Terse Gretch Explains Absence

“I’m glad to be back here today.” Fox & Friends co-anchor Gretchen Carlson seemed rather defensive this morning about her absence yesterday from F&F‘s Boston Marathon tragedy special edition. Appearing eager to explain America Live‘s Megyn Kelly‘s appearance on the curvy couch in her place, Gretchen got straight to the point as soon as the show started.

After the obligatory opening teases for the program, Gretchen solemnly said, “Welcome, everyone. Good to be back.” As her co-hosts Brian Kilmeade and Steve Doocy looked at her with stone faces, a seemingly agitated Gretchen declared, “Unfortunately, I was on an airplane when all of this happened in Boston and could not get from the West Coast. I’m glad to be back here today.” In response, Steve stayed strangely silent and Brian simply said, “Yeah.”

Yeah. Sounds like someone may have heard the scuttlebutt. Or, read Carpe Diem yesterday.

F&F’s Special Megyn Kelly: “Now I’m Curvy”

Preggers pretty: “This is interesting for me.” America Live anchor Megyn Kelly returned regally to Fox & Friends‘ curvy couch this morning to fill-in for the seemingly increasingly absent Gretchen Carlson. Looking resplendent in a purple modest dress with a demurely plunging neckline, the gravid beauty joined co-hosts Steve Doocy and Brian Kilmeade for a Boston Marathon tragedy special edition. Like F&F Weekend co-anchor Alisyn Camerota who oft takes the field for F&F‘s ”A Team” on other momentous occasions, Megyn provided her usual grace and necessary gravitas to carry the show with the boys for four long hours of in-depth coverage of the horrific killings and the monstrous maimings on Patriot Day as the Bean City showcased the national’s oldest marathon.

After F&F coverage of the chaos for over two long hours, Megyn decided to give her audience a short interlude of levity. Mid-show, subsequent to Boston-based FNC correspondent Molly Line‘s report subtitled “Boston Terror Bombings,” she started to discuss the survivors’ loss of their limbs and security and to contrast their plight with the comfort of the co-hosts and their viewers, saying, “Here we are…on the curvy couch.” Interrupting herself mid-sentence, Megyn declared, “This is interesting for me. I did it [co-hosting] once seven years ago”: Placing both her palms on her stomach, she chuckled, “But, never pregnant!”

Pointing to Megyn’s baby bump in reply, Steve smilingly jested, “Now you’re curvy to go with the couch!” Grinning jauntily, Megyn replied, “Now, I’m curvy, right! You’ve got a curvy anchor to go on the curvy couch!”

Vintage Megyn Kelly: serious news–with her saucy take. Lawyer journo GQ “hot”!

[Author's aside: For Megyn's AL announcement of her third-to-be, cf. here for video.]

Megyn & Janice: Brunt Snuggle Bunnies?

FOXes and friends: “You should have seen the two of us this morning with our coffee in our little queen-sized bed.” Fox News gal pals, America Live anchor Megyn Kelly and FNC meteorologist Janice Dean, saucily shared a few details of their earlier night together with their AL audience yesterday. But, don’t try to read too much into it unless Megyn’s hubby, New York Times best-selling author Douglas Brunt (“Ghosts of Manhattan”), includes more about his “GQ Intelligence…Hot” wife and fun, frisky Janice “I Was at a Strip Club” Dean in his second novel.

When Janice concluded her weather report yesterday about Hurricane Sandy’s lingering effect (at the bottom of the first hour), Megyn remarked, “Well, there’s…some silver linings to a big storm like this….This kind of thing [does] have a way of bringing people together–including the two people you see on your screen right now.”*

As a chuckling Janice reddened, Megyn mischievously recounted, “Janice and I doubled up in a hotel room last night ’cause they were scarce and few and far between here in New York.” Giggling, she racily continued, “And, we had a little, you know, sleepover, a girl’s sleepover: The first time in twenty years I had…a sleepover.”

Before responding, Janice lauded their respective hubbies for tending the children in their absence: then, she sweetly answered, “I love you, Megyn! You’re the best roommate a girl could ever have.”

