Kiran Chetry Returns—to E!

“A very special opportunity.” Former CNN anchor Kiran Chetry made her long awaited media return Thursday night as an E! correspondent at the NYC premier of the NBC series Smash–strangely without a word to her loyal fans (via Twitter or Facebook). After promising her American Morning audience almost six months ago that she would return “soon” for ” a “very special opportunity,” the Nepalese lovely finally appeared on the red carpet at the bash at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art last Thursday night. Not surprisingly, the sexy sharp veteran news anchor interviewed Smash stars including Uma Thurman, Debra Messing, Katherine McPhee, Jack Davenport, and Angelica Houston with her characteristic ease.

Whether Kiran’s Smash appearance as an E! reporter constitutes her “very special opportunity” is not known to the author. It seems in some doubt since Kiran gave no alert to her many Facebook fans or Twitter followers about her hit.

Regardless, it was a real treat to see Kiran back in front of the camera where she belongs. It had been far too long since her AM namaskaar. Hopefully, she will stick around.

H/t to NickA130 for the “heads up,” vid link, and screen caps.

[Author’s aside: Kiran’s Fox & Friends fans may well remember another of her reports on the red carpet when she playfully “took a nap” on it.]

Dave’s Nervous Cough: Petallides’ Allure?

 Nicole: “You did a great job getting through that.” This morning, Fox & Friends Weekend co-host Dave Briggs seemed somewhat nervous as he interviewed FBN beauty Nicole Petallides. Introducing her business segment (“Another One Bites the Dust: Gov’t-Backed ‘Green’ Co. Goes Bankrupt”), Dave abruptly began to cough repeatedly.* When he did so the second time, he laughed, “Not going to get through this one.”

When the comely Nicole appeared on camera, Dave joked, “Green jobs makes [sic] me cough, apparently.” Clad in her low-cut blue top and a short black skirt, the chuckling Greek lovely cooed, “It makes other people do other things, even worse.” Glancing down at her gorgeous gams and putting his hand to his mouth (as if to suppress yet another cough), a smiling Dave replied, “Right. That’s where I was going with that.”

Subsequently, the brainy beauty tutored an attentive Dave (on the millions of taxpayer dollars being lost on green projects of “Friends of the President”). When barely a minute had elapsed, Dave looked down at Nicole’s sexy stems anew and coughed once more. After an intervening query and,  yes, still another cough, Dave concluded his interview, “earnestly” asking Nicole a follow-up question (on private sector investment): as his luscious lecturer began to opine in her dulcet tones, Dave looked at her almost lovestruck and then dreamily turned away with a goofy grin.

When Nicole had finished, Dave more soberly remarked, “Nicole Petallides from the Fox Business Network. We appreciate it.” Smiling sweetly at Dave, Nicole responded, “Thanks. You did a great job getting though that.” Aptly, Dave answered, “Trying to get through this, right?”

Poor Nervous Nelly. Perhaps, the F&FW co-host that The Tonight Show host Jay Leno lampooned for having an appreciative eye for his FOX-y colleagues (or, to be more exact, the bonny bums of Ainsley Earhardt and Janice Dean) should be given a pass today. After all, it’s the birthday of Dave’s beautiful wife Brandi.

Fox & Friends Weekend – 01/28/12 (@ 6:46 a.m. ET)

Ashleigh & the Gals: Too Much Estrogen?

Early Start’s Ashleigh Banfield: “It’s killing me!” The very ES co-anchor who heralded the “brand new line-up…of [CNN] morning tv–all girls” less than three weeks ago* seemed less than thrilled with the estrogen overload on her show today. After an ES segment on the State of the Union speech this morning with three women panelists (of whom two of the them continued to go at it beyond their allotted time), Ashleigh exclaimed, “I can’t stop you two! We got five women (herself, co-host Zoraida Sambolin, and the panelists) on going on this TV right now: It’s killing me!”**

Not too surprising. With Jaqui Jeras covering for her “Mr. Dreamy” a/k/a Rob Marciano today, Ashleigh appeared to need a fresh infusion of some early  morning testosterone. But with her erstwhile A.M. Adonis gone, the comely Cannuck seemed eager to embrace another male this early morn–but, to no avail.

