With her on-screen hubby John Roberts gone today, American Morning co-host Kiran Chetry was back in her single prime. Or, as psychoanalysts might opine, she seemed to “suffer” from the feminine version of the Coolidge effect this morning. The beneficiaries? Her A.M. acolytes.

Yesterday, with the old boy in tow, the Nepalese beauty was rather attractive in her somewhat short teal dress with a modestly plunging neckline. However, today, with T. J. Holmes subbing, Kiran showed her sexier side in a red form-fitting mini and black stiletto-heeled ankle boots. The girl was back: she knew it, and everyone else did as well.

The controversial Puss in Boots? Nah. But, who would mind if she were?

Did Bill O’Reilly really just say THAT about Jennifer Lopez’ “sex tape“? I.e., the “c” word that rhymes with “sum.” Listening to the O’Reilly Factor tonight, the author could not believe what he apparently heard–even after listening to it repeatedly on DVR.

During the “Is It Legal” segment (with his legal lovelies, Lis Wiehl and Kimberly Guilfoyle), O’Reilly asked about the wisdom of Jennifer Lopez’ suing her ex-hubby Ojani Noa over their honeymoon romp video.  He seemingly said, “Jennifer Lopez’ first husband [is] trying to make money off of her. He’s got some tape showing cu* activity that Jennifer doesn’t want out there. Jennifer’s suing the guy for $10,000,000: Is that a smart play?” [Italics added for emphasis.]

Please say that it is not so. However, reader, listen carefully for yourself. The apparent Freudian slip occurred at @ 8:44 p.m. ET. Yikes!

Ready, reader, for some Paula Deen next-day leftovers? No? They are still as “fresh” as the Georgia Peach herself and as “juicy” as her Savannah sweets even if they were served yesterday on Fox & Friends. [Even though the author had decided not to blog about Paula's appearance, he changed his mind when he found that the morsels were not found easily elsewhere.]

Yesterday celebrity cook Paula Deen helped her hubby, Michael Groover promote his new book, “My Delicious Life with Paula,” in her interview with co-hosts Steve Doocy, Brian Kilmeade, and Gretchen Carlson. As it began, Paula said that she watched Fox & Friends every morning. A rather inquisitive Brian asked what she wore when she did: Undaunted, Paula disclosed that she was sometimes naked and on occasion she and her husband both were.

When she did, Steve looked down and Paula had her hand on his knee. After Steve mentioned that she was the first person other than Henry Kissinger to start an interview this way, an emboldened Paula ran her hand up his inner thigh a bit. After abashing Steve thoroughly, she brought it back and assured him that it was there [on his knee] again. Steve asserted that it was okay.

Always the impish wag, Brian randily told everyone to grab someone. Sitting side by side, a reddened Gretchen put her hand on Brian’s knee, and he took her shoulder. Trying to gain control of the situation, Gretchen deftly segued from the “dirty” situation to “dirty players” (Elizabeth Lambert, YouTube’s bad girl University of Mexico soccer player).

It was yet another F&F crazy senior moment!

Fans of Fox & Friends Weekend may well have been in for a surprise this morning: co-anchor Clayton Morris was missing from the “curvy couch.” As the show opened, co-host Dave Briggs announced, “Clayton Morris is off for the first time since coming to Fox News almost two years ago.” Oddly, he and fellow co-anchors, Alisyn Camerota and fill-in Peter Johnson, Jr., failed to elaborate. (At the onset of the second hour, Aly merely mentioned that Clayton was “giving a big speech.”)

Happily, however, Clayton had alerted his Twitter followers of his impending absence. Yesterday evening, he Tweeted, “Yes I will be off tomorrow from Fox and Friends…. I’m here at my Alma Mater tonight.” Earlier, he had disclosed, “Arrived in Pittsburgh. Giving a speech tonight at University of Pittsburg. (Nostalgically, he intoned, “Ahhh I haven’t been here since I graduated.”)

Since F&FW producers have run “Get to Know Your Anchor” segments in the past, it seems somewhat strange that they failed to fully inform the viewers about Clayton’s whereabouts. However, happily, Clayton did apprise his Twitter followers. If the reader is not one of them or simply missed his Tweets, the author thought you might want to know.

