F&FF’s Rob Schmitt?

Who the heck is Heather Childers‘ hubby du jour? Yes, Carpe Diem was similarly situated as most of FNC’s audience. After a Google search, the author found that guest Fox & Friends First co-host Rob (pics) like FNC star Shepard Smith (pic) and Gregg Jarrett (pic) has his own mug shot to add to his portfolio. According to SFLTV.com, Rob was arrested on “alleged battery/domestic violence charges”: However, SFLTV.com later reported, “The case against Rob Schmitt was dismissed on 3/9/2009 for lack of evidence.”

Obviously, in this fallen world, viewers should not be surprised at what journos, pols, or others are accused of doing or of what they do in spite of their celebrity. After all, there has never been a perfect mere mortal. But, the F&FF fan can be forgiven for giving a double take after her/his Google search of a Fox News newbie.

With all of the anti-Fox News feverish fervor from its competitors, FNC would be wise to place on the scales who Rob is and what he brings to the table for their audience.

“Spewing” Gregg Jarrett: No Trump Fan

Jarrett: Trump a liar–and a bad student. FNC honcho Roger Ailes’ “erstwhile errant anchor” Gregg Jarrett continued his quixotic assault on The Donald today as guest co-host on America’s Newsroom. Approximately, two months ago, he accused Trump of being a liar: Today, he inanely assailed him as a poor grammarian. As any politico knows, when one hits Trump, you may get hit back–hard.

After a segment subtitled “Trump Warns Clinton ‘Be Careful’ with Sexism Accusation” which featured Trump’s Tweet, saying, “Hillary, when you complain about “a penchant for sexism,” who are you referring to. I have great respect for women. BE CAREFUL,” Gregg snarked, “Have you noticed when Donald Trump Tweets he makes grammatical mistakes? He ended the sentence with a preposition: “Who are you referring to”? It should be ‘to whom are you referring?'”

As he began his pedantic critique, supra, a smiling Abby Huntsman laughed, “I don’t know where this is going, Gregg!” After he finished his ill-considered jab at Trump, Abby explained, “You know Tweets are weird: You know, they’re short. I’m not defending his Tweets at all.”

Not pleased with Abby’s sympathetic response, Gregg curtly queried, “Okay to make grammatical mistakes?”

Abby replied, “But, usually, he’s due. I think people like that though. That’s kind of his appeal: He doesn’t care; he doesn’t care how he sounds; he doesn’t care what he Tweets.”

In response, Gregg stammered, “Maybe, he was asleep in grade school: I don’t kn0w.”

Greg, Abby may be the  newbie on the FNC scene and a fabulously gorgeous gal but make no mistake–she is no dummy. She knows the ropes in both the studio and in politics, and, perhaps, you could learn a thing or two from her, i.e., the meaning of FNC’s famed “fair and balanced” ethic from her.

Or, you could retake that ethics course in journo school–that you may have fallen “asleep” in. Oops! Sorry, Gregg, about ending my sentence in a–gasp–preposition.

*America’s Newsroom – 12/24/15 (@ 9:45 a.m. ET).

FNC Host: Trump Spewing Lies

Will The Donald take it lying down? On this Thanksgiving afternoon, FNC honcho Roger Ailes must be having indigestion: His latest Fox News anchor to tangle with GOP Presidential front runner Donald Trump, Happening Now co-host Gregg Jarrett, deemed Trump a liar.

First, there was the Megyn “affair”: Now, there is the Jarrett jeer.

In the first GOP debate (in August), FNC anchor Megyn Kelly, co-moderated the first Republican Presidential debate and took what was perceived by The Donald as a cheap shot re the purported “war on women.” Ever The Donald, he robustly defended himself, declaring that he was often not politically correct: Subsequently, he acerbically asserted, “And, frankly, what I say, and oftentimes it’s fun, it’s kidding, we have a good time: What I say, is what I say. And, honestly, Megyn, if you don’t like it, I’m sorry. I’ve been very nice to you although I could probably, maybe not be, based on the way you’ve treated me but I wouldn’t do that.” [Vid clip of the exchange.]

And, then the war was on–until Trump and FNC chief Roger Ailes appeared to call a truce with a few  seeming “violations.” However, it did not last long when The Donald took a subsequent shot at Kelly in a Tweet, calling her “a lightweight” and “overrated”: Apparently, Ailes was not amused, and The Donald’s appearance on the “O’Reilly Factor was cancelled. No shrinking violet, Trump hit back with a boycott of Fox News. Ailes apparently relented to the ratings magnet when The Donald returned to the O’Reilly Factor, and Trump has been regularly booked ever since on Fox News shows.

