“As Long as the Wife Doesn’t Mind”

John Roberts: “I have my own smoking-hot redhead. Who needs Anna Chapman?” When it comes Russia’s reified Bond babe, American Morning co-anchor John Roberts sounded today as if his fiancee Kyra Phillips, CNN Newsroom anchor, has him now on a rather short leash. And, the bad boy may have inadvertently jerked a bit on it this morning.

As Carpe Diem readers may remember, John apparently got into trouble with Kyra earlier this year (June 30) about his seeming crush on Chapman when he randily reported on the nabbed Red-hot Russian operative and her sexy Internet photos. Not only did viewers notice but, apparently, so did Kyra. When John appeared on her show CN later that morning to discuss  Chapman, Kyra teased him about his love for “sultry redheads.” When John defensively declared, “Just–just for the record, there’s only one sultry redhead that fascinates me,” Kyra responded, “Thank goodness. And, thankfully, you are engaged to her.”

Eight days later, John seemed to leave little doubt that Kyra did not care for his appreciation of the “sultry [Russian] redhead.” When John did a follow-up story on Chapman (and the other Russian spooks), he asked former F.B.I. Assistant Director Thomas Fuentes about her return to Russia. When Fuentes teased, “And, I know, John, it’s breaking your heart to see Anna Chapman go back,” an abashed John replied, “You’re gonna get me in trouble with the wife here, Tom.” Chuckling afterwards, John noted, ““Yes! My face is now the color of Anna Chapman’s hair. Imagine that!”

Today, an apparently chastened John tread more softly as AM anew covered the comely Chapman, who recently appeared scantily clad in the Russian edition of Maxim magazine. After the first airing of Jeanne Moos’ report entitled, “Russia’s Undercover Girl: Exposed spy Anna Chapman bares almost all,” of Kiran, John asked, “So, what do you think?” When co-host Kiran Chetry replied, “She’s pretty,” John dutifully replied, “I have my own smoking-hot redhead. Who needs Anna Chapman?” Laughing, Kiran added, “And you don’t want her on Maxim.” Perchance, trying to convince himself of that fact, John answered, “Yeah. And, she’s forty-two years old. She a mature woman, too. Perhaps, a bit too late for his own good, he hastily added, “And a younger woman, too. The best of all worlds.”

Possibly, mindful of his unfortunate gaffe about the age of his “mature woman,” John seemed to walk on eggs shells after producers ran Moos’ story again before the AM segue to CN. As the report ended with Vice President Joe Biden’s joke to Jay Leno about the “hot” Chapman, Kiran commented, “That was a great line by the Vice Prez.”**  Smiling, John tersely replied, “It was.” Echoing Biden, Kiran continued, “It wasn’t my idea to send her back.” Wisely, John added, “As long as the wife doesn’t care about it.”

Shortly thereafter, when John did toss to Kyra, she slightly smiled and simply said, “Good morning, guys” and went straight into her CNN Newsroom programming. No more words about “sultry redheads” today. Apparently, this “wife” just might care about it.

*American Morning – 10/21/10 (6:55 a.m. ET)

**American Morning – 10/21/10 (@9:00 a.m. ET)

Tags: American Morning, Anna Chapman, Anya Chapman, CNN, CNN Newsroom, James Bond, Jay Leno, Jeanne Moos, Joe Biden, John Roberts, Kiran Chetry, Kyra Phillips, Maxim, Thomas Fuentes