Kiran Chetry Confesses: “Two New Obsessions”

“I’ve been on the beach…not…actually ‘working.'” Former CNN and FNC anchor Kiran Chetry is back and she has a confession to make: she has two, no, three new obsessions. After promising her fervent fans to be back “soon!!!!!” less than three weeks ago, she delivered, at least, a foretaste as a Huffington Post contributor today. In an article entitled “Observations from My Armchair,” Kiran revealed that she has indeed seized her personal “very special opportunity” after her emotional namaskaar to her American Morning audience over a year ago.

In a missive to her Twitter followers, Kiran Tweeted, “Check out my post from Huff Po…. Observations From My Armchair.” In the article, she declared, “I’ve been on the beach. Not sunning myself, but in TV terms, I have not been actually ‘working.'” Elaborating, the Nepalese beauty continued, “I left CNN last summer and quickly discovered two new obsessions: Tennis, and Bikram (hot) yoga.”  [Kiran’s doubles champ pic and yoga goddess photo.] Then, in an sweet sop to her votaries who have eagerly anticipated her return to early morning news, she explained, “Oh, three obsessions actually. After 12 years doing some form of morning or night shift, I have become obsessed with eight hours of sleep. Something I haven’t seen since before Y2K shut down our world (errr).

Subsequently, in her HuffPo post, Kiran opines about her aptly cynical perspective on Presidential politics. In the process, she discloses that she is an independent voter and bemoans the fact that the Presidential candidates can not now actually be honest and tell the truth a la Ron Paul in the election process. Paraphrasing Jack Nicholson in a Few Good Men, she wonders, “As a nation could we really handle the truth?”

The nation? Perhaps, not. But, Kiran, your fans surely can–at least, for the moment. But, they still want their “Ray of Light” to brighten their dawn anew.

[Author’s aside: Surprised by Kiran’s truth? Cf. “Kiran Chetry: A Year Later”.]

Doubly “Blessed” Ainsley: “It’s Official!!!”

Gets new hubby–and new job! Fox & Friends First co-host Ainsley Earhardt returned to her show today with a brand new lease on life. Last night, Ainsley announced via Twitter that she, Heather Childers, Heather Nauert, and Patti Ann Browne are now the “official” Fox & Friends First co-hosts. Today, she proclaimed on F&FF how “blessed” she was to have a “beautiful” new husband, former Clemson quarterback Will Proctor (as she shared wedding photos with her viewers mid-show).*

As Ainsley revealed to her Facebook friends, Ainsley got married to Will less than two weeks ago (October 13). Subsequently, the two lovers went on a romantic romp to an undisclosed location. But, Ainsley indicated that it would not be all fun and games: She Facebooked, “Even on our honeymoon, we are excited to watch the debate. Critical time for our great country!”

Congratulations, Ainsley, to you and Will! And, laurels, on your selection as official F&FF co-host!

[Author’s aside: Over three months ago, the author posited in Carpe Diem‘s “Fox & Friends First: The Four Now?” that the F&FF roster appeared to have been pared down to Ainsley, P.A.B., and the two Heathers. Happily, Ainsley finally confirmed it yesterday.]

*An earlier pic of the happy couple at the New York Junior League 58th Annual Winter Ball.

F&F’s “Sexy” Nauert: Distant But in Control

Waking up with Heather on the weekend. Leggy Fox & Friends First co-host Heather Nauert seized the F&F Weekend helm for Alisyn Camerota with gusto Sunday. But, instead of flaunting her gorgeous gams a la F&FF, the blond beauty seemed somewhat demure: Dressed in a short black dress and an “M&M” green jacket, Heather hid herself behind her open laptop for the day (as her co-hosts Clayton Morris and Dave Briggs provided her cover as they anomalously kept theirs studiously open as well).

Sexy or not, the girl still ruled the roost almost like a young E.D. Hill. Playing the needed F&FW “alpha bitch,” Heather had her boys going through their paces. Rarely stopping for breath, she was subtly hushing Dave with her hand at one moment and conspicuously instructing Clayton to elaborate at another.

Heather may have performed well today as a substitute with her co-hosts, Clayton and Dave: But, she could learn from Aly, the master, on how to awaken F&FW‘s fans. For FNC weekend viewers who are struggling mightily to escape the embrace of Morpheus, a softer, gentler greeting from a gorgeous gal is preferable to one from a Red-Bull-infused chatty Cathy. To boot, she may want to close the cloaking laptop as a general rule in the future: as Megyn Kelly aptly declared (about her America Live leg-displaying glass desk), “It’s a visual business. People want to see the anchor.”