Laughing, Megyn replied, “J. D., right back at ya!” As Janice blew her a kiss, Megyn teased, “You should’ve seen the two of us this morning with our coffee in our little queen-sized bed!” Spicing up their tale, Janice exclaimed, “Oh! Snuggling!”

Grinning, Megyn concluded, “Alright, see ya, Hon!”

Another Brunt bestseller in the making?

*America Live – 10/31/12 (@ 10:28 a.m. ET)

F&F’s “Sexy” Nauert: Distant But in Control

Waking up with Heather on the weekend. Leggy Fox & Friends First co-host Heather Nauert seized the F&F Weekend helm for Alisyn Camerota with gusto Sunday. But, instead of flaunting her gorgeous gams a la F&FF, the blond beauty seemed somewhat demure: Dressed in a short black dress and an “M&M” green jacket, Heather hid herself behind her open laptop for the day (as her co-hosts Clayton Morris and Dave Briggs provided her cover as they anomalously kept theirs studiously open as well).

Sexy or not, the girl still ruled the roost almost like a young E.D. Hill. Playing the needed F&FW “alpha bitch,” Heather had her boys going through their paces. Rarely stopping for breath, she was subtly hushing Dave with her hand at one moment and conspicuously instructing Clayton to elaborate at another.

Heather may have performed well today as a substitute with her co-hosts, Clayton and Dave: But, she could learn from Aly, the master, on how to awaken F&FW‘s fans. For FNC weekend viewers who are struggling mightily to escape the embrace of Morpheus, a softer, gentler greeting from a gorgeous gal is preferable to one from a Red-Bull-infused chatty Cathy. To boot, she may want to close the cloaking laptop as a general rule in the future: as Megyn Kelly aptly declared (about her America Live leg-displaying glass desk), “It’s a visual business. People want to see the anchor.”

“Ghosts” of Megyn Kelly: Doug Brunt Blunt?

“That’s all I’ll admit to.” America Live anchor Megyn Kelly welcomed “a very special guest,” hubby Doug Brunt, to her show Friday to promote his first novel, Ghosts of Manhattan.* In the segment, Brunt teased his racy read of a Wall Street bond trader caught up in an all-consuming culture of “high-priced entertainment” involving “lap dances at Scores…[and]…$5000 bottles of champagne.” But, the whilom Internet security CEO assured Megyn’s audience that the bawdy book was entirely fictitious–as to him and Megyn. At least, on AL air.

Introducing the interview, Megyn proudly proclaimed that Brunt’s book has been compared to the works of Charles Dickens and Tom Wolfe (Steve Forbe’s review).** When he began to discuss his wanton work in detail, Megyn playfully remarked, “Now, you write in the book a lot about these…life-style choices, prostitutes, strippers, drugs. How do we know these people?” As Brunt began to chuckle, Megyn queried, “Are these people that we know?…Have they been to our house?”

Laughing, Brunt replied, “Everything is one degree removed from us, uh, Honey.”

Subsequently, after he explained that he had obtained much of the background material from people and friends, Megyn persisted, “Now, there is something else in the book that people need to know about: And, that is a naughty blond reporter.”  Leading her witness, the erstwhile legal eagle exclaimed, “And, we need to get this on the record right now! This person bears no relation to anyone you may know?”

With a twinkle in his eye, Brunt dutifully declared, “No. None.”

Of course, Brunt was not under oath. Perhaps, he was telling the truth about Megyn not being THE “naughty blond reporter” in his book. But, it is almost certain that his sexy GQ pin-up girl with the “killer bees,” who Slate dubbed “a post-feminist news babe,” lies somewhere within waiting to be laid bare.

Off air, Brunt may have been more candid. In a “Q & A” on his Ghosts of Manhattan web site, he revealed, “Had I continued to work in sales and trading as a career, I may have resembled Nick [Wall Street bond trader protagonist] in some way. That’s all I’ll admit to.”

[Author's aside: Ironically, last October, Megyn had her former husband Daniel Kendall on America Live as a guest.]

*America Live – 10/05/12 (@ 1:39 a.m. ET).

**Ibid at @ 1: 43 a.m. ET.

MacCallum & Hemmer: “Bride & Groom”?

