The fate of Ainsley Earhardt, the South Carolina cutie, was sealed as soon as the castrato choir (and Courtney Friel) was enlisted to sail the F&FW ship with her. To Ainsley afficionados, she appears sweet, genuine, and promising whereas to her detractors, she seems saccharine, naive, and green. She may well share all of these attributes in some measure but she never was able to find her footing flanked by the castrato choir.
Why Clayton Morris and Dave Briggs were conscripted after Page Hopkins, Kelly Wright, and Greg Kelly were thrown overboard is unfathomable to this author. I missed FNC’s inexplicably delayed introduction of the pair to the F&FW audience. If anyone gleaned a reasonable explanation, please comment: if not, please feel free to share the import of the segment. Thanks!
Tags: Clayton Morris, Fox & Friends, Fox News, Kelly Wright
Carpe Diem 
July 28, 2008 at 4:33 pm
As much as I hated Saturday’s with Ainsley, Dave and Clayton with Courtney as news reader, I didn’t really like this weekend at all.
I was off on both days to a family reunion, but used my DVR to record it. I really got tired of hearing Alisyn the whole time. It’s just too much talking by one person. She is a good news person and can interview people, but it’s JUST TOO MUCH! She seemed like she was talking non-stop because she was nervous not knowing what Clayton was going to say next. When he wandered off-camera, I think she seemed a little panicked.
Keep searching Fox, you surely can come up with the right combo. Alisyn, Dave and Clayton are not the trio for that spot. I still am clinging to the hope that the others are on vacation time and will be back. WELL! It doesn’t hurt to believe the unbelievable sometime.
And…I got to see Page this a.m. reading a news alert. It was really good to see her. That’s the first sighting I’ve had, although others have reported it. She didn’t look all that happy, but I was happy seeing her and hearing her.
July 28, 2008 at 4:51 pm
Sorry, but I refuse to place the blame for Ainsley’s failure on being surrounded by less than stellar co-workers. She didn’t exactly set the show on fire when she subbed in during the weekdays with Brian and Steve.
A real pro doesn’t need to be propped up by superstars in order to shine on her own.
For me, the big problem with Ainsley is that we just don’t think she has the credibility to tell us anything that isn’t in the teleprompter and think on her feet. If a guest throws a curveball during an interview, it was almost certain that she’d whiff it.
As for the Know Your Anchors segment, that was probably because of the backlash (and WTF emails) that FNC got after they dumped the previous crew without warning and explanation.
July 28, 2008 at 6:35 pm
Ainsley Earhardt seems to do pretty well when she files her own reports. We see the on-air talent get moved around or go on vacation without notice, so could it be that there was also a production crew switch-a-roo that contributed to F&FW’s recent poor performance?
To slightly disagree with M. Davey, it appeared to me that Alisyn Camerota was doing most of the talking only because that’s the way it was set up. The boyz were probably told to follow her lead and she didn’t appear to me to be the least bit concerned about what they said. You’ve watched this show over recent past weeks and so would you really want those two continuing with their incessant noise?
From Briggs and Morris’s perspective, there’s no mystery as to why Alisyn Camerota was brought in to host the weekend show. Surely they both know that if this show doesn’t start working then they’ll both be out looking for work.
July 28, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Well I heard that Ali and Gretchen don’t get along very well- so makes sense to give Ali her kind of “own gig”. She seemed comfortable with Dave and Clayton- and hopefully they will all find their balance. I think it is good that she seems to get Clayton’s humor- Ainsley never did. Ali is subbing for Gretchen this week and it is Clayton’s turn next week. Clearly they are grooming the weekend crew to sub in for the weekday gang whenever necessary? They should have included Rick in the “know your anchors” segment.
