70 years in the U.S. military "Stars and Stripes" newspaper, and his essays "60 Minutes" often includes references to his age and military tributes to those who served during the Second World War.

"This is a moment I feared," Rooney said farewell broadcast Sunday. "I wish I could do this forever. ... But I'm not retired. The writers do not retire, and I will always be a writer."