America’s Newsroom’s beauty in black and her bad boy in tux. Single America’s Newsroom co-anchor Bill Hemmer and his recently “ringless” co-host Martha MacCallum a hot item? Intentionally or not, Bill may have stoked the rumor fires this morning when he mentioned his “big night” with Megyn last night and gave a “personal shout-out” to his FNC colleague Geraldo Rivera (who was the guest of honor at a NYC Open Gate fundraiser/cruise last night) and his wife Erica as AN concluded.* Subsequently, after producers had aired a photo of Geraldo and Erica together at the New York harbor dinner charity cruise (hosted by FNC head honcho Roger Ailes and his wife Beth for them and other FNC luminaries), they then showed an al fresco pic of Martha in her beautiful black dress and Bill in his black-tie tux posing together with the NY harbor in the background. When Bill saw the photo of the two of them beaming side-by-side, he chuckled and exclaimed, “Oh, my gosh! There’s the bride and groom!”

Perhaps, in an attempt to tamp down any resultant rumors, Martha immediately remarked, “I thought it was James Bond. It’s you, though, in a self-tied bow tie…. You took that great picture of Erica and Geraldo. And, I think you should, maybe, be available for weddings because that’s a beautiful shot of them.”

Martha, be careful for what you wish. Bill might just be available for a wedding. After all, he did once opine to his former AM co-host Megyn Kelly (as a guest on her America Live show in a pertinent discussion) that he did not see anything wrong with office romance if it did not interfere with the lovers’ work.

Bill, see what you have started!

*America’s Newsroom – 04/26/12 (@ 10:59 a.m. ET)

Megyn Kelly: Jon Stewart “Mean and Unfair”

“What? Was that out loud?” Apparently, America Live anchor Megyn Kelly is no big fan of Daily Show host Jon Stewart, who has taken several acidic shots at her (e.g., her maternity leave and contraception coverage positions). In fact, Megyn dubbed the Comedy Central comedian “mean and unfair.”

In an AL panel discussion on the wisdom of President Obama’s appearing on comedy talk shows, Megyn questioned whether Jimmy Fallon would aggressively challenge the President on the issues in his appearance tonight on Fallon’s Late Night show. One of the panelists, humorist  Scott Blakeman responded, “I don’t know, but…Jon Stewart–who took my comedy class actually and he’s…a great guy…and Jon is a liberal like myself–gave…the hardest interview [that] President Obama has ever had….So, comedians can ask even better questions that even journalists sometimes.”*

With a sardonic smile, Megyn stammered, “I think, just FYI, I think, I think Jon Stewart needs to go back to your class and needs a refresher on how to do comedy, on how to do comedy–as opposed to being mean and unfair.”

In response to Megyn’s acerbic remarks, Blakeman insisted, “No, no, he’s great. He’s great. He’s very funny.” Continuing, he maintained, “No, no, he’s very funny. He’s a nice Jewish guy like me.”

Sensing that Blakeman’s adamant defense with unassailable by her distaff suasion, Megyn sweetly smiled and coyly chuckled, “What? Was that out loud? Huh? What? Sour grapes, anyone?”

Grapes or not, Stewart’s disses have seemingly left a sour taste in Megyn’s mouth.

*America Live – 04/24/12 (@ 2:38 p.m. ET)

Huck: McCain, Thompson “Not Smart Enough”?

FNC host Mike Huckabee: “Being called a liar by both John McCain and Fred Thompson…not good.” In his appearance on America Live this afternoon, anchor Megyn Kelly offered the former Arkansas governor and 2008 GOP Presidential candidate the chance to respond to the denials by both his former rivals John McCain and Fred Thompson to his claim that McCain had asked Thompson to stay in the race to help split the conservative vote to boost McCain’s chances.* Before doing so, Huckabee declared, “Being called a liar by both John McCain and Fred Thompson…is not good but, heck, I’ve been called worse by a lot of people, Megyn.”

Then, Huckabee explained, “I heard that news from my campaign chairman Ed Rollins who heard it from three different sources inside the [McCain] camp.” Deftly, he continued, “I thought it was a compliment in that it was a brilliant political move if they did it.” Then, with a sly smile, he snarked, “Now…if they weren’t smart enough to do it, then I apologize for giving them the benefit of being that smart.”

