ND’s Aly: “Two Weeks!”

Camerota’s “New Day” turns to night too soon? For the last three weeks, new CNN anchor Alisyn Camerota has ruled the roost on the New Day divan in the absence of Kate Bolduan who is away on maternity leave. She has shown her co-host Chris Cuomo what a real equal–or superior–looks like: In other words, the Italian stallion has more than met his match with his comely, perspicacious counterpart.

Monday, Kate returned to ND for her “Roots: Journey’s Home” story (which is a smart, delightful way that CNN has chosen to personalize some of its anchors to its viewers). In tow, Kate took her beautiful newborn Cecilia Eve to  the CNN couch: Of course, “uncle” Chris cooed and cooed over his co-host and neighbor’s firstborn beauty, as well he should. As the ND cast share the serpentine sofa, the contrast between the too oft callow Kate and the more seasoned Aly appeared all too palpable.

Perchance, Kate came back Monday to show that she is still a permanent co-host on ND. On Friday, Aly seemed to affirm that: When a Twitter follower asked, “Where did you go, miss your commentary” [sic], Aly answered, “Tune into @NewDay for the next two weeks!”

However, Aly may well have a longer stint on ND than she thinks. If CNN chief Jeff Zucker decides to suspend or even can embattled Carol Costello for her controversial Schadenfreude of late, he may keep the current winning team on ND–and give new mom Kate a later, more convenient slot on CNN Newsroom.

CNN’s arousing espresso? Aly in the a.m.!

Ainsley: Ste. or Sinner?

We’re glad that you were born….[T]hat dog is trained well.” Guest co-host Ainsley Earhardt brought her Southern charms to the curvy couch again this morning. Yesterday (vid), she wished co-anchor Steve Doocy a belated happy birthday, saying, “We’re so glad [that] you were born” to the great amusement and muted derision of her co-host, New York native Brian Kilmeade, and of even the Kansan birthday boy himself. Today, the religious lovely was laughing heartily with the same boys at a bathing beauty whose dog was trying its best to take off her bikini top (to the amusement of the photog/her apparent boyfriend): She naughtily chuckled, “That dog is trained well, right? A man definitely trained that dog! That’s really cute!”*

To a non-Southerner, a birthday endearment, e.g., “We’re glad that you were born” may sound mawkish or maudlin: But, to the Southerner, it is an expression of genuine acknowledgement of another’s worth in the world or, at least, a proper birthday blandishment for one’s kith or kin. To a non-Southerner, reading the Bible, praying, and going to church and living like the devil on occasion, a la Elvis (NYT bio), Johnny Cash (Rolling Stone bio), and Jimmy Swaggart (Salon bio) may seem strange: But, to the Southerner, it is often a normal albeit improper rite of passage to the Promised Land.

For the uninitiated non-Southerner, Ainsley is either a Southern saint or sinner: For the Southerner, she can be both. Yesterday, Ainsley was happily apprising her friend Steve of how much his presence in this earthly realm has contributed to the betterment of her sphere, and, today, she was bawdily reveling in a dainty damsel’s distress as her doggie is determined to undress her for the camera. Tomorrow, is a whole new day.

Ainsley may be no Tanya Tucker: But, she just may be F&F‘s “Delta Dawn.”

* Fox & Friends – 10/22/14 (@ 6:32 a.m. ET).

 

Kelly Wright: Kelly Wrong?

Fox & Friends First Foul? Oops! F&FF guest co-host Lea Gabrielle and FNC correspondent Kelly Wright appeared to try to pull a fast one on their viewers this morning.

In a segment on Monica Lewinsky’s speech to Forbes’ “30 Under 30 Summit” in Philly (Monday), Lea segued to the FNC reporter, saying, “For the first time ever, former White House intern Monica Lewinsky speaks publicly about her affair with President Bill Clinton.* Kelly Wright here now. Kelly, she’s waited a long time to speak: what is Lewinsky saying today?” [Italics added for emphasis.]