“VMan” Marciano’s Magic Platform

John: Rob “is a lot shorter in person.” Early Start co-host John Berman let the cat out of the bag as to the height of his co-anchor Zoraida Sambolin‘s “Senor Dreamy.” In a pre-dawn Tweet about ES‘s meteorologist Rob “VMan” Marciano, John wrote, “Ready for @EarlyStartCNN fast-facts? #1) @RobMarcianoCNN is a lot shorter in person.” Shortly thereafter, Rob admitted, “True, I’m 5’4″ #tvmagic.”

However, less than ten minutes later, on Early Start itself, Rob was slightly less candid about his stature. When his final forecast of the first hour ended (including city temp highs), Rob segued to John and Zoraida, remarking, “Speaking of numbers, Josh [sic], John Berman, quoting that I am much shorter in person than I am on television.”

Looking over at John with her mouth agape, Zoraida exclaimed, “That is awful!” Smiling, John impishly explained, “Well you [Rob], you look taller in the U.S. in camera. You know?” Pointing downward, Rob replied, “Well, full disclosure: I stand on this platform every day.”

“How tall are you?” demanded Zoraida. Reluctantly, Rob answered, “Uh, I’m 5′, well, I was born 21 inches. So, I haven’t grown that much.” As Zoraida chuckled, Rob exclaimed, “The magic of television!”

Trying to make up to Rob for his Puckish revelation, John declared, “You’re a giant in our eyes, Rob! Very, very nice to see you.” Taking it all in stride, Rob good-naturedly replied, “I appreciate that, John. Bye, guys!” Perhaps, still under the spell of her Senor Dreamy, Zoraida concluded, “He’s a tall guy!”

TV Magic: CNN mornings could use more of it.

Early Start – 10/16/12 (@ 5:50 a.m. ET)

F&F Cat Spat: Gretch “Slimes” the Two Heathers

Nauert: “She’s wrong for once.” Fox & Friends co-anchor Gretchen Carlson got rather perturbed at her fellow FNC blonde colleagues, F&F First co-hosts Heather Nauert and Heather Childers, for correcting her on air yesterday. In the “Scrambled Up!” segue (consisting of the jumbled letters of a word from a story in the show) from the early F&FF to F&F, Gretchen usually has found it frustrating and daunting: But, Monday she sat smug and confident before the two Heathers’ toss (of the letters, “m,” “l,” “e,” “i,” and “s”). Just not for long.

After F&FF‘s penultimate segment concluded, “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” segment, Nauert declared, “Okay, it’s time to get ‘Scrambled Up’ and Gretchen Carlson is here to help us.”

Grinning, Gretchen blurted, “I already know it: slime.”

“Slime?” queried Nauert, incredulously. Echoing her, Childers chimed, “Slime?”

Rolling her eyes at Gretchen’s answer, a smiling Nauert replied, “Noooo.”

After, possibly, getting the real answer in her ear, Gretchen rolled her shoulders, proclaiming, “It could be.” As Gretchen’s co-host Steve Doocy and Childers chorused “smile” in reply, Nauert charitably declared, “She’s wrong for once.”

Not willing to concedeto her F&F colleagues, Gretchen proudly insisted, “It could be slime.” Coming to her succor, Gretchen’s other co-host Brian Kilmeade inaccurately interjected, “It’s true.”

Looking through the camera at Gretchen with outstretched palms, Nauert confidently declared, “It’s ‘smile’!”

Mimicking Nauert’s body language, Gretchen defiantly shouted, “It could be ‘slime’!”

Compliantly, Nauert’s co-host Childers concurred, “It could have been ‘slime'”: Less deferential to her F&F elder, a seemingly sarcastic Nauert laughed, “It could be. Yes, yes. Very good, Gretchen!”

Having secured her possibly Pyrrhic victory for the moment, Gretchen riposted, “Okay. But, I’ll smile when I say it. Thanks, ladies!”

After that cat spat ended (and as F&FF ended and F&F began), Brian aptly asked, “Was slime in the show, though?” Ignoring his clear implication that she was wrong (since the answer has to have a word in the show itself), Gretchen blithely proclaimed, “That may be the first time that we’ve had a word that could be two words.”