Fox & Friends Weekend co-anchor Clayton Morris has his viewers and fans wondering exactly what his marital status is. For, at least, the last three weekends he has “ditched” his wedding band. Why? Perhaps, he and colleague Dave Briggs have simply switched inclinations: Formerly, Dave rarely had his on and now he seems to never leave home without it whereas Clayton used to always wear his and now cannot seem to find it.

On the other hand, there may be a less hopeful reason. Of late, he has tended to not publicly discuss his marriage to Sarah Morris. In August of ‘08,  Clayton proudly introduced Sarah to the F&FW audience in a U-Report photo of his beautiful bikini-clad wife displaying a shark she had landed in New Smyrna, Florida. Almost exactly a year later (August ‘09), he conspicuously avoided mentioning her during a “Love & Marriage” segment when co-hosts Dave and Alisyn Camerota readily discussed their respective spouses. The last three weekends have done nothing to dispel the suspicions of his viewers.

Clayton, of course, has a right to his privacy. As such, he is more than free to ignore any questions that people may have. But, he should consider that many of these come from his real fans who care about him and hope for the best for him and Sarah.

But, not for long! Forbidden religious symbol, “cause” jewelry, or other? Whichever it was,  American Morning co-host Kiran Chetry shed her red bracelet shortly after the opening shot. Perhaps, Jamie Kraft or a subordinate producer whispered in her ear: Regardless, she inexplicably took it off forthwith.

As to “cause” bracelets, co-anchor John Roberts sometimes wears his vivid yellow Lance Armstrong “LiveStrong” cancer awareness one. Ergo, it would make little sense that Kiran could not wear hers. However, she may not have wished to fully embrace that particular cause in public quite yet. (Red bracelets have been associated with AIDS, heart disease, diabetes, cancer awareness, and, bizarrely, even with anorexia (pro). [No the author does not think that Kiran has anorexia nor advocates it.]

With regard to a religious symbol, was Kiran possibly wearing a Kaballah red wristband or, perhaps, a Hindu one? As to Kaballah (a Jewish mystical sect formerly adhered to by her music idol Madonna), she was probably not wearing its red string wristband because it would have been properly worn on her left wrist. As to the Hindu religion, being born in Nepal, “the world’s only Hindu Kingdom she may have been tardily and covertly celebrating the Teej festival (where married women dressed in red “pray for a long life and the well-being of their husbands).” Or, even a subtle salute to her inner Sitka or both.

Did AM’s spicy hostess have a much more mundane motive? Perhaps. Perhaps, not.

Another Fox News producer rallying another crowd? It certainly appeared so. However, it may not be a big deal this time. Earlier, an FNC producer got into trouble with her bureau chief because she was caught rallying a Tea Bag Party crowd for Griff Jenkins during a Glenn Beck show. Today, a young man who looked like a FNC producer was seen similarly goading the troops on the U.S.S. New York into enthusiastic applause with a like hand gesture for the F&F program held on deck.*

It may be no big deal if F&F is primarily an entertainment show vis-a-vis a news program. In defending his popular morning news program for airing caricatures of New York Times staffers last year, former FNC Exec VP of News Editorial John Moody did contend that F&F is an “entertainment show that does some news.” However, in a Tweet to the author (defending his failure to wear a Phillies uniform for an entire as to a lost bet to his colleague Clayton Morris), F&F Weekend co-host Dave Briggs acerbically asserted, @Jakeho that’s absolutely ridiculous, Clayton never said I’d wear the uni for 3 hours, we actually have a job to do, we are a news show.” [Italics added for emphasis.]

The manufactured approbation is probably no big deal but it seemed to blur the line needlessly between news and entertainment. (One could almost imagine being on a game show with the lighted sign blinking, “Applause! Applause! Applause!”) Since the hearty clapping seemed to be for F&F itself vis-a-vis any patently political point, perhaps, it was indeed adiaphorous. Nevertheless, the apparent F&F producer conjured up today memories of that earlier censured producer.