Ouch. Reagan’s 11th Commandment: Forgotten?

America Live – 01/13/12 (@ 1:19 p.m. ET)

[Author's aside: For video of Thompson's denial today on Fox & Friends, link here.]

Red Eye Alert: Ombudsman Levy Off [Updated]

“New Year’s Eve special is Saturday at 12:30 a.m.” NOT! Ironically, on a day that “TV’s Andy Levy” left his usual role as Red Eye ombudsman to fill in for Greg Gutfeld as anchor, he did not catch a manifest mistake in his final segment.

As Levy returned to RE‘s final block this morning, he declared, “Hey, don’t forget our annual New Year’s Eve special airs this Saturday at 12:30 a.m. Eastern and Pacific Time right after Fox News Channel’s ‘All-American New Year’ with Bill Hemmer and Megyn Kelly ringing in 2012 live from Times Square.” Underneath him, compounding the error, an RE chyron blared, “Our New Year’s Eve Special Is Saturday at 12:30 AM ET/PT.” Not quite: if RE follows Bill and Megyn ushering in the New Year, RE will be on Sunday at 12:30 a.m. ET.

Red Eye fans, time to reset your DVR’s.

Update: Early this morning (12/29/11), chronologically-challenged “TV’s Andy Levy” repeated his mistake on RE. Before the “Post-Game Wrap-Up,” Levy said, “Remember, our New Year’s Eve special airs Saturday at 12:30 a.m. Eastern….[i]t’s right after Fox News Channel’s “All-American New Year” with Bill Hemmer and Megyn Kelly ringing in 2012 live from Times Square.” Perhaps, RE‘s addled ombudsman jester can be forgiven for his slackness: today, he Tweeted, “Ugh I’m still writing 2011 on all my checks. (Too soon?)”

Kelly’s Kmart Caper: Busted 4 Shoplifting!

Megyn: “Sorry, Kmart: But, thanks for not throwing me in the slammer!” For Halloween, America Live co-host Megyn Kelly pulled a Lindsay Lohan. I.e., she just had to have that special necklace–whether she paid for it or not.

During a shoplifting story today on AL, FNC reporter Trace Gallagher reported on a young couple who had their two-year-old daughter taken from them (after, apparently, forgetting to pay for two sandwiches eaten as they shopped).* When he had concluded his story, a smiling Megyn asked him if he had ever sampled candy that he had not declared at checkout. When he admitted, “Yeah, all the time but I have kids…[and] they pick stuff up and they eat [it]. So, you grab the wrappers and you try to throw them on the counter and sometimes…they don’t always make it on the counter,” With a jaundiced eye, Megyn chuckled, Do you? Do you? Or, do you just slide ‘em in your pocket and say, ‘I’m sorry. They’re like five cents.’”

With a gleam in her eye, Megyn remarked, “I [have] to tell you: when I was twelve-years-old, I, I shoplifted. I got caught shoplifting–at a Kmart!” Feigning outrage, Trace animatedly answered, “What!” Smiling, Megyn explained, “It was really my then best friend who made me do it.” Unconvinced, a grinning Trace retorted, “Sure!”

Elaborating, Megyn revealed, “We completely got busted by her mother who said, ‘Where, where did you get those huge star earrings and those huge star plastic necklaces–because it was Halloween?’ And, my friend said, ‘Megyn’s mother bought them for us,’ and she said, ‘Alright, I’m going to call Mrs. Kelly, and you two girls better go down to the basement and pray to God that Mrs. Kelly says [that] she had not one but two pairs of huge star plastic earrings and huge star plastic necklaces.’ So we did: we went down in the basement and prayed to God that she would lie for us–which, of course, she did not.”

Continuing her account, Megyn remarked, “So, she came back down into the basement, my friend’s mother, and we said, ‘What’d she say?’ And…she said, ‘Your father will be over to take you back to Kmart so you can confess after he finishes his meatloaf. And we did!”

Animatedly, she exclaimed, “We had to go down to the Kmart and confess out crime to the manager of the Kmart. And he told us that we could have been arrested: It was terrifying! And, I tell you what, [I] never stole another thing again. That was my life of crime!”