July 29, 2008 at 9:14 am
My problem with the Ainsley/Clayton/Dave team is that they are so wet behind the ears that they come across like little giggling school kids. Courtney (bless her heart) is just dumb–beautiful, but dumb. We went from having a team of adults in February to a team of middle school kids who couldn’t bond with the audience. While I do applaud TPTB for trying to turn the ship around, they’re the ones who screwed up everything in the first place. Alisyn is a great on-air person and has alot of charisma and a professional manner. Clayton is still a frat boy buffoon, and I don’t see that changing. He seems to think everything he says and does is funny—but he’s mistaken. Dave (bless his heart) seems to be a nice guy, but he’s dull. There is no spark of interest for him. I did see the “know your anchor” segment. Personally, I just really don’t want to know either of these two guys. I also noticed that they left out Rick, and he should have definitely been included. IMO he (and Page) should be on the couch with the loss of Greg Kelly to local tv. This whole thing has been such a train wreck that it’s going to take a long time for me to feel any great passion for this show again. Alisyn is a good start, but it’s going to take more than that for me.
July 29, 2008 at 10:03 am
I can agree with Al that it was set up for Alisyn to do most of the talking, but it seems they could have given them (the guys) a little bigger role. They looked like Alisyn’s children, waiting to be able to talk. I guess I should be grateful that they were waiting at all. They usually are like a new puppy, just before he wets the floor when they want to say something and can’t. And I think that the person that thought up that “Know Your Anchor” should be reprimanded. I think everyone on here knows who they are are where they came from, just not why they were put on a cable weekend news show as anchors.
I just wish I could tell you what I want without saying I’d like Page and Kelly back. I just don’t know at this point. It’s so baffling. I’m better off sleeping in and taping it so I can just skip through what I don’t want to see.
July 29, 2008 at 2:33 pm
Since everyone complained about not knowing who people were in the revolving host seats I think they did that to satisfy viewer requests. I know you don’t like the guys- but I’m sure you don’t know everything about them (maybe all you wnat to know) but others obviously enjoyed some of that information from Ali’s blog entries.
July 29, 2008 at 8:12 pm
Although I don’t watch F & F that often, I really did always enjoy watching the very lovely Ainsley Earhardt (almost the only reason to watch F&F) and am definitely forced to assert my firm and unyielding placement in and amongst the “sweet, genuine and promising” faction.
…….And I actually do leave the house ‘ever so often’, as we say in my neck of the woods.
July 30, 2008 at 12:32 am
Tina – Aly & the techno peeps edit the blog … You’re NOT allowed to say anything negative about any FNC on-air “talent” except for Aly (She’s a big girl & can / will defend herself) …
I’m glad I didn’t see the whole “Know your Anchor” bit … as I read Clayton’s lil liberal blog bio BEFORE he was forced to edit the living daylights out of it …
I don’t want to know Toonces & Lawnmower Man …
I want to know Rick & Aly … as well as Page & Kelly and the now evicted to O&O’s GDNY Greg …
I’m actually surprised that in Toonces’ dumb little “Rewind” segment that he skipped the Danica Patrick vs Hugo Chavez’s lil pawn catfight (since he seems to enjoy catfights) …
July 31, 2008 at 4:23 am
I love Aimsley, Clayton is just sandpaper in my ears. FNC has done away with most of the southerners, why Kelly and Greg got the heavho off I just don’t get. Alisyn is great, but Courtney is another sandpaper problem. The younger guy seems like he is groomable, Clayton is not.
July 31, 2008 at 5:13 am
Yeah, shame on FNC for mistreating southerners. How dare they make Shepard Smith the go-to anchor and give him nearly $7.5 million a year! How dare they make Dagen McDowell an anchor on the FBN, after having her be a longtime featured business reporter on various FNC programs for years!
August 1, 2008 at 9:23 pm
Whenever Ainsley, Dominica, or Courtney appear on FOX, I change channels. It’s that simple.
August 2, 2008 at 8:38 am
Why can’t Fox settle on a good set of Fox and Friends weekend hosts? Bringing in Alisyn is lame. I did not like Ainsley as a host. Attractiveness should not be the only reason a woman is given a hosting gig. Ainsley came across kind of brainless. I am not crazy about the other two guys that presently co-host the weekend show either. That trio screamed inexperience.
Fox needs to stop making Fox and Friends Weekend, a revolving hosts situation. I really liked the Greg/Paige/Kelly trio. They were great, not cute, green, scared and clueless like Ainsley and those 2 guys.