Fox & Friends (11/05/09) – @8:12 a.m. ET

CNN has done it again: From Paula Zahn’s infamous “zipper” promo to Anderson Cooper’s supposedly “undone zipper.”* Seven years ago, CNN promoted its new Zahn show, American Morning, with an ad in which a male announcer randily remarked, “”Where can you find a morning news anchor who’s provocative, super-smart, oh yeah, and just a little sexy?” As the word “sexy” was emblazoned on the screen, the seeming sound of a zipper being unzipped was heard. Controversy ensued and the ad was pulled after being aired only about a dozen times.

Last night CNN had another phallic moment. This time it was over another blond beauty, Carrie Prejean, the former Miss USA California. Before the segment in question, Cooper teased, “Carrie Prejean caught on tape. Oh, Carrie, Carrie, Carrie. She’s dropped her lawsuit against pageant officials about…her augmentation surgery but only after they dropped a bombshell. We’ll tell you what changed the game.”

Then when AC360 returned, correspondent Erica Hill cattily reported, “The one-time Miss California USA Carrie Prejean…apparently…doesn’t have to worry about paying for her $5200 boob job because Miss USA pageant officials have dropped their lawsuit…She has dropped her lawsuit against the pageant, too. Why?” Feigning incredulity, Cooper queried, “Why?”

Hill answered, “Well, the deal is confidential, Anderson, but a source close to the settlement tells CNN the agreement happened after a sex tape featuring Prejean surfaced.” Cooper playfully exclaimed, “What!” Hill animatedly replied, “Yeah! Yeah! According to TMZ, she’s alone on it.” As Cooper deadpanned, “Really?,” the apparent sound of a salient priapic response (a suddenly released spring) was heard. Raising his eyes, Cooper smiled, shook his head, and said, “Please!”

Anderson Cooper 360 (11/04/09) – @10:57 p.m ET

“I can’t drink beer!” Tweeted Fox & Friend co-host Gretchen Carlson, sounding somewhat snobbish, as she promoted an upcoming story entitled, “Your Beer Personality.” During the segment itself, co-host Brian Kilmeade revealed that he liked Corona and colleague Steve Doocy preferred Coors Light: in response, Gretched stated, “I can get out of this whole mix ’cause I don’t drink beer.”*

Brian asked, “Really?” Gretchen replied, “Nope!” However, Steve interjected, “I’ve seen you drink beer, though.” Gretchen emphatically answered, “You absolutely have never seen me drink beer.” Incredulous, Steve queried, “No?” Gretchen insisted, “I’m on record as saying that I like to kiss a man after he’s had a beer.”

Brian joked, “Oh! You’re on the record?” Playfully pointing to the producers, he said, Let’s go back to that transcript.” Gretchen responded, “I’m on the record. I’ve said it many times.” Then she revealed, “I have not had a beer since my younger years, and there’s a reason why.”

Gretchen, not condescending: She just seems to have a long memory.

*Fox & Friends – 11/02/09 (@6:41 p.m. ET)

Boo, Aly! (And, not the scary kind.) Fox & Friends Weekend co-anchor Alisyn Camerota seems to be giving her readers and followers the Calvin Coolidge treatment this Halloween weekend. Verily, Aly did notify her social network audience that she would be subbing for F&F co-host Gretchen Carlson Friday and penned two brief Green Room posts this weekend. However, she has responded to none of their Tweets nor blog comments.

Even though her Green Room attendees may tend to give her a pass (since she seems to be somewhat more attentive to them), her Twitter followers may be becoming less and less apt to do so. Aly, apparently, has ignored their Tweets for almost two months (since September 4th) and has only deigned to reply on three distinct days since she began her account on August 23.

On the bright side, perhaps, she will heed the wisdom of today’s F&FW guest wine gonzo guru and New York Times best-selling author Gary Vaynerchuk. As he promoted his book, “Why Now is The Time to Crush It!: Cash in on Your Passion,” co-anchor and Vayniac Clayton Morris inquiringly remarked, “One of the things you talk about in living your passion…[is] people need to understand social media.” Gary “Vee” replied, “Whether the people…think Twitter or FaceBook…is stupid is irrelevant. Later, he elaborated, “What’s most important is you go into things like FaceBook and Twitter and you start talking to people. Not spamming them and selling them. Talking, and you build real connections.”

F&FW Twitter king Clayton seems to get it. After today, maybe, Aly did, too. Let’s hope so.