Perhaps, Ken Jautz’s morning all-girl world is not all that it is supposed to be. For Ashleigh. Or, her audience.

* Early Start – 01/05/12 (@ 6:50 a.m ET)

**Ibid at 01/25/12 (@ 5:40 a.m. ET)

Ashleigh Banfield’s Band: Missing Again?

Early Start co-host Ashleigh Banfield appears to have lost her wedding band again this morning. Perhaps, the Palin-bespectacled beauty sensed that its appearance yesterday on her ring finger may not have augured well for the desired demographic that seems to be eluding ES at the moment. I.e., CNN’s estrogen-infused and testosterone-bereft morning news show may need a mite more to arouse its male (and female) viewers than a “single” too oft cacophonous Cannuck and her “ringless” comely coy companion Zoraida Sambolin.

Doubtlessly, ES is an hour too early, and Ash appears to acknowledge that each time she assures her audience that the news is not old news from yesterday but will be the new news later in the day. Not to mention Ashley’s telling her West Coast viewer to go to bed as she greets her East Coast audience indicates that one may have tuned in just a tad too early. Not necessarily an auspicious start to one’s day.

Unfortunately, Ash’s co-anchor Zoraida seems all too content to sit idly on ES‘ sidelines. The lovely Latina professes that the early hour is her favorite one but she seems to blossom a little later in the day (e.g., Z’s tantalizing tango and sexy cha cha). But, if the brunette beauty ever seeks to supplant even remotely AM‘s Aphrodite Kiran Chetry in the hearts of her CNN viewers, she must soon emerge from Ashleigh’s long shadow.

Early Start: A little late.

Maria Molina Naked

Again–in earrings. A sexy shout-out to her boys? Fox News meteorologist Maria Molina brought the heat anew to her winter weather report this morning on America’s Newsroom with her obvious brains, beauty, and allure. Adorned simply in silver earrings (jewelry-wise), Maria was not necessarily auditioning for NakedNews.com (NSFW) but the Nicaraguan nymph certainly seemed to be telegraphing to her male admirers that she just might be available.

Naked? Not exactly: she did have her earrings on. Unfortunately, for her, perhaps, overly avid votaries, the long-tressed brunette beauty also had on additional adornment, i.e., a long-sleeved royal blue jacket and matching low top (yet without a hint of decolletage) and a long high-waisted form-fitting black skirt. But, as usual, she sported no necklace, no bracelets, and NO rings.

Hint, hint: Take a gander, guys? Comely Maria Molina: FNC’s “naked” nymph!

*America’s Newsroom – 01/23/12 (@ 10:05 a.m. ET)

Carlson: I’m a Cougar!

“I just don’t act on it.” Rwwr! This morning, Fox & Friends co-anchor Gretchen Carlson made no bones about her attraction for much younger guys after a F&F headline news story about a Utah high school that decided against choosing the “cougar [the cat] as a mascot because it [didn’t] want to offend another kind of cougar.”* In fact, she was “outraged.”

During the F&F mid-show headline news segment this morning, Gretchen’s co-host Brian Kilmeade read the ditched-cougar-mascot account and producers aired an accompanying Cougar Town clip of a flashing Courtney Cox. As he explained, “If you watch Cougar Town, you know Courtney Cox plays an older woman who dates younger men, Gretchen whooped, “Alright!” When Brian elaborated that some parents and school board members were consequently for another mascot, the bawdy former Miss America exclaimed, “Oh, come on! Come on! That is so ridiculous! And, I can say so with authority!”

Amused, Brian asked, “So you are outraged?” Lifting her right eyebrow suggestively, Gretchen cooed, “I’m a cougar!” Pruriently prodding her on, Brian continued, “You’re a cougar?” Shrugging her shoulder and smiling coyly, Gretchen insisted, “I mean I don’t act on it but I’m a cougar.”