When a beaming Trace replied, “Your dad was well justified in doing that: he’s a good dad,” Megyn responded, “I’m reformed now….Unlike Lindsay Lohan, I did my penance–and I learned. That’s it!” As a chuckling Megyn buried her head in her hands, Trace riposted, “You did. Criminal!”

Laughing, Megyn concluded, “See you, Trace! That’s it: now, I want be able to run for President or become a Supreme Court Justice because I confessed…my crime on national television. Sorry, Kmart: But, thanks for not throwing me in the slammer!”

Fear not, Megyn! You can still rule your country: if you follow Lindsay’s latest lead, you could still go from “mere” Maxim model (or, rather GQ pinup) to an American Playboy princess. Doubtlessly, your AL acolytes will not be disappointed.

*America Live – 11/02/11 (@ 2:26 p.m. ET)

Megyn Kelly: Kendall Crazy?

“I confess the judge has a conflict of interest.” Wow! If America Live anchor Megyn Kelly did not convince her fans that she is a free spirit with her racy GQ spread and her subsequent bawdy Howard Stern interview, the sexy married mother of two may have succeeded today. Less than two months after returning from maternity leave to America Live, Megyn invited as a guest to her show her husband–no, not Doug Brunt–but her former hubby, Dr. Daniel R. Kendall.

When her “Kelly’s Court” segment began, Megyn asked her legal panel (former prosecutor Jonna Spilbor and FNC legal analyst Mercedes Colwin) whether prosecutors could prove that Michael Jackson’s doctor caused the death of the King of Pop. Subsequently, Megyn explained to her audience that prosecutors claimed that the doctor was “guilty of gross negligence…because he used propofol to treat insomnia and [that] he administered it outside of the operating room…[and] that no reasonable doctor would do that.” Then, with a slight smile, she continued, “So, joining us now is an expert witness…an anesthesiologist by the name of Dr. Dan Kendall from our D.C. bureau.*

Somewhat surreally, Megyn continued, “[w]ho I confess the judge has a conflict of interest since the judge used to be married to Dr. Kendall.” As her legal guests chuckled uncomfortably, Megyn remarked, “But, Dr. Kendall is now happily married to another person as am I. So, there is no conflict of interest.” Subsequently, after giving her handsome former fellow less than two minutes to explain that the doctor should have continuously monitored Jackson and that his actions were, in short, “pretty nuts,” Megyn moved on.

“Pretty nuts,” indeed. Or, was Megyn Kelly Kendall crazy?

*America Live – 09/28/11 (@ 2:47 p.m. ET)

Hurricane Huddy: Camerota a Casualty?

“I’m Dave Briggs, Juliet Huddy is in, [and] Brian is in for a vacationing Clayton Morris.” As Fox & Friends Weekend co-host Juliet Huddy celebrated Saturday her third straight weekend at the F&FW helm since Megyn Kelly returned from maternity leave, Juliet Huddy abandoned her usual “in for Alisyn Camerota” intro each hour. Instead, she simply said, “I’m Juliet Huddy.” As Aly’s four-month-plus absence from F&FW continues, her co-anchor Clayton Morris’ “maternity shuffle” explanation becomes less and less credible: in contrast, Carpe Diem‘s suggested “Shine shakeup” seems more and more realistic.

Yesterday, F&FW co-host Dave Briggs did nothing to dispel any rumor that Juliet had replaced Aly on the curvy couch for good: in fact, he continuously fueled the fire. Shortly after Juliet began the show saying, “I’m Juliet Huddy” and greeted F&FW guest co-anchor Brian Kilmeade, Dave did not add his customary “Juliet Huddy in for Alisyn Camerota” but rather pointed to Brian and remarked, “By the way, Brian in for a vacationing Clayton Morris this morning.” Two hours later, after Juliet Huddy again introduced herself, simply saying, “I’m Juliet Huddy,” Dave commented, “Clayton Morris is off….Brian is here in his place. Juliet here.” Subsequently, when the final hour began with Juliet repeating her new abbreviated intro, “I’m Juliet Huddy,” Dave declared, “I’m Dave Briggs, Juliet Huddy is in, [and] Brian in for a vacationing Clayton Morris.” But, again, not a single word about the missing Aly.