August 2, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Oddly, I never had any problem watching Domenica until she subbed in for Rick one weekend and became just another giggly nitwit with Ainsley and Courtney. We felt as if we were watching some overgrown adolescents reliving high school.
August 4, 2008 at 10:31 am
I wish they would put Page back on. She is sorely needed to restore sanity. Clayton & Dave are the worst. I’ve switched
to Alex on MSNBC for my weekend news!
August 5, 2008 at 2:19 pm
I thought it was quite funny to read Marty Davis’ take on Ainsley and Courtney Friel getting the boot: http://chickaboomer.blogspot.com/2008/08/ainsley-earhardt-courtney-friel-gone.html
August 7, 2008 at 7:14 am
I miss Page, Greg and Kelly. The weekend show was solid with them at the helm. Now, the weekday show has been messed up to fix the weekend show. Ainsley seems like a perfectly lovely person and she does ok on her own reporting (Hannity’s America), but she, Clayton, Dave and Courtney are all terrible on F&FW!!
August 7, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Dear Anon Reader, I appreciate your apology and it is certainly accepted. I also appreciate your participation in the dialogue and welcome your continued input. As to AE, I do not believe that any of her missives were confidential: in fact, I alluded to my blog in the e-mail prior to her response that, apparently, got her castigated by FNC brass. Subsequently, I did express my regret to her for her maltreatment by the suits and commended her responsiveness to the viewer.
August 10, 2008 at 9:52 am
I don’t know how anyone could miss Page Hopkins. She looks about 60 and hasn’t got an ounce of humor in her. I stopped watching when they put her in there. Why they canned Ainsley is unfathomable. I don’t want a Pulitzer Prize winner in that spot. I want eye candy that can speak a little. Ainsley fit perfectly. Courtney can’t speak, but she’d be great eye candy, too. And Gretchen M-F is simply wretched. Put Ainsley in on the weekdays. Perfect eye candy to increase the ratings.
August 14, 2008 at 7:37 am
I enjoyed Ainsley and the boys. I assumed their show was taylored for a younger crowd.
August 31, 2008 at 7:24 am
Ainsley and Courtney were there because they are good looking woman and not there for their reporting skills. The weekend show is supposed to be a lighthearted morning show not a real grundbreaking news segment. They are trying to compete with the Today show and other formats like that. Alison is a good news reporter and it probably too good for a weekend moring show. I agree with James, you want the eye candy and its no secret why Fox hires very good looking women, Megen Kelly..etc
September 1, 2008 at 6:50 pm
Although Alisyn is a giant improvement to the current lineup I am still upset that they moved out a great team. They made changes without announcement or explanation in typical Fox News Fashion. Where are Page, Kelly, and Greg?
We grow to know and like these teams and it is just absolutely stupid the way Fox does things.
September 8, 2008 at 10:07 am
I thought it was just me…I’m so glad to hear (and read) that there are others who feel the same way about the F&F Weekend shuffle. Here’s my take:
Greg, Kelly, Paige – Miss them all, but happy for Greg’s new gig; Kelly is so much better in DC with the political stuff, Paige is better with the news stuff.
Courtney – Oh dear! “I’m beautiful and I know it; I’ve got boobs and I want to show them to everyone; I shake them when I get nervous; I have very tight clothes and I’m going to wear them all; who cares if I look like I just walked in from trolling the street last night; I missed the class where they taught us how to stand correctly to deliver the news”…and so on.
Ainsley – Good at straight new stuff; not so good off the cuff.
Alyson – Yes, she talks alot but she also seems to know when to shut up. And she is quick with the back and forth no matter what crew of men she is working with. She fits well. Which brings me to…
The Clowns – Dave and Clayton – OH MY GOSH!!! Just shoot me now! They always bring everything back to “ME, ME, look at ME”. Hello, people – it’s not about you! I remember a weekday segment when Clayton was subbing for Steve and was on with Brian – King of “I-know-how-to-deliver-a-funny-line-without-even-trying-to-be-funny”- Everything that was talked about or questions asked (rhetorically), Clayton always brought it back to him -“Here’s what I think…” “When I was in high school…” “I, I, Me, Me, Look and ME trying to run this show” – then of course trying to be funny, and NOT! (This is where Alyson rolls her eyes or freezes her smile because she knows he just dropped an idiot bomb.) Brian interrupted him and said “You don’t have to answer every questions that comes up!” To which Clayton seemed to think Brian was kidding with him, then realized, OOPS, I’ve been put in my place by the one guy I really want to be like! Reality check.