Tweaking a randy Gretchen, Brian jested, “Right, I know: Casey’s 29. This is something brand new.” While chuckling at Brian’s playful but, perhaps, untimely reminder of her middle-aged hubby Casey Close, Gretchen protested, “I just mean in age alone–not that I’m gonna act on it.”

Crouching cougar: Hidden Carlson?

*Fox & Friends – 01/20/12 (@ 7:36 a.m. ET)

[Author’s aside: For related Carpe Diem articles, cf. Gretchen: Cougar 2 Pussycat, “Cougar” Carlson: “I’m in the Mood,” “Cougar” Carlson: Saved by the Bell, and Gretch: Rub My Toes, Peter Doocy.]

Camerota Censored Again: Bikini Pic Post Cut

BUT, Carpe Diem found it and Aly’s photos for her fans. First, her wedding video: now, her 80’s risque pic post. Almost two months ago, Carpe Diem reported that Fox & Friends Weekend co-host Alisyn Camerota and her hubby Tim Lewis‘ edgy “You Sexy Thing” wedding dance video had been bowdlerized from F&F‘s “In the Greenroom” blog. Today, the author noticed that F&F has gone even further: now, apparently, not only did they remove that post itself (and its introductory one) but also excised an even sexier Aly photo post from her distant past.

Almost three and a half years ago (07/02/08),* during a “Back to the 80’s” segment with F&F co-hosts Brian Kilmeade, Steve Doocy, and Gretchen Carlson, then Fox & Friends news reader Aly happily displayed pics from her heady 80’s years.** After producers aired a photo of the leopard-clad lass and her family at the beach in Wildwood, New Jersey, Aly penned an “80’s Photos” post which shared pics of herself and various amorous blurred-out beaux (one, two), a big-haired prom pic, and then the piece de resistance–Aly and her co-ed buds basking in the sun.

As the full-screen photo of a taut, tanned, and bikini-clad Aly appeared, she proudly proclaimed, “Now, this is what’s so important about this picture: That’s what somebody looks like before three children. This is what the abs were like.” As an appreciative Brian exclaimed, “Oh!,” a smiling Aly continued, “I hope as many– people, if you’re not watching your television right now, please come to the tv and stare at this. You’ll never see this again: I’m a figment of my former self.”

Seductively, Aly added, “Listen, if you can somehow take your eyes up from my abs, look at the Wayfarer sunglasses…and that is my Joan Jett mullet–short in the front, long in the back!” Priapically, Steve asked, “What did you call that yesterday?” Racily, Aly animatedly answered, “Business in front: party in the rear!”

As Steve and Aly laughed wickedly in unison, a bawdy Brian exclaimed, “Yeah, fantastic!” Seemingly somewhat jealous, Gretchen acerbically chuckled, “I have a feeling that little get-together wasn’t very innocent.”

Unabashedly, Aly replied, “Uh, none of those that we just saw. And, I’m amazed that they’re…covering the face[s] of the guilty in some of these even though I did not tell them to: Somehow, our producers instinctively knew.” In a final riposte, Steve jested, “Some people call those snap shots of the ‘guilty’: others call them evidence. And, that’s why we’ve fuzzed people out.”

Unfortunately, F&FW fans, Steve may not have been “jesting” after all. Seemingly, FNC has gone one step further “for Aly”: Not only have they covered “the face of the ‘guilty'” but they have expunged the evidence altogether.

Sexy “Camerota CENSORED” again: But, this time, did Aly “tell them to”?

*Fox & Friends – 07/02/08 (@ 8:36 a.m. ET)

**Aly and fam – 3rd row, 1st pic; Aly and beaux (3rd row, 4th & 8th pics); “prom” Aly (3rd row, 9th pic); and Aly in her piece de resistance (2nd row, 11th pic).

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.]

Piqued Fred Thompson: Huckabee Untruthful

“There’s not one shred of truth….just a rewriting of history.” A visibly miffed former Senator Fred Thompson (TN-R) appeared on Fox & Friends today to rebut his former 2008 GOP Presidential rival and FNC anchor Mike Huckabee‘s allegations yesterday.* Before he gave his side, F&FW producers ran a clip of Huckabee indicating that a feckless Thompson had stayed in the ’08 GOP Prez race at his “good friend” McCain’s urging so that Thompson would split the vote with Huckabee to deny him a South Carolina victory; that “many people in the McCain camp had confirmed” that fact; and that “it was very painful at the time.” When F&F co-anchor Steve Doocy asked Thompson for his response, he laughingly sniped, “What Mike just said is, is fine except for one thing: there’s not one shred of truth to it.”