Nevertheless, the trio talked often about Clayton. Not only did Dave repeatedly reference the “vacationing Clayton Morris” but also Brian Kilmeade began the show acerbically ribbing Clayton for remaining on vacation while the President and NJ Governor Chris Christie cut theirs short for Hurricane Irene. Furthermore, Juliet revealed that Clayton had gone to Ocean Springs, Maryland, and Dave disclosed that he had had to be evacuated.

However, today, no mention was made of either Clayton or Aly. Rather, F&FW producers obviated the problem by introducing the co-hosts (Dave, Juliet and guest co-anchor Steve Doocy) via a banner beneath the trio rather than the usual self-introductions.* Nevertheless, Juliet seemed to limn F&FW‘s future even more pellucidly. She Tweeted, “Quite the 24 hours….See you on FnF’s Friday thru Labor Day.”

And, speaking of labor, Clayton, a pregnant Megyn leaves her show for four months but her non-gravid “maternity shuffle” partner Aly is still not scheduled to return to F&FW almost a month later? Seems implausible at best. Rather, it sounds more like a “Shine shakeup” or yet another of his F&FW anchor defenestrations without properly apprising the audience.

Perhaps, Shine is using the special coverage of Hurricane Irene to transition stealthily between Aly and Juliet. If so, maybe, some F&FW‘s viewers won’t notice. But, Carpe Diem readers will.

*[Author's aside: At the beginning of the first two hours, Dave, Julie, and Steve were given an introduction only with the regular chyron: however, at the start of the final two, strangely none was given at all.]

Megyn: Yardley’s Mom

Back in the saddle again: from GQ pinup to Fox(y) flapper. Yesterday America Live anchor Megyn Kelly returned from maternity leave to her FNC show looking as hot as ever. And, she hopes to stay that way.

Just about nine months ago (December 2010), Megyn graced the pages of GQ Men of the Year (December 2010) in a plucky, provocative pictorial for her fans: Then, around five months later (April 7),  she left for maternity leave. Perhaps, Megyn was merely holding her randy devotees over while she had the “impertinence” to have her second child, Yardley Evans (April 14). After all, they would have quite a wait for her to return, i.e., not, the usual three months but four long ones.

When Megyn finally returned to her AL admirers yesterday, she did not disappoint. After leaving them as a sexy, long-tressed Stacy’s Mom, she returned to them as wanton, short-bobbed flapper ready to rev her boys in a whole new way. Or, rather, in a retro way.

Welcome back, Megyn!

Juliet Huddy: “See You Next Weekend”

Where’s Aly: lost in Shine’s “shuffle”? The purported “maternity shuffle” ends Monday with Megyn Kelly’s return to her show America Live. However, if Fox & Friends Weekend guest co-host Juliet Huddy’s adieu today is true, it appears that things may not be quite what F&F‘s official co-anchors Clayton Morris (Aly’s “maternity shuffle”), Dave Briggs (Aly “WILL be back”), and Alisyn Camerota (“I’ll be back”) would have their F&FW fans believe: I.e., Aly will finally return to F&FW when Megyn’s maternity leave ends. At the end of F&FW today, Juliet was thanked by Dave “once again for filling in,” she smiling replied, “My pleasure, my pleasure. See you again next weekend.”

Do tell, Juliet. Megyn will be back on her own show next week but Aly won’t. Aly’s “shuffle”: Bill Shine’s “shakeup”?

The Five: Shine’s “Scramble” or Shakeup?

Waiting for Megyn Kelly? Thursday Fox News Channel Senior VP of Programming Bill Shine announced that FNC will temporarily replace the Glenn Beck Show this summer with The Five. According to his press release, the prosaically dubbed opinion program will consist of five constantly changing “FOX personalities” such as Greg Gutfeld, Dana Perino, Judge Andrew Napolitano, etc. who will be joined by various guests. On an optimistic note, Shine stated, “The Five brings together an eclectic group of FOX talent whose knowledge of key issues and unique insights will undoubtedly make for a dynamic program.”