[Author’s aside: Actually, Gretchen was right that the answer could have been two words: However, “slime” was not one of them. Both “smile” and “miles” were contained within the subtitles of F&FF stories (consecutive ones) less than ten minutes before “Scrambled Up”: “Smiles Not Always Contagious: Bosses Grin at Those Lower in Pecking Order” and “By the Numbers: 24 Miles, 4 Minutes, and 834 MPH” (about the space dive of “Fearless Felix”).*]

*Fox & Friends First – 10/15/12 (@ 5:51 a.m. ET)

Kiran Chetry: Back “Soon!!!!!”

ICN: Not a Chance… Only three days ago, Carpe Diem speculated that former Fox News host and CNN anchor Kiran Chetry might once again arouse her fans in the early dawn on yet a third cable news channel, MSNBC. It reported that Kiran had that day announced that she and her “good buddy” MSNBC host Willie Geist were both keynote speakers at Pace University’s Financial Education Day (Pleasantville, NY). Furthermore, it noted that Geist was leaving his show Way Too Early and that Kiran might just be ready for her “very special opportunity” that she had envisioned when she left American Morning over a year ago.

Fellow blogger Spud seemed less than impressed with the author’s musings. In an ICN post a day later entitled, “Willie Geist to Today…,” he asked readers who the new Way Too Early host would be with the options of Luke Russert, Mike Barnicle, Richard Lui, Veronica De La Cruz, Thomas Roberts, and “someone else.” In an update to the article, he linked to Carpe Diem‘s “Kiran Chetry: Way Too Early?,” scoffing, “Not a Chance….”

However, last night, Kiran Chetry appeared ready and eager to get back in the cable news game. With the Vice-Presidential debate as a backdrop, Kiran sent an incredible forty missives (thirty-seven Tweets and three reTweets). Before the debate began, one of Kiran’s acolytes queried, “When are you coming back. [sic] We miss you.” Succinctly, she replied, “[S]oon!!!!!”

Perhaps, Spud is right: But, with the seasonal change, the ole boy may be a bit off his game. Last night, Kiran promised to come back “soon!!!!” And, she seems perfectly positioned to take the place of her “good buddy” Willie Geist at Way Too Early–even if the author wishes she would take her seat on the Fox & Friends curvy couch if her old nemesis, Gretchen Carlson, vacates it after the election.

Smoldering Sambolin: “That’s So Wrong!”

Berman: If that’s why you’re Googling [Paul Ryan] shirtless, that’s, that’s your own business. Early Start co-host Zoraida Sambolin, the caliente CNN senorita too oft with the dress just a little too long and the heels just a little too short, let her fans know today that she is assuredly smoldering–even on the job. And, her co-anchor John Berman gave her good-natured grief for it.

During a post-V.P.-Debate segment, Zoraida and John interviewed Google Election Team member Abbi Tatton for trending Internet search terms as Vice President Joe Biden and GOP V.P. nominee Paul Ryan battled.* After Tatton indicated that “Biden,” “conflating,” “malarkey,” and “who is winning the debate” topped the list, John asked her also for what Google users searched in conjunction with the candidates names. In response, she noted that they looked for Biden’s age, his “laughing,” and his wife Jill whereas they were searching for something quite different with Ryan, e.g., “shirtless” and “workout.”

Meanwhile, a seemingly embarrassed Zoraida began to chuckle. Looking over at Zoraida, John teased, “This is during the debate people are saying, ‘Paul Ryan shirtless’?” In reply, Tatton disdainfully declared, “While they’re talking about Afghanistan, Iran, the ayatollahs, then people are searching for what does he look like without his shirt on.”

Defensively, Zoraida riposted, “Well, because it’s such a big deal that everybody’s talking about it. I gotta tell you [that] I must admit that I also Googled it.” Grinning, a reddening Zoraida added, “This was early on, though.”

Subsequently, in the following EP block, a smiling Zoraida introduced the very next story, saying, “Morning after the Vice Presidential debate and there’s a lot of talk about Paul Ryan pumping iron. It’s our late night laughs.”** After airing clips of late-night comics Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel mocking Ryan’s Time Magainze iron man poses with weights, Zoraida turned to a smirking John: Sheepishly, Zoraida insisted, “Alright, the intense fascination is because he works out to P90X which is really an intense workout.”

Shaking his head incredulously, John jested, “You know, you don’t have to explain yourself to me. If that’s why you’re Googling him shirtless, that’s, that’s your own business!”