Pressing Thompson, co-host Alisyn Camerota inquired, “So, Senator McCain never asked you to stay in the race?” Emphatically, Thompson answered, “Correct! Senator McCain and I never had a conversation about staying in the race, staying out of the race.” He continued, “If I’d wanted to hurt Huckabee, I would have stayed in…as we went down to Tennessee…or would have endorsed John before then.” More definitively, he declared, “We didn’t [even] have a conversation with the intermediaries….There was nothing said about that.”

Clearly still miffed, Thompson elaborated, “Mike, Mike’s been around long enough to know not to…inhale all of that stuff too deeply. And, when he says [that] several McCain people have come to him and verified it, I, I must say–you know, I have nothing at all against Mike Huckabee–I doubt that. I doubt that.”

Then, calling Huckabee “out on the carpet” before his clearly uncomfortable FNC colleagues (F&F co-hosts Aly, Steve, and Eric Bolling), Thompson concluded, “And, if they did…he should name the names. Now, it’s just a rewriting of history that’s unnecessary.”

Coming to Huckabee’s defense, Steve stammered, “Well, it, it, apparently, it’s his perception on what happened.” Chiming in, less than convincingly, a smiling Aly asserted, “Well, we appreciate you clarifying all of that.”

Perhaps, Aly. But, Governor Huckabee probably doesn’t.

Fox & Friends – 01/13/12 (@ 7:52 a.m. ET)

Update: For columnist Tommy Christopher‘s subsequent take and the vid clip in Mediaite, link here.

Christine’s Starting Point

CNN a.m. anchor again? CNN’s “Mayor of the Morning” Christine Romans, the former “interim” American Morning co-anchor Christine Romans appears to be creeping back. Whether Soledad O’Brien likes it or not, Christine seems to be expanding her role from headline news reader and CNN business correspondent to stealth anchor.

After her show AM was cancelled almost two weeks ago (December 30), Christine waited just one business day later until she returned to the early CNN morn like a phoenix. Initially, she started off innocuously  enough as headline news reader with hits on the half hour on Starting Point. The very next day, Christine seized the role of the “Magic Wall” election expert. Subsequently, Christine has assumed the role again of biz whiz and even anchor–albeit on the sly. E.g., during her purported “headline news segment,” she has begun to take live reports, e.g., from correspondents such as Nic Robertson (Syria); Brianna Kielar (White House); and HLN sports anchor Joe Carter–not to mention, Christine has started to include CNN’s weather report and her resurrected AM “Minding Your Business” occasionally before tossing to Soledad again.

Perhaps, CNN chief Ken Jautz is having second thoughts about letting Soledad O’Brien anchor CNN a.m. again–at least, on her own.

Nicole Petallides: Future F&FW Fox?

Still too hot for Fox & Friends Weekend? FBN correspondent Nicole Anais Petallides was BACK in the F&F house Saturday. At 6:16 a.m. ET, the long-legged Greek goddess reminded her male votaries why it was time to rise and shine. And, this time she did not need to hike her skirt twice to arouse her boys.

Clad in a short charcoal gray dress accentuating her long gorgeous gams, Nicole held court as F&FW co-hosts Alisyn Camerota and Clayton Morris interviewed her.* While FBN’s Aphrodite sagely opined on the Labor Department’s December jobs report, Aly and Clayton tried to studiously maintain eye contact with the erstwhile “Foxy’s Angel.” Meanwhile, Nicole’s Fox & Friends Weekend fans can be forgiven for not following suit, especially, since their dear Italian divine Aly seemed to care less for their tribute with her longer, more matronly attire.