Not too surprisingly, Shine’s decision to air this inchoate, amorphous show was not universally well received. To wit, Inside Cable News was not the least bit impressed. Rather, blogger Spud scoffed, “This is probably the most uninspiring offering FNC has put on the air….FNC is apparently out of new ideas and unsure of a future course of action regarding 5pm.” He acerbically added, “Nobody involved in this project should feel too secure about its future when the press release announcing it spells out that it has a short shelf life: This is FNC in a rare public manifestation of scramble mode…coming up with something to fill the space without regard to the suitability of that kind of programming at that time of day.

Spud appears exactly right that Shine is “coming up with something to fill the space without regard to [its] suitability.” However, in the author’s view, he may be mistaken that Shine is in “scramble mode.” Rather, Shine seems to be in the midst of a daytime shakeup.

By adopting the summer-long The Five, Shine places the spot virtually on a short hold for something–or, someone. In the author’s opinion, that someone may well be America Live anchor Megyn Kelly who is still on maternity leave. When she returns in a month or so, Shine will finally have the obvious slot for his still “rising star.”

In fact, Shine appears to have already anticipated Kelly’s move from the America Live slot to the later five o’clock hour.  Since she left for maternity leave in April, Shine has appeared to prepare for the possible transition by auditioning Kelly’s fellow FNC female daytime anchors for the America Live anchor seat. To wit, he has showcased Martha MacCallum (America’s Newsroom), Alisyn Camerota (Fox & Friends Weekend), and Gretchen Carlson (Fox & Friends weekday) in Kelly’s chair, not in the usual short rotations, but for long stints instead. In doing so, he has already acclimated the AL audience to their presence and their respective audiences to their absence. Not to mention, he has already brought in “the new girl,” Molly Line, to Fox & Friends Weekend to fill the empty seat in any future musical chairs.

Scramble or shakeup? Time will tell. Soon.

Clayton: Aly’s “Maternity Shuffle”

Or, Bill Shine’s three-card monte? Just when is Fox & Friends Weekend co-anchor Alisyn Camerota returning to her show?  Three weeks ago, co-host Clayton Morris said, “She might be back next weekend.” Two weeks ago, he said, “We don’t know.” Saturday, he said, “The maternity leave shuffle continues. Uh, Aly still filling in for Martha [MacCallum on America's Newsroom] who’s filling in for Megyn [Kelly on America Live]: So, a few more weeks.”*

As Clayton continued to fecklessly try to allay the fears of Aly’s fans Saturday, guest co-host Molly Line laughed yet again and co-anchor Dave Briggs smiled once more. But, Aly’s acolytes continue to wonder why she still has not returned to her F&FW post in eight weeks. Not unnoticed is that Aly’s “maternity shuffle partner” Martha MacCallum has returned to her own program, America’s Newsroom, for the last two weeks (if but for a day or so): furthermore, Martha said that she will also be on AN this coming Thursday and Friday.**

However, not only has Aly not gone back to F&FW but also she has not answered her Twitter followers (including the author) as to when she will. Perhaps, Aly has simply moved on or FNC Executive VP of Programming Bill Shine has moved her on. Remember, almost two months before Megyn Kelly went on maternity leave, Shine appeared to do an audition for the curvy couch center seat on F&FW (and F&F). (Cf. “5 Straight Days: 5 Hot Hostesses!“)

Shine, no more unexplained F&FW exits, e.g., Kiran Chetry, Page Hopkins, etc. Your FNC viewers and Aly’s fans deserve better. Is Aly still your F&FW starter?

*Fox & Friends Saturday – 06/04/11 (@ 9:01 a.m. ET)

**America’s Newsroom – 06/03/11 (@ 10:59 a.m. ET)

Megyn’s Baby Girl: Yardley Evans Arrives

America Live anchor Megyn Kelly and her hubby Doug Brunt welcomed into their family a baby girl this morning at 10 a.m. ET according to AL guest host Martha MacCallum.* Their daughter, Yardley Evans, weighed in at seven pounds twelve ounces.  She “supplants” her big brother, eighteen-month-old Edward Yates, as the baby of the family.

Congratulations, Megyn and Doug!

[Author's aside: Megyn did indeed let the cat out of the bag to her AM audience a month ago today (03/14/11).]

