Coulter v. Rivera Bombs

Before the face-off between Ann Coulter and Geraldo Rivera today on Fox & Friends, Gretchen Carlson hyped it as a must-see fireworks extravaganza. However, the dueling duo’s polemic turned out to be an absolute dud. From the beginning, Geraldo did not seem to cotton to his platinum blonde debate partner as a worthy opponent: He made his points and tended to ignore Ann’s arguments.

To make matters worse, during the middle of the discussion, Steve Doocy re-positioned himself as a buffer between Geraldo and Ann and Peter Johnson, Jr., interrupted the contentious colloquy with his incessant questions to Geraldo. Only when Ann “shushed” Peter Johnson, Jr. was she able to actually engage Geraldo. Even then he soon drifted off topic and returned to his dismissive disputation.

Ann v. Geraldo: No mas!

Fave Halloween Honey?

Who was your fave cable morning news Halloween Honey today? If one likes traditional Rubenesque beauties, one might choose Fox & Friends’ former Miss America Gretchen Carlson dressed in her blood-red mock turtleneck sweater, black pleather mini, and black boots. However, if one prefers a more modern model look, one might opt for AM’s Kiran Chetry a/k/a Lara Croft bedecked in her black button-down blouse, a form-fitting pumpkin mini, and black knee-high boots.

“Isn’t beauty in the eye of the beholder?” asked Gretchen today. (She did so after a segment on a British scientific study suggesting an attractive dad equals a hot daughter.) Does anyone, e.g., Gretch’s beauty pageant judges, actually believe this inane aphorism? As in art, one may have preferences but a transcendant aesthetic aspect is a sine qua non of true beauty.

In this election cycle Halloween, feel free to cast your vote for that distaff spirit that thrills you or chills you. As they purportedly propose in Chicago, vote early and vote often. Happy Halloween!

“Cowboy Hats & Cigars”

Fox & Friends co-host Gretchen Carlson titillated Chris Wallace anew during the Fox News Sunday promo. As Wallace was ending his plug, Steve Doocy asked, “If you were to dress up as, perhaps, a political figure or just a standard Halloween costume, what would a Chris Wallace dress up as?” Wallace responded, “I was thinking of the Joker.” Gretch tilted her head, played with her hair, and saucily added, “I thought that you liked cowboy hats and cigars.” Wallace shook his head, smiled sheepishly, wagged his finger, and replied, “We can’t keep talking about that, Gretchen: Mrs. Wallace is no longer amused at that conversation.”

The teasing tango continues.

https://jakeho.wordpress.com/2008/07/25/gretch-excites-wallace/

https://jakeho.wordpress.com/2008/10/17/gretch-does-palin-4-wallaace/

AM’s Halloween Ghoul

Was there a ghoul gadding about on CNN’s American Morning today? As AM was ending an aerosol can seemed to magically disappear.  At 9:00 a.m. ET when AM’s “Election Day in America” countdown registered 4 (days) 08 (hrs.) 59 (59 min.) 14 (sec.), there was a clearly visible can to Kiran Chetry’s arm screen left. In apparently the next frame with a wider angle before a second had elapsed, the can was not. A Halloween ghost swiping Kiran’s hair spray? A David Copperfield cameraman cloaking it? Or scarier yet (and, hopefully, least likely) an American Morning time delay?

Pretty Talking Head

Fox & Friends co-host Gretchen Carlson seems to wants to convince the viewers that she is not just another pretty talking head. E.g., today the 1989 Miss America and former Stanford alum assured her F&F co-hosts Brian Kilmeade and Steve Doocy that she “knew this issue [of domestic violence] well” before she interviewed National Domestic Violence Hotline CEO Sheryl Cates. In fact, she iterated the same thing to Cates in the segment intro.  Perhaps, a more palpable example though was her aside to Brian as to the intricacies of voting: Patronizing the F&F viewer, she opined that “no wonder why people can’t figure out the system because we can’t even figure it out.”

Gretch, you may want to reassess your apparent assumption that the civic ken of cable news viewers is similar to that of your former CBS morning audience . No need for a voice from Mount Olympus. You report: they decide.

Megyn 2 O’Reilly: Who Cares?