Blushing, Zoraida retorted, “I did it for my job!” Chuckling, she playfully slapped John on the arm. After their shot had ended, an off-cam Zoraida exclaimed, “That’s so wrong!”

So wrong. Or, so right for a blossoming chemistry between Zoraida and John.

*Early Start – 10/12/12 (@ 5:54 a.m. ET)

**Ibid at @ 5:59 a.m. ET.

Judge Napolitano: “[Biden] What a Jackass!”

Fox & Friends‘ Steve Doocy: “Whoa! How do you really feel!” Fox News senior judicial analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano was NOT impressed with Vice President Joe Biden’s performance last night. And, he was more than happy to express it in no uncertain terms this morning on Fox & Friends.

As Judge Napolitano finished his legal segment on F&F this morning (with co-hosts Steve Doocy, Gretchen Carlson, and Brian Kilmeade), he grumbled, “Listen, after watching the Yankees and Biden last night, oh, my goodness!”* [Italics added for emphasis.]

In explanation to any of his viewers who may not have known the results of the MLB playoff game, Brian replied, “Yankees lost and now there’ll be a game five tonight.”

Grousing, Judge Napolitano replied, “Yes, unfortunately! Biden lost, too. What a jackass! What a jackass!”

As Gretchen eyes widened in shock at the Judge’s assessment of the Vice President, Steve rejoined, “Whoa! How do you really feel!”

Similarly surprised, a beaming Brian chuckled, “Wow!”

Subsequently, a buzzer sounded, seemingly signaling the producers apparent discomfort with the Judge’s epithet. In response, Gretchen exclaimed, “And, that’s how we end the segment!”

As the Judge laughed uproariously, a still incredulous Gretchen concluded, “Thanks very much, Judge!”

“Wow!” Indeed.

*Fox & Friends – 10/12/12 (@ 6:41 a.m. ET)

Update: Segment vid via Mediaite (@ 02:23/02:38).

Kiran Chetry: Way Too Early?

“With (M)NBC’s Willie Geist, a good buddy of mine.” Former CNN and FNC anchor Kiran Chetry announced today that she will give the keynote address on Pace University’s Financial Education Day (Pleasantville, NY) on November 17, 2012. On her Facebook page that asks her friends to “stay tuned for Kiran Chetry’s next move,” she also reveals that she will share the duty with NBC’s Willie Geist. And, perchance, in a Freudian slip, she nonchalantly calls Geist ” a good buddy of mine” in the video to which she links.

Kiran’s “very special opportunity” at hand? As long-time Kiran acolytes know, their Nepalese goddess had a stellar, approximately seven-year run on Fox News (2001-2007) as a reporter and an a.m. anchor on both Fox & Friends Weekend and F&F First. When her contract renewal talks with FNC in 2007 soured, she was summarily selected to be the femme face of  CNN’s American Morning. After more than four years of awakening her AM fans with her inimitable “ray of light,” she bid them an emotional “namaskaar” on July 29, 2011, with the promise to see them again soon. In 2012, Kiran finally reappeared on TV–but as a special E! correspondent in January and February: subsequently, she did return to news, albeit Internet news, as a guest-anchor on GVTV (April 20).

Perhaps, as the year draws to a close, Kiran is once again ready to arouse her fans in the early morn on yet another cable news network, MSNBC. N.B. Kiran’s “very good buddy” Pace keynote speaker Willie Geist will soon leave his MSNBC’s Way Too Early with Willie Geist post for greener pastures as co-host of the Today Show (third hour).

Kiran’s “very special opportunity”: Way Too Early with Kiran Chetry?

H/t, J$P.

Juliet: Check Me Out on Good Day NY Now!!!

Huddy: I’ll be here for a while. :) Former Fox & Friends First co-host Juliet Huddy has a brand new gig, Fox 5 Good Day NY co-host, seemingly. Yesterday, GDNY announced its apparent new addition on Facebook with the post of a pic of Juliet and its other hosts, remarking, “So as you’ve probably noticed by now… Juliet Huddy from Fox News Channel is sitting in with us on the anchor desk… welcome!” As to whether she will be anchoring GDNY permanently, Juliet Tweeted, “I’ll be here for a while. :).”

In her debut appearance yesterday, Juliet Tweeted, “Hey tweeps! Check me out on Good Day NY NOW!!! Love my crew.” After the show, she gushed, “Had a great first day. Have known some of these folks for years, so the day seemed seemless [sic] :).” Today, still seemingly in her honeymoon stage at GDNY, she Tweeted, “LOVE MY O’s, my buds her at Fox 5, my little bro John and pizza.” To her male admirers, she added, “To clarify: John Huddy from Fox 5 is my BRO. NOT my husband lol!”