Perhaps, Nicole was auditioning to fill-in for Aly on the F&FW curvy couch. If not, the beautiful married mother of two certainly should. But, if so, she certainly fits the bill with the requisite smarts, sass, and sexiness to be an F&FW fox.

*Fox & Friends Weekend – 01/07/11 (@ 6:16 a.m. ET)

“Christine Romans, Mayor of the Morning”

Really, Soledad? Ashleigh Banfield: “I may be the only one who calls her that.” Like a phoenix, former American Morning co-host Christine Romans has apparently reemerged from the ashes of her erstwhile CNN morning show to reappear as a regular on both of its replacements, Early Start (biz whiz) and Starting Point (headlines news reader and occasional biz whiz). She seems to be adored by Early Start co-hosts Ashleigh Banfield and Zoraida Sambolin: however, she may be somewhat less so by Starting Point anchor Soledad O’Brien.

Last Friday mid-show, after Zoraida had teased Christine’s upcoming business report, Ashley passionately  proclaimed, “Christine Romans, Mayor of the Morning!” In reply, Zoraida exclaimed, “I love her!” As an aside to her audience, Ashleigh animatedly added, “I think I may be the only who calls her that: But, I really thinks she is!”

However, Starting Point‘s Soledad may be less inclined to concur. After getting canned at AM for Kiran Chetry almost five years ago, Soledad assuredly has something to prove in her return to the CNN morn, i.e., that she is worthy to reign again, at least, in her time slot. And, relinquishing her title willingly so soon to Christine, her immediate (“interim”) predecessor, is not something that she is apt to do.

*Early Start – 01/06/12 (@ 6:01 a.m. ET)

Aly: “Poor Karl Rove! Poor Karl Rove!”

Redux Dave: “Wow. ” Yesterday, FNC contributor Karl Rove‘s faux pas of calling F&FW co-anchor Alisyn Camerota “Gretchen [Carlson]” yesterday was characterized as “awkward” by Mediaite and “addled” by Carpe Diem. Seemingly, in response, F&FW producers and co-hosts Aly, Dave Briggs, and Mike Jerrick (fill-in for Clayton Morris) appeared eager to quickly put the incident to bed.

When the second hour of F&FW started with its trio seated on the curvy couch as usual, Aly welcomed guest co-host Mike Jerrick to the show. Subsequently, Dave turned to Aly, deadpanning, “Good to have you back, Gretchen.” Seemingly simulating amusement, Aly chuckled, “Poor Karl Rove! Poor Karl Rove!”

As Mike guffawed, a grinning Dave elaborated, “For those of you that weren’t here watching yesterday, Karl Rove, he called her [Aly] Gretchen.” Offering a rather lame excuse for Rove’s gaffe, Mike interjected, “Well, he can’t see us.” Sympathetically, Aly insisted, “I know! And, also, that’s just a…slip….He knows who I am!”

Then, defending her maladroit “wooer” further, Aly protested, “He does protect me from you [Dave] all of the time. That was his goal to protect me from Dave and Clayton which is a very altruistic, honorable goal, I believe.”

Interjecting, Mike jested, “Yeah. He’s scary! It’s fine, Juliet [Huddy]. It’ll be fine!”

Then, appearing to spoof his response yesterday to Rove’s gaffe, a slightly smiling Dave feigned outrage, arching his eyebrows, tilting his head, and monotoning, “Wow.”

Shaking her head, Aly pointed to Mike, giggling, “Well, nah. Makes sense!”

Nah. But, it was funny. Poor Karl Rove!

*Fox & Friends Weekend – 01/08/12 (@ 6:59 a.m. ET)

Brandi’s Due Date

Hubby Dave Briggs brags, “I’m next!” This morning, Fox & Friends Weekend co-host Dave Briggs played the proud papa of three: two here now and one well on the way.

As F&FW began this morning, co-anchor Clayton Morris urged the camera to close in on Dave’s cuff links. When it did, Dave delightedly displayed the present that his wife Brandi–or, as he said with finger quotes, his kids–had given him. On his left cuff was a photo of his six-year-old daughter Emerson and on his right was a pic of his younger son William. As usual, Dave was wearing his heart on his sleeve–but, this time, literally.