On the O’Reilly Factor last night, a strong, sexy, and assertive Megyn Kelly dismissed Bill O’Reilly’s palaver the same way that she does other East Coast political panjandrums. In the “In the Crosshairs” segment concerning Megyn’s confrontational interview with Barack Obama spokesman Bill Burton (after he accused FNC, Drudge, and McCain of an alliance), an impertinent O’Reilly asked, “Are you rooting for McCain?” Megyn responded, “Who cares who I’m rooting for? It’s irrelevant.” Megyn then asserted that she had received flack from both sides for her tough interrogations of their respective spokesmen.

If one has watched Megyn interview both Bill Burton and Tucker Bounds (McCain spokesman) on America’s Newsroom, one would be hard pressed to view her as anything other than an equal opportunity abuser.

Obama: Interview Nazi?

Did Steve Doocy, Fox & Friends co-host, call Barack Obama and his campaign interview Nazis? In a “FL Anchor Grills Biden” segment with Bias author Bernard Goldberg about Channel 9 Orlando’s Barbara West’s tough interview of Dem veep nominee Senator Joe Biden, Doocy asked Goldberg, “After Barbara West…asked that really hard series of questions, the Obama camp [said]…no more interviews for you, no more soup for you, what do you think about this?”* The question seems like an obvious reference to the soup Nazi Seinfeld episode.

Over the line or right on target?

* F&F 7:10 a.m. ET

Kiran: CNN’s Callipygian

Yes, Kiran Chetry, too, sometimes has a plumber’s crack: AM co-host John Roberts is intrigued at the thought. Today’s American Morning parting shot featured a canine contest pic of a “Joe the Plumber” chihuahua in plumber’s garb with the apropos accoutrements: Kiran ad libbed, “It’s the new Joe the Plumber chihuahua…complete with a plumber’s crack.” She added, “All you plumbers out there, I’m sorry; I didn’t say that; [and] my pants do that sometimes, too.

Roberts smilingly turned to Kiran and rather randily queried, “Do your pants really do that from time to time? Kiran gamely responded, “Sometimes! You just gotta pull them back up again and move on.” Roberts replied, “Good to know.” Kiran merely giggled in response.

Dainty Dave

Self-proclaimed “princess,” Dave Briggs, co-host of Fox & Friends Weekend got dubbed “dainty” once again by Alisyn Camerota Sunday. After a Janice Dean, the “Dance Machine,” segment, Dave opined that he knew that it was fall when he had to scrape the ice from his windshield with a credit card. Aly closed her eyes, put her palm to her forehead and derisively declared, “Ah, you’re so, as Clayton [Morris] would say, dainty.” A dissed Dave replied, “Dainty?” Aly asked, “Oh, you haven’t heard that? Defensively, “I’m like MacGyver : Give me some credit here.” Aly finished, “I’m sorry.”

F&FW’s Sex-and-the-City-watching, Cosmo-sipping sports guy dainty? Aly, surely you jest.

Links:
https://jakeho.wordpress.com/2008/08/24/princess-dave/
https://jakeho.wordpress.com/2008/08/19/briggs-bending-it-like-beckham/

Finally, Directv FNCHD! [Update]

Update: What is the deal? This morning Directv’s FNC seems to be back in non-HD. Last night when I began to praise, apparently, prematurely FNC’s debut in HD, I TiVo’d Geraldo Rivera’s show to make sure I wasn’t seeing things. When I deleted it, the percentage available regained on my DVR indicated that it was indeed in HD. Today has been another story altogether.

2B FNCHD, or not 2B FNCHD? That is the question.

Earlier entry:

Today FNC finally went high def on Directv. For forebearing fans of FNC, it is indeed about time: The cable news network has inexplicably long ceded video superiority to CNN on Directv. Even when Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. controlled the satellite television company, Fox News did not avail itself of an HD channel even though its main competitor CNN did. With the recent debut of its new sister cable business news network FBN in HD, Fox News’ must have been shamed by its inferior visual content. Apparently, a little sibling rivalry did the trick.