Congratulations, Juliet!

[Author’s aside:  Juliet votaries who do not have access to Fox 5 in New York can still see her on the O’Reilly Factor “Did You See That” segment and FoxNews.com’s “Kitchen Stars.”]

“Ghosts” of Megyn Kelly: Doug Brunt Blunt?

“That’s all I’ll admit to.” America Live anchor Megyn Kelly welcomed “a very special guest,” hubby Doug Brunt, to her show Friday to promote his first novel, Ghosts of Manhattan.* In the segment, Brunt teased his racy read of a Wall Street bond trader caught up in an all-consuming culture of “high-priced entertainment” involving “lap dances at Scores…[and]…$5000 bottles of champagne.” But, the whilom Internet security CEO assured Megyn’s audience that the bawdy book was entirely fictitious–as to him and Megyn. At least, on AL air.

Introducing the interview, Megyn proudly proclaimed that Brunt’s book has been compared to the works of Charles Dickens and Tom Wolfe (Steve Forbe’s review).** When he began to discuss his wanton work in detail, Megyn playfully remarked, “Now, you write in the book a lot about these…life-style choices, prostitutes, strippers, drugs. How do we know these people?” As Brunt began to chuckle, Megyn queried, “Are these people that we know?…Have they been to our house?”

Laughing, Brunt replied, “Everything is one degree removed from us, uh, Honey.”

Subsequently, after he explained that he had obtained much of the background material from people and friends, Megyn persisted, “Now, there is something else in the book that people need to know about: And, that is a naughty blond reporter.”  Leading her witness, the erstwhile legal eagle exclaimed, “And, we need to get this on the record right now! This person bears no relation to anyone you may know?”

With a twinkle in his eye, Brunt dutifully declared, “No. None.”

Of course, Brunt was not under oath. Perhaps, he was telling the truth about Megyn not being THE “naughty blond reporter” in his book. But, it is almost certain that his sexy GQ pin-up girl with the “killer bees,” who Slate dubbed “a post-feminist news babe,” lies somewhere within waiting to be laid bare.

Off air, Brunt may have been more candid. In a “Q & A” on his Ghosts of Manhattan web site, he revealed, “Had I continued to work in sales and trading as a career, I may have resembled Nick [Wall Street bond trader protagonist] in some way. That’s all I’ll admit to.”

[Author’s aside: Ironically, last October, Megyn had her former husband Daniel Kendall on America Live as a guest.]

*America Live – 10/05/12 (@ 1:39 a.m. ET).

**Ibid at @ 1: 43 a.m. ET.

“Mean Girl” Soledad: I’m Not a Refined Lady!

Roland Martin: “Work it, Soledad!” Starting Point anchor Soledad O’Brien: CNN’s Hooters honey? Not yet. Yesterday, she did declare that she was not a refined lady. But as to being “delightfully tacky,” she uttered not a word. But, that could change, especially, if her ratings do not climb out of the cellar soon.

On a more serious note, yesterday, Soledad interviewed Jennifer Livingston, the local Wisconsin news anchor, whose dressing down on air of a meddling e-mailer has gone viral.* When Soledad asked the WKBT news host if she had to obtain her boss’ approval to take out the bully (who had deemed her obese and who had indicated that she was not a good role model), she said that her news director trusted her. Elaborating, Livingston said that she and her boss both decided not to name the e-mailer on air because her response was not about him per se, rather the “critical” culture.

Ready for some vengence, Soledad exclaimed, “Oh, let’s name him anyway, Jennifer! Because, yesterday, I was thinking, ‘If I were Jennifer, I would go ahead and name him.’ So, his name is Kenneth Krause.”

Subsequently, Soledad informed her audience that Livingston had received “a ton of support” but that Krause had stood by his initial statement. Punctuating the air with her pen, she derisively declared, “Here’s what Kenneth Krause, the evil e-mailer, said in his statement.” [Italics added for emphasis.]

In response to Soledad’s hyperbole, Livingston began to chuckle. Looking up from her papers, Soledad insisted, “I know, I know. You’re, you’re refined and a lady: And, I’m not!”

From his spot in the peanut gallery, off-cam SP panelist Roland Martin interjected, as is his wont: Perhaps, envisioning Soledad as his favorite Buffalo wing server in her orange short shorts, Martin gleefully demanded, “Work it, Soledad!”