Yes, Fox has got so much work to do on the weekend…Isn’t any of this obvious to them? Why don’t they just ask us? We seem toknow alot…
September 14, 2008 at 6:54 am
alyson is good,but those two other guys have to go.the think their funny and don’t deliver the news well.ansiley should have been there with alyson and she could have become a good host.courtney should have been given sometime too.they both needed to be around people that new want they were doing instead of clayton and david.they could make anybody look bad.doesn’t management see this.maybe their the one’s that got to go?
September 14, 2008 at 6:48 pm
I guess I’m missing something. I don’t normally look at blogs. Is Ainsley no longer working for Fox at all?
September 15, 2008 at 7:32 pm
Yep, just saw her.
September 28, 2008 at 4:56 pm
Where did you see Ainsley? I’m still a fan of hers!!
September 29, 2008 at 1:51 am
Does anyone know where Ainsley Earhardt is.
September 29, 2008 at 4:31 am
Watch fox much less than I used to. Ainsley should make dental commercials, Courtney should be doing something else, Gretchen Carlson is arrogant, elitist and I think could use anger management classes, I think she should be replaced. Ali is good, her need to continually look at the camera is disconcerting, Briggs should go back to whence he came, Clayton may have potential if he can overcome his arrogance. Page Hopkins was a valuable asset
September 29, 2008 at 7:18 am
Jt, Charles, Ainsley does news updates in the “overnight” hours. Also, you occasionally may want to check Hannity’s America where she has served as an “Across America” correspondent.
September 29, 2008 at 1:55 pm
It is gratifying to know people still want to see Ainsley despite Fox’s efforts to bury her.
She recently went three weeks without any air time, which is unfathomable.
Hopefully, Fox is taking notice of how popular Ainsley is.
Nobody should be treated the way Fox treated Page.
Nobody should be treated the way Fox is treating Ainsley.
At least with Courtney, you can say Fox gave her every opportunity.
You can’t say that about Ainsley.
September 30, 2008 at 12:09 am
If Fox News drives Ms Earhardt away, someone else will give her a chance. No question. I don’t think she will the national level. Maybe CNN.
October 8, 2008 at 9:16 am
Who are you idiots? Commentator wanna be’s? Ainsley’s hot, very hot. Your p***ed, trying to discredit her for your own horrifically boring worthless lives. She did a wonderful job, cause she’s HOT and Genuine. Unlike everyone of you b****ing about her. Grow up, and get a life. Just hysterical, honestly who do you think you are?
October 14, 2008 at 2:08 pm
Ainsley is beautiful and yes a bit green but has lots of potential. She has a very good personality and with proper training and on air experience she can become a star. The constant changes are more than annoying. Its like FOX is tinkering with a show in preproduction not one actually on the air. Humor is great but goofyness is not. Lose the sound effects and find good journalists with personality and stick with them for at least a year. Give them time to develop chemistry and an audience. I despise the broadcast networks, CNN and PMSNBC but the goofyness is inappropriate especially now. I think Gretchen is great in the morning but the male anchors are too silly. Why not draft Heraldo to do F & F’s? At least he has a hard news background. Let goofy Doocy do weather and Kilmead do sports but leave anchoring to an anchor.
October 24, 2008 at 2:11 am
bring back greg and kelly
November 13, 2008 at 9:21 pm
Now that the election is over I expect we will see Ainsley back on weekends. She didnt have the political knowledge that Aly has. Now that its not needed they can go back to being more light-hearted, which is what F&FW is all about……Fox has never recovered from letting Kiran go.
February 28, 2012 at 7:44 pm
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