In response, Kelly replied, “She has waited a long time indeed: Monica Lewinsky delivering a speech this morning, Lea, to a thousand young entrepreneurs and…achievers at the Forbes’ “30 Summit.”

The only problem for Lea is that Lewinsky said it in Philly yesterday: As for Kelly, she seemingly said it yesterday morning. Apparently, F&FF producers wanted Kelly’s “hit” to appear live when it was not (if he accurately reported the story).

Lea and Kelly, your F&FF audience may be sleepy but they are awake.

*F&FF – 10/21/14 (@ 5:22 a.m. ET).

 

Doocy: Elizabeth “Had Some Surgery”

“She’s going to be out for a couple of weeks.” Where has Elisabeth Hasselbeck been? Today, Fox & Friends co-host Steve Doocy revealed the reason for his co-anchor’s disappearance this morning. However, he was not fully forthcoming.

After welcoming The Five co-host Kimberly Guilfoyle to the center seat on the curvy couch, Steve disclosed the secret of Elisabeth’s absence to the F&F audience, saying, “In case, you were wondering where Elisabeth is today and this week, well, she had some surgery yesterday and she’s going to be out for a couple of weeks.”* Reassuringly, he added, “But, she’s doing just fine [and] she’s on the mend.”

Chiming in, F&F co-anchor Brian Kilmeade elaborated, “But, as you know if you watch the show, she is strong, she is tough, and a better athlete than me. We heard from her last night and she said she is feeling good: So, in a few, in a short time, she’ll be back on the set.”

Notably, neither Steve nor Brian revealed the nature of Elisabeth’s surgery. Perhaps, they both are waiting on Elisabeth herself to do so if, in fact, she decides to do so. Nevertheless, her fans doubtlessly wish the new queen of the F&F curvy couch a full recovery and a swift return.

*Fox & Friends – 10/15/14 (@ 6:01 a.m. E.T.).

Anna & Mark: “Couple”?

Kooiman: “What we talk about at our house…” Yesterday, Fox & Friends Weekend co-host Anna Kooiman appeared to confirm what many of her male fans have long suspected, i.e., that that Southern belle is not on the market no matter what her ring-less wedding finger might say. In an F&FW segment on “Things Couples Bicker About,” Anna revealing remarked, “What we talk about in our house is who…gets to take the dog out: You want the dog to like you better!”* [Italics added for emphasis.]

Almost nine months ago, Anna’s curious co-anchor aptly Tucker Carlson mused, “Who is this man?” In a F&FW story subtitled “Love & Technology” on a smart-phone app Couple (that allows one to keep tabs on his/her significant other), guest Kurt Knutsson a/k/a “The Cyber Guy” inaptly revealed, “Anna, you just told me something very interesting…[that]…you go out with a guy who wants you to use this app called Couple.”** Throwing up her hands and blushing at his breach of her privacy, Anna chuckled, “Oh, now you could just say that!” Amused and bemused, Kurt responded, “Oh, you’re not talking about this [on air].” As the segment ended, co-host Clayton Morris declared, “And, we’ll get to the bottom of Anna’s….”: Chiming in, Tucker concurred, “In our next segment, who is this man?”

Apparently, yesterday, Tucker had his answer as to Anna’s man. During a segment subtitled, “Wedded Bliss? The Top Issues Couples Argue About,” Anna revealing admitted, “What we talk about at our house…it’s, like, who…gets to take the dog out: You want the dog to like you better!” [Italics added for emphasis.] Subsequently, she read a viewer email about “leaving make-up all over the bathroom vanity”: raising her hand, Anna confessed, “Guilty!” Facetiously, Tucker snarked, “Time for counseling: Interjecting himself into the fun, Clayton commented, “That Mark’s wearing make-up: that’s what’s weird.” Howling in laughter, Anna jested, “He [inaudible] wearing make-up for the moment!”