*America Live – 04/14/11 (@ 2:59 p.m. ET)

Mommie Megyn: Away With Leave

America Live anchor Megyn Kelly announced today that she is going on maternity leave tomorrow. Before presiding over her all-gal “Power Panel” today, the gorgeous gravid host Tweeted, “Today I’ll be delivering my Top 5 Things Not to Say to a Pregnant Woman, Round 2….Baby due next week!” Later, when she concluded that segment, she turned to her guests (Krystal Ball, Andrea Tantaros, and Sam Bennett), remarking, “I’m going to miss you guys when I’m on maternity leave.”* Then, as an aside to her audience, Megyn continued, “Tomorrow is my last show before that–just in case the viewers were wondering.”

Yes, your AL fans were wondering, Megyn. Thanks for sharing this special, joyous event. Of course, you surely realize that photos of your little one and his/her lovely mom will be eagerly anticipated–and sincerely appreciated.

Megyn, may you be blessed with a safe delivery and a healthy, beautiful baby!

[Author's aside: Megyn and her hubby, Doug Brunt, are expecting their second child. They also have an eighteen-month-old son, Edward Yates.]

*America Live – 04/07/11 (@ 2:44 p.m. ET)

Related Carpe Diem stories include “Megyn’s Baby Girl” (March 5, 2011); “Megyn Kelly: “GQ Intelligence…Hot” (November 22, 2010); and “Megyn Preggers Again” (November 8, 2010).

Update: Tonight (04/07/11), Megyn appeared on the O’Reilly Factor and Bill O’Reilly noted that it would be her “last appearance for a while” because she was going to “have the baby next week.” When he pressed her as to the gender of her baby, she coyly responded, “You’ll find out on Thursday.” Carpe Diem reader, you now a date–a due date.

Megyn: I Was the Victim of Bullying

Kelly’s catfight recalled? Today, after a segment on school bullying, American Morning anchor Megyn Kelly obliquely remarked, “I was the victim of such bullying [re viral Aussie-big-boy-victim vid] when I was in school.”* Then, as a school counselor might intone, she added, “And, one positive angle I can offer to young girls out there who are victims of it is [that] I do think it makes you a more empathetic person. And, you can take that with you throughout your life and use it  [in] situations like this.”

When Megyn revealed that rather ambagious aside on AL today about her being picked on as a young girl, the author recollected Megyn saucily telling Bill Hemmer (her then America’s Newsroom co-host) about such a high school tormentor. In her account then, Megyn disclosed that when she was a sophomore “in [her] cheerleading uniform,” she was confronted by a senior girl who called her “the ‘b’ word.” In response, Megyn had retorted, “If you call me that one more time, you’re gonna regret it.” When the senior bully did so, Megyn stated that she “let her have it” and that they both” were down on the ground rolling around…in the girl’s locker room” until the gym teacher stopped intervened.

However, Megyn’s bullying moral then was much more direct than it was today. To Bill and her AM audience, she crowed, “She never bothered me again–not that I’m advocating violence.”

*America Live – 03/22/11 (@ 1:50 p.m. ET)

Megyn’s Baby Girl?

Kelly: “Little buddy” a “she.” Four months ago, Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly announced to her America Live audience that she was pregnant with her second child. When doing so, she referred to her unborn baby as her “little buddy.” At the time, the author assumed that she may have let the gender of her little one in the oven slip by using a seemingly masculine sobriquet. However, yesterday Megyn appeared to signal just the opposite.

During her all-female Power Panel segment (with Women’s Campaign Form CEO Sam Bennett, Dem strategist Krystal Ball, and conservative columnist Andrea Tantaros), Megyn appeared to let the cat out of the bag. During a discussion about Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schulz’s assertion that babies were going to turn into criminals if child-care cuts occurred, Megyn scoffed, “If sounds a little like fear-mongering like ‘If you make these cuts that Republicans are calling for, we’re going to have way more criminals. Those little kids right now, my little Yates (her seventeen-month-old son), criminal!” Subsequently, placing both of her hands over her belly, Megyn laughed, “Okay, and, this little baby here, unless she goes to Head Start.”

Speaking of “head start,” Megyn, it sounds as if you just gave your fans one in the baby-gender-guessing game.

*America Live – 03/04/11 (@  2:33 p.m. ET)