Now when switching from a CNN program to an FNC one, the viewer will not feel as if his/her contacts got cloudy. For male fans of cable news eye candy, e.g., Alisyn Camerota, Megyn Kelly, and Domenica Davis, it will be sweeter. Yes, girls, you can see your favorite gents better too.

https://jakeho.wordpress.com/2008/09/16/cnns-leg-up/

“Rick Rocks”!

“Rick Rocks”! Or, at least, that’s what the young girl’s handwritten sign said at the start of the Fox & Friends metereologist’s last weather report. He asked his adoring tween fan why she had made the sign: she responded, “I made this sign because you rock!” and gave him a “duh” look and a gleaming smile.

At the end of his report, Rick interviewed a flirtatious Hooters girl promo’g the chain’s 25th anniversary. The smitten weatherman could hardly keep his eyes off the statuesque ebony beauty from Hooters. After Rick’s segue back to the F&F co-anchors Alisyn Camerota and her Doublemen, Clayton Morris affirmed, “You rock, Rick!” Dave Briggs echoed the sentiment.

Does he, ladies?

Rick Parries Clayton

Fox & Friends Clayton Morris laid a “Lewinsky” trap for meteorologist Rick Reichmuth after a “Former [FNC] Interns” segment today. Clayton and fellow-anchor Dave Briggs had just interviewed Ann Zagari, an attractive, diminutive former intern and Penn State student. In a segue to Rick, with a twinkle in his eye, Clayton asked, “Does she [the intern] take care of you out there, too? Hesitating, Rick closed his eyes and smiled, turned his head as if to think, and wisely stuttered, “Uh, well, I could use some coffee: how about that? Clayton chuckled at his colleague’s discomfit.

Gretch: As Usual, Total Support from the Guys

Fox & Friends co-host Gretchen Carlson was not amused by her co-anchors’ lack of laughter at her attempted joke. In a segment on the possibility of Oprah Winfrey being named ambassador to Great Britain by Barack Obama (if elected), a straight-faced Gretchen said, “I’ve never heard that Oprah had an interest in moving to England: you might think that Barack Obama would choose Madonna.” Silence. When Steve Doocy and Brian Kilmeade, bewildered, began to try to respond, Gretch gamely declared, “It was a joke, guys: Talk about silence–let me try another joke on you.” Piqued, she perceptively postulated, “As usual, total support from the guys on the couch.”

Doocy Knocks NBC Anew

Less than an hour after Bill O’Reilly called NBC News “the Pro Obama Network” on the O’Reilly Factor (third showing), (Fox & Friends co-host Steve Doocy took aim at the Peacock Network again this morning. After calling MSNBC MSDNC two days ago, Steve designated its parent NBC the National Barack Channel. During a segment on SNL (Thursday), F&F co-host Brian Kilmeade complained that SNL took no shots at Barack Obama or Joe Biden while SNL special guest Will Ferrell and Tina Fey took on the John McCain and Sarah Palin; Gretchen Carlson declared, “News Alert: Saturday Night Live is not fair”: and Steve rejoined, “Do you think it could possibly be the fact that it does originate on NBC, the National Barack Channel?”

Hit or miss? You make the call.

https://jakeho.wordpress.com/2008/10/22/doocy-dubs-msnbc-msdn/

Beauty N Boots

The wait is over: American Morning co-host Kiran Chetry’s ended her boot tease today. About one month after promising an enraptured Rob Marciano to break out her boots, the Nepalese beauty strutted her stuff in black high-heeled knee-high boots accented by her black mini. As Trace Adkins would say, she’s “one hot mama!”

https://jakeho.wordpress.com/2008/09/26/boot-tease/

CNN’s Rollins: MN Voters “Dead Indians”

Ironically, American Morning’s John Roberts and Kiran Chetry had politically incorrect lusty laughs after a segment entitled, “America Divided: Concern about GOP Tactic.” Beforehand, Roberts and Kiran had interviewed Ed Rollins, Ronald Reagan’s 1984 National Campaign Director and current CNN contributor, about questionable tactics by GOP candidates that seemed to draw a conservative America/liberal un-America divide and about the divisive Pennsylvania presidential race. At the close of the segment, Roberts jokingly asked Rollins, “How did you screw up on Minnesota?” (In 1984 Rollins helped Reagan win all the U.S. states except Minnesota.)