Just an hour and half later, Dave announced the due date of his “3rd in the oven” of his beautiful wife Brandi. After F&FW producers aired a pic of an FNC colleague holding a newborn child in a hospital, Dave animatedly announced, “I’m next! Mid-February! Well, my wife, not me.”*

A Valentine’s gift? Too sweet. Congratulations again, Dave and Brandi!

*Fox & Friends Weekend – 01/07/12 (@ 7:31 a.m. ET)

Aly Addles “Bush’s Brain”

Oops! “Chivalrous” Rove calls Aly “Gretchen.” FNC contributor Karl Rove got off to a false start with Fox & Friends Weekend co-anchor Alisyn Camerota as the new year began. In his first appearance in 2012 on F&FW, Rove regaled Aly and her F&FW co-hosts, Clayton Morris and Dave Briggs with his arcane knowledge of national politics (as he took potshots at GOP opponents of the Bushes’ apparent Presidential pick, Mitt Romney). After awing the F&FW boys, the former Senior Advisor to George W. Bush made an ill-advised attempt to woo the girl.*

When his segment had drawn to an end and Dave, Aly, and Clayton had bid him adieu, Rove abruptly remarked, “I have incidentally made a New Year’s resolution!…Mine is to do a better job of protecting Gretchen against the two of you guys.”

Arching her eyebrows and smiling scantly at Rove’s amorous misstep, a slighted Aly exclaimed, “Uh. Or, Alisyn!”

Meanwhile, Dave’s eyes widened and his mouth gaped at Rove’s gaffe. Putting his hand on Aly’s shoulder in succor, he echoed, “Or, Alisyn!”  Then, pointing to Aly with his other, Dave gibed, “Or, remember her name! That might be a good place to start.”

Throwing his hands up in the air, a chagrined Rove responded, “Oh, Alisyn. I’m sorry!” Chuckling sweetly, Aly answered, “Karl, I accept your offer of protection. Call me anything.” Reddened from embarrassment, Rove replied, “I’m so sorry!”

Subsequently, after Clayton momentarily teased an upcoming story, the co-anchors said goodbye to Rove again. As they concluded, still piqued, perhaps, Aly deadpanned, “Great to see you, Mike Huckabee. Thank you.” As Clayton laughed at her snipe, a similarly amused Dave aptly declared, “Wow!”

Exactly, Karl. Aly: no Gretchen Carlson. As Dave cautioned, you may want to resolve to remember that in the future.

*Fox & Friends Weekend – 01/07/12 (@ 9:39 a.m. ET)

Update: Video (via Mediaite).

Anna Kooiman, “Welcome to the Fox Family!”

Bill Hemmer: “Nice.” New FNC correspondent hire Anna Kooiman made her apparent debut on America’s Newsroom in fine form today. Dressed in virginal white, the long-tressed blonde beauty reported on strict business news (a new NYC company plan to provide “fee-free ATM’s” to the Big Apple). When she concluded her report, AN co-anchor Martha MacCallum congenially declared, “Anna, thank you. And, welcome to New York, Anna. Good to have you with us!” After a grateful Anna answered, “Thank you. Thank you,” Martha’s equally appreciative, grinning cohost, Bill Hemmer added, “Yeah. Welcome to the Fox Family. Nice.”

Nice indeed. Yes, the former WCCB FOX Charlotte (NC) anchor displayed the on-camera smarts, skills, and allure to keep her viewers tuned in and turned on. However, cloaked in form-obscuring garb today, “Elevate Magazine’s Sexiest News Anchor Summer 2010” beauty offered few clues as to her acclaimed “FOX” quotient. But if her 2010 Team Beachbody six-pack-abs pic is any indication, the AFAA-certified fitness instructor definitely has it.

FNC’s latest fox? Certifiable. Congratulations, Anna!

America’s Newsroom – 01/06/12 (@ 9:24 a.m. ET)

Update: After Carpe Diem‘s account of Anna’s debut on American Newsroom, supra, she broke her almost two-week silence on Twitter. To her followers, she excitedly Tweeted, “My first full FNC story!!! Sick of paying bank fees? Here’s one place you may not have to anymore!… http://fb.me/Z3b9F3Qe.”