Make-up for Mark, maybe: But, Anna appeared ready to go au natural for her fans yesterday. Dare to bare, Anna!

[Author’s aside: After an F&FW segment today (entitled “To Have and to Hold: Maine Couple Wins Wife-Carrying Championship”), Clayton, innocently or not, intoned, “See, Anna, this is what you have to look forward when you get married.” N.B. “When.” F&FW – 10/12/14 (@ 6:32 a.m. ET).]

*Fox & Friends Weekend – 10/11/14 ( @9:09 a.m. ET).

**F&FW – 01/25/14 (@ 8:24 a.m. ET).

Fox (Aly) & Friends Weekend Reunited

Dave Briggs: “Reunited & it feels so good.” Yesterday, whilom Fox & Friends Weekend team of co-hosts Alisyn Camerota, Dave Briggs, and Clayton Morris got back together: Unfortunately, for their F&FW fans, it was only for lunch. Excitedly, Aly Tweeted, “Guess who I had lunch with? #reunited IMG_0199.JPG.” Subsequently, she posted a pic of her, Dave, and Clayton, posing happily together.

Inexplicably, Aly deleted the pic of the reunited erstwhile F&FW three amigos later. Perchance, she (or CNN) did not want her fans to get too nostalgic for the good old days of Aly reining on the F&FW curvy couch with her boys at FNC. After all, she has moved on to CNN–and has been ruling the New Day divan with Chris Cuomo and Michaela Pereira of late. And, now that ND co-host Kate Bolduan is on maternity leave, Aly may be taking over more permanently.

Happily, for partisans of the penultimate F&FW iteration, current “NBC Sports guy” Dave Briggs provided two fab photos of him and his buds, CNN anchor Alisyn Camerota and still FNC F&FW co-host Clayton Morris [pic1, pic2]. In his Tweet (including a great selfie seemingly shot by Clayton), Dave proudly declared, “Peaches & Herb sang it best, “Reunited & it Feels so Good…”

So good to see you all reunited, too, Dave–if only for a repast.

[Author’s aside: Not too surprisingly, Clayton did not RT the photos of him, Aly, and Dave back together again: After all, he assuredly wants his F&FW fans not to look back too fondly on his former “Friends” and to transition their affections more completely to his new ones, Anna Kooiman and Tucker Carlson.]

Maria Molina: “I’m Engaged!”

“It was an exciting weekend!” Stormy FNC meteorologist Maria Molina sported some serene connubial bling this morn on Fox & Friends First. The lovely lady in red this morning gave her weather report as usual without mention of her new status to her male admirers: But, as she segued back to F&FF co-hosts Ainsley Earhardt and Heather Childers, Ainsley exclaimed, “Maria has a new ring on her finger this morning!”

Blushing and beaming, Maria replied, “Yeah, on the left hand!” Congratulating “Cosmo’s caliente Latina,” Ainsley answered, “Best wishes to you! We’re so happy for you!” Grinning from ear to ear, Maria remarked, “Thank you. It was an exciting weekend!”

The lucky lad? In her final weather hit on Fox & Friends, she announced, “I’m engaged!…He’s Reed Timmer.” Gushing, she remarked, “He’s just the kindest, warmest, most generous, just loving person I’ve ever met. He really is amazing! And, I’m just so honored and so blessed to be engaged to him.” Subsequently, she added, “And, we believe [that] we’ll be looking at a wedding date next year–November, December. So, we’ll keep you updated, of course!”

Best wishes, Maria! Congratulations, Reed!

[Author’s aside: In an earlier segment on F&F subtitled, “Sorry Boys! Maria Molina Gets Hitched,” she revealed that her Okie storm chaser/meteorologist lad asked her to marry him last Thursday (October 2). She said that he had intended to propose to her on bended knee in front of a tornado–but there was no tornado. Furthermore, she revealed that they had met in Mayflower, Arkansas (covering a tornado), and that “it’s been like love at first sight” and they have been inseparable ever since. For pics of the happy couple, link here.]