Ignoring Martin’s gratuitous interruption, Soledad continued, reading Krause’s defiant statement that Livingston should take the opportunity to “transform” herself into a good role model over the next year and that he would be glad to give her any advice or support that she would be willing to accept. When Soledad had finished, she asked, “Is there anything that he could offer you that you would accept?”

Charitably, Livingston answered, “I hold no ill will towards him. And, I hope that people don’t bully the bully….I don’t…want to…make him an evil representation of the whole world.” Kindly, she added, “I hope that, at some point, [that] he will learn that he could have approached the topic in a much more kind way.”

As the interview drew to an end,  Soledad caustically concluded, “Well, I am, I hold ill will all the time, Jennifer. So, I’ll hold ill.” Hearing off-camera snickers, Soledad stopped mid-sentence and looked to her right, protesting, “I know, I know, Will Cain [SP regular]. It’s mean! But, Jennifer is obviously a much better person than I am.”

Serious “End Point”: Don’t bully.

As to Soledad, no CNN Hooters honey yet. But, yesterday, she was a “Mean Girl”!

*Starting Point – 10/04/12 (@ 8:51 a.m. ET)

Starting Point: Soledad’s Dud?

“Soledad O’Brien: how could you not get that? Really!” Starting Point host Soledad O’Brien laughed derisively at a hapless Who Wants to Be a Millionaire contestant who could not identify her in a game question Friday. Unfortunately, for Soledad, she did not have the last laugh: rather, her esteemed elder, Bob Woodward, did.

Before Soledad’s interview with Woodward, SP newsreader John Berman aired a clip of a poor WWBM player who could not properly identify Soledad as the TV personality that had been named one of the “Top 100 Irish Americans” and was also a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.* Looking at her panelists and Woodard, Soledad disdainfully declared, “Soledad O’Brien: how could you not get that? Like, really!”

Sycophantically, John dutifully replied, “Can you believe that?”

Seemingly miffed at the slight, Soledad answered, “Soledad O’Brien: Hispanic and Irish. How hard was that!” Then, she guffawed, “Oh, well, next time, I guess.”

Segueing to her interview of Woodward, Soledad read an excerpt from his new book, The Price of Politics: On the screen appeared the quote with a purported picture of Bob Woodward on it. When Soledad had finished, she introduced her guest, saying, “Bob Woodward joins us. It’s nice to see you. Thank you for being with us.”

With a smile ever so slight, Wood gently teased, “Thank you. I see you had a picture of Bob Woodruff of ABC up there. We get mixed up all the time.” As Woodward and the panelists laughed, an embarrassed Soledad replied, “What!” as she buried her face in her hands.”

Trying to regain her composure, Soledad declared, “In spite of that, I’m going to continue on.” Before she could, Woodward zestfully zinged, “You know, it’s just like you! No one knows your identity.”

“End Point”? He who laughs last laughs best.

*Starting Point – 09/28/12 (@ 8:33 a.m. ET)

Rob Marciano: Playboy No More?

At least, he no longer subscribes. Early Start co-host Zoraida Sambolin got somewhat fresh with her “Senor Dreamy,” meteorologist Rob Marciano, in the early morn last Thursday. After a first-hour headline news segment, including a story about Playboy‘s Top Party Schools “based on sex, sports, and nightlife,”  Zoraida racily segued to her self-professed “Senor Dreamy,” chuckling, “Hey, Rob, guys always say that they read Playboy. Did you know about this list?”*

Rather chagrinned, Rob stammered, “I no longer, well, subscribe but, yeah, I, I’ve heard, heard about this list.” [Italics added for emphasis.] Grinning at his artful dodge, Zoraida remarked, “Good answer.” With a goatish glint in his eye, Rob bawdily added, “And, I’m surprised that Cornell [Rob’s alma mater] is not on there, quite frankly.”

Arching her eyes with a coy smile, a reddening Zoraida responded, “Oh, ho, ho!” Slamming her pen to the desk in mock disdain first, she then tried vainly to hide her blushing face from him with her left hand briefly. Then, coquettishly, she pulled her hair back as their shot together ended.

“Senor Dreamy,” playboy no more? Fear not, Zoraida. CNN’s now-married “VMan Steamy” may no longer be on the prowl but he is captured forever as the “Man for All Seasons” here.

Early Start – 09/27/12 (@ 5:52 a.m. ET)