In answer to Roberts unexpected query, Rollins ad libbed, “They voted a lot of dead Indians along the border: 1620 votes. I’m not bitter.” Roberts and Kiran joined Rollins in a genial guffaw.

“America Divided”: Still Cowboys and “Indians” (Native Americans)?

AM Sickness, Kiran?

Coke and crackers? As Kiran Chetry greeted her American Morning audience, she had an open Coke instead of her usual lipstick-kissed Starbucks grande. Later in the hour, Kiran had Nabisco Premium crackers nearby instead of her preferred Mickey Dee’s Sausage McMuffin. Kiran, well known for her voracious appetite and her morning coffee “addiction,” indeed had a rather paltry repast today.

In a Carpe Diem entry entitled “Kiran’s AM Nausea” two weeks ago, this author previously noticed Kiran looking queasy: however, since Kiran had recently (April ’08) given birth to Chrisopher, any thoughts as to a pregnancy were somewhat dismissed. Since then Kiran has looked similarly sick in another AM show. Today, she broke out the “morning sickness” best foods. Maybe, my initial assessment was a mite premature.

Is another Knowles in the offing? Since Kiran’s oldest Maya and her second Christopher are only about two years apart, her having another a little over a year apart doesn’t seem out of the question. Kiran, an only child, may desire to have a fuller quiver for her hubby Chris. If she does deliver another Chetry Knowles, she will help make her world a better place.

https://jakeho.wordpress.com/2008/10/08/kirans-am-nausea/

http://pregnancyandbaby.com/pregnancy/baby/Morning-sickness–Food-guide-5269.htm
http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/survivingmorningsickness.html
http://www.webmd.com/baby/features/morning-sickness-misery
http://www.pregnancy.org/article.php?sid=711

Doocy Dubs MSNBC “MSDNC”

Fox & Friends co-host Steve Doocy left little doubt as to his view of rival cable news network MSNBC. In a segment entitled, “Sharp-Dressed Woman: $150K Spent on Clothes for Palin,” Doocy said that he had seen another channel, MSNBC, where a male commentator sneered, “You’d think that if she spent $150,000, they would have been good-looking clothes.” He added, “Attention, MSDNC! If you are going to talk about a woman’s clothing, don’t have a guy do it.”

Even though the Kansas native may have just stepped out of his fashion commentary cave, he left no doubt as to his view of MSNBC. Of course, in general there seems to be little love lost between rivals FNC and MSNBC. If you have any doubts, ask Bill O’Reilly or Keith Olbermann.

AM Cuts: F&F Keeps

Both American Morning and Fox & Friends ran the same excerpt from a CNN Palin interview with not surprisingly DIFFERENT editing results. In the exclusive with CNN’s Drew Griffin, Sarah Palin brought up Joe Biden’s assertion that Barack Obama if elected would face a generated international crisis within six months to test his mettle. As to the “gaffe,” Griffin asked, “Does Joe Biden get a pass?” Palin declared, “Drew, you need to ask your colleagues and your bosses…why does Joe Biden get a pass on such a thing?” She added, “If I would have said that, you guys’d clobbered me.”

CNN ran the clip twice and ended it there. However, Fox & Friends ran the same clip four times and let it run a little longer. What was the difference? Griffin’s response. After Palin’s assertion that CNN would have “clobbered” her if she had said the same thing as Biden, he replied, “You’re right. You’re right.”

F&F’s take? F&F co-host Gretchen Carlson commented, “To me the reaction of that [CNN] reporter is the headline of that interview.” Co-anchor Steve Doocy added, “And that’s the key, he was truthful: He was absolutely being honest.”

Different quotes for different folks.

F&F AM

Today Fox & Friends’ interview of Rudy Giuliani was like AM radio in an HD world. While F&F continues to offer its DirecTv viewers sub-par video, one would think that it would provide flawless audio to compensate. Even though Rudy was using a can-you-hear-me-now cell phone, the author could glean the substance of what he had to say. Steve Doocy, Brian Kilmeade, and Gretchen Carlson skillfully filled the lacunae with their color commentary: nevertheless, the effort required to listen was a mite maddening.

This incident only serves to remind the audience that CNN’s AM has HD while FNC’s F&F still does not. What is wrong with this picture? Literally.