[Author’s aside: Anna’s link includes her AL vid and an accompanying written report.]

CNN A.M.: Christine Back Already?

Early Start and Starting Point: “Vampire” Romans Reemerges. CNN may have put a silver bullet in their cellar-dwelling American Morning but former AM co-host Christine Romans did not seem to notice. Under cover of night, the biz beauty reemerged as headline news reader Tuesday on CNN’s partial replacement morning show Starting Point anchored by Soledad O’Brien. Today, Christine was promoted to the “magic wall” election expert: She appeared on both SP and Early Start (the even earlier CNN morning program co-anchored by Ashleigh Banfield and Zoraida Sambolin).

Eerie? Perhaps, not. CNN chief Ken Jautz may now realize that the old American Morning audience needs, at least, a somewhat suitable segue to the new morning shows. After all, AM viewers were not even alerted to the fact that American Morning was ending last Friday. This Monday, laic CNN morning viewers were likely quite surprised with the disappearance of AM and it’s co-hosts, Ali Velshi, Carol Costello, and Christine Romans.

Perchance, Jautz decided to ease that abrupt transition by bringing Christine back to the CNN early a.m. programs. Christine back? Apparently, at least, for the moment.

Rob Marciano: “Senor Dreamy”

“This is ridiculous!” As new CNN anchors Ashleigh Banfield and Zoraida Sambolin began their virgin voyage together early yesterday morning on Early Start, Ashleigh and Zoraida appeared especially smitten with meteorologist Rob Marciano. Teasing Rob’s appearance in the last segment of the show before the final ad break, Ashleigh remarked, “We’re going to talk weather in just a moment with another favorite colleague, Rob Marciano. He’s dreamy! Did I say that?”* Looking over at Zoraida, she again asserted, “He’s dreamy! He is dreamy.” Smiling, Zoraida replied, “No, I remember that. Very excited about Mr. Marciano!”

As ES returned from commercial for Rob’s report, Ashleigh giggled, “Oh! Oh! All is fair!” Subsequently, as Zoraida introduced erstwhile AM’s Adonis, she cooed, “Rob, I’m gonna call you, Mr. Dreamy because.” Cutting the sexy Latino lovely short, Rob flirted back, exclaiming, “Mister, Senor Dreamy, please.” Rolling her “r’s” in response, Zoraida purred, “Oh, Senor Dreamy.” Seeming slightly embarrassed replied, “This is ridiculous!”

Before Ashley could interject, Rob declared, “I have thirty seconds. I have to cut you off right there.” Ashley answered, “Oh, you’re just too embarrassed to be called Mr. Dreamy on tv.” Rob stammered, “That, that could be it, too.” As the shot zoomed in on a reddening Rob, off-camera Ashley laughed and Zoraida teased, “He’s blushing!”

Early Start: Just the beginning–for Rob and his new gals.

*Early Start – 01/02/12 (@ 6:54 a.m. ET)

Carl Cameron: “F***ing Cold”?

“I almost cussed for it.” FNC chief political correspondent Carl Cameron barely caught himself on America’s Newsroom this morning. Standing outside in frigid Des Moines, Iowa, as he reported on the GOP Presidential candidates’ “final push,” a freezing Cameron sported a brown overcoat with an up-turned collar, black gloves, and black earmuffs. After he had given his report, AN co-host Martha MacCallum smilingly teased, “Carl, fascinating stuff. And, when the earmuffs come out, we know that Carl’s in Iowa. Right, Carl?”*

Chuckling to himself and looking back momentarily as if to restrain himself, a pink-faced Carl replied, “And it’s–[appearing to begin to produce the “ph” sound with his lips and teeth and then suddenly stopping]–and it’s cold.” Grinning, Carl stammered, “I almost, I almost cussed for it. It’s cold.”

Laughing, Martha echoed, “It’s cold!”

Or, almost “f***ing cold,” Carl?

*America’s Newsroom – 01/02/12 (@ 10:02 a.m. ET)