Bob Out Again: Juan In!

Five: About time? The Five co-host Bob Beckel, the liberal buffoon–who was “likeable enough” as former President Obama might characterize him–was fired Friday, allegedly “making an insensitive remark to an African-American” who reportedly “came to service his computer,” telling [him] that he was leaving his office because he is Black [sic]”: Ironically, unless The Five finds a fill-in, he will apparently be permanently replaced by his alternate liberal co-host, the very likable, knowledgeable African-American Juan Williams who lost his job at NPR for an allegedly “insensitive remark” about Muslims on FNC (O’Reilly Factor.) You cannot make this stuff up.

Self-admitted former substance abuser Bob was known for his cursing and crudeness on The Five but he was like the drunk on the bar stool next to you that amuses you as long as he does not spill beer on you or grab your girlfriend in a fresh fashion. But, he seemed to have a good heart as he mentored those who suffered from substance abuse.

Sometimes Bob’s tomfoolery made for good TV: But, when Juan Williams rotated in for him, the viewer wondered why Juan did not have the liberal seat full-time. In 2015, Bob was let go from The Five with former FNC honcho Bill Shine, saying, “We tried to work with Bob for months, but we couldn’t hold The Five hostage to one’s personal issues. He took tremendous advantage of our generosity, empathy and goodwill and we simply came to the end of the road with him.”  In 2017, Bob returned to the show: FNC chief Rupert Murdoch remarked, “Bob was missed by many fans of The Five and we’re happy to welcome him back to the show.

The author initially found this account re Bob highly suspect. The he remembered that Bob had referred to Chinese as “Chinamen,” a term which he understands that some consider derogatory and others may not. Regardless, it seemed to indicate an insensitivity in that regard. As to the aforementioned account re his latest termination, Bob appears to have crossed the Rubicon re racial remarks in seeming to question the ability of the IT guy because of his race.

When The Five aired later on Friday night, Bob’s name and fate were noticeably not found anywhere on the lips of his co-hosts Kimberly Guilfoyle, Jesse Watters, Dana Perino, or Greg Gutfeld. However, where Bob had last sat was predictably Juan Williams. And, presumably, he will now finally be The Five‘s resident liberal.

Pete: F&FW “Co-host”

Hegseth in the Middle! Fox & Friends Weekend “host” Pete Hegseth has apparently arrived as the successor to Tucker Carlson. Sunday, Pete was the centerpiece of “‘Sweet’ Surprise: Custom Chocolate with F&F [sic] Hosts’ Faces.”

In their usual promo segment with “Money Honey” Maria Bartiromo who follows them with her own show, co-hosts Abby Huntsman and Clayton Morris displayed a box of chocolates with the faces respectively of Abby on the left on a chocolate, of Pete seemingly strategically placed in the middle on another, and of Clayton on a right one. As the camera featured the Forest Gump-like delights, Abby remarked, “They are so wonderful, and they brought up our personalized chocolate [inaudible]: You can see there Clayton, Pete, and myself.” Aptly, Pete replied, “You should be in the middle though!”

The die seems to have been cast: When one goes to Fox News Insider re Fox & Friends Weekend (“About”), it reads “Join Abby Huntsman, Clayton Morris and Pete Hegseth.” On F&FW‘s Twitter site, the latest Tweet (by Abby on May 5th) reads, “It’s this crew all weekend. Come spend your morning with us!! @fox&friends 6-10am ET @PeteHegseth @ClaytonMorris.”

Oddly, or simply in a dilatory fashion, Fox & Friends’ website names both Abby and Clayton as co-hosts but not Pete. Even though Pete himself stills lists himself simply as a “@FoxNew contributor,” F&FW producers indicated that he was now a co-anchor as it presented the three “co-hosts” Twitter addresses on the hour both Saturday and Sunday and presented them as the trio that reigned from the curvy couch without a hint that Pete was a fill-in.

A la Tucker Carlson, it seems that F&FW simply wants to slip in the latest anchor with little notice to its fans. A mite over a month ago, this Carpe Diem author remarked, “Perhaps, it is a mite premature, Pete: But, welcome aboard the F&FW ship!” Now, he says welcome aboard, Pete: You deserve your seat on the curvy couch.

Fox News Specialists? Not!

Unless “Specialists” is an FNC euphemism for “not so special” Five. On the positive side, it was Fox News Specialists co-hosts Eric Bolling, Eboni Williams, and Katherine Timpf‘s virgin show so they and the producers may have a honeymoon to work out the kinks with viewers who are accustomed to a livelier, sexier, and, quite frankly, much sharper The Five (which, thankfully, will air at 9:00 p.m. tonight to redeem its replacement).

The first thing that caught the author’s eye was the pretentious new solid circular desk that seemed to be designed to suggest a certain Sunday morning news gravitas with the co-anchors safely ensconced behind it: No much needed “leg chair” there today to spice up the show a la The Five at the five o’clock hour! As to the their heralded “specialists” guests, billionaire and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and Showtime’s “The Circus” co-producer and co-host Mark McKinnon, they were not bad, and they provided their usual political perspectives: But, one can see them as guests oft on almost any FNC show of note.

There were no scintillating debates as one would expect on The Five or even on Outnumbered: Sadly, it felt like merely time filler for this FNC viewer. Hopefully, the show was not a harbinger of what is to come for the inaptly named Fox News Specialists or the network itself as it seems to be transmogrifying from Rupert Murdoch’s juggernaut FNC to his sons James and Lachlan’s “gentler and kinder” Fox News.

“The Fox News Specialists” needs to up its game as does Fox News or its rumored future more conservative rival may do what CNN and MSNBC have not been able to do thus far, i.e., take it down a notch or two.

As the show concluded, McKinnon said, “Five o’clock will never be the same again.” The author fears that he might just be right.