Today, Ailes’ erstwhile errant anchor,  Happening Now co-host Gregg Jarrett, ignited a probable feud again by deeming Trump a liar. In a segment subtitled “Trump’s Chances of Winning WH” with Democratic strategist and pollster Jessica Tarlov (Senior Strategist of Schoen Consulting) and Kevin McCullough (a radio host nationally syndicated),  Jarrett, with a twinkle in his eye, remarked, “Donald Trump has been spewing canards.”* When Tarlov guffawed, “That’s such a polite way of saying it,” Jarrett chuckled, “That, that essentially means lies. But, I was trying to be nice.” He added, “Um, and, just in the past week, I mean, one after another, after another.”

Looking at his notes with his reading glasses in his hand, Jarrett continued, “He said, I saw thousands and thousands of people in New Jersey cheering the 9/11 attacks when the Towers fell.” Chuckling, he declared, “Officials in the state say that’s not true [and that] there’s no proof of that: Politifact gave it a ‘pants-on-fire’ rating.” Subsequently, Jarrett challenged Trump’s assertions as to the percentage of whites killed by blacks, citing the F.B.I., and the number of Syrian refugees that the President intends to brings into the U.S.

In conclusion, Jarrett jeered, “And, the Washington Post, in summarizing all of these things he’s saying, said quote, ‘Trump has lied so many times about so many things during the past week, it’s difficult to keep track of all of them.'” As Tarlov began to answer, Jarrett asked, “But, is he ever going to be held accountable for this stuff?”

Trump a liar? Doubtlessly, The Donald will respond. And, Gregg may not be as lucky as Megyn.

*Happening Now – 10/26/15 (@ 1:26 p.m. ET).

Gregg Jarrett Uncomfortable: Awkward!

“F**king…stupid…a**!” Today, America’s Newsroom guest go-host Gregg Jarrett got rather uncomfortable today [as he reported a story about the suspension of ESPN reporter Britt McHenry‘s after her “really bizarre foul-mouthed rant against a parking lot attendant for a tow truck company…filled with insults caught on video and then going viral” (via FNC vid)]. And, co-anchor Martha McCallum and Happening Now co-host Jenna Lee did not help things.

For FNC fill-in anchor Jarrett, who recently returned to Fox News after taking off for “serious personal issues,” his segment on McHenry’s suspension was an uncomfortable one for him and his viewers. As his fans may know, Jarrett recently pleaded guilty to a charge of disorderly conduct pertaining to an incident at a Minneapolis/St. Paul airport bar and grill: Allegedly, he was intoxicated and he “refused to follow orders and was arrested for obstruction of the legal process and taken to jail.” In a video of Jarrett in an apparent airport holding cell, a belligerent Jarrett calls an officer a “f**king…stupid…a**” and is summarily subdued and cuffed.

Today, a smiling Jarrett introduced his segment on McHenry, saying, “ESPN is suspending reporter Britt MacHenry after she let loose.”* Chuckling, he continued, “[I]n a really bizarre foul-mouthed rant against a parking lot attendant for a tow truck company. The ugly outburst–that’s with a capital “U”–filled with insults caught on video and then going viral.”

Subsequently, producers ran the footage of McHenry horridly raving, “I’m in the news, sweetheart. I will f**king sue this place….I wouldn’t work at a scumbag place like this. Makes my skin crawl even being here. Maybe, if I was [sic] missing some teeth they would hire me, huh?…Lose some weight, baby girl!”

In the segment, Jarrett moderated a discussion whether ESPN had the right to suspend McHenry. During it, he rightly noted, “We all have bad moments, frustrated, and we lash out and feel bad about it afterwards.”

As the block concluded, Martha seemed to gauchely throw Jarrett a lifeline, saying, “I want to go back to Britt McHenry here: I mean…obviously, she was acting like a complete jerk. I think what she needs to do is go back and apologize to that woman. But, the fact that she’s suspended from her job for a week, people have jerky behavior all the time. What’s the limit to that? Where does that end where you’re going to be monitored at home and [unintelligible] well, you said something nasty to your neighbor, and I think that you should be suspended for a week?”

Rightly, Jarrett noted, “Yeah, well the trouble is that she used her position in television in that remark.” He added, “Her biggest punishment is public humiliation. And, boy, check out social media!”

Laughing Martha said, “She’ll probably get more attention….You know how that works. You know how that works in the media world, right?”

All too aptly, Jarrett replied, “I do.”

Probably ready for a modicum of relief from Martha’s ill-conceived banter, Jarrett segued to the promo for the upcoming show, saying, “Jenna Lee is standing by for Happening Now. Hey, Jenna!”

But, there was no relief for poor Jarrett. Jenna began, remarking, “None of us have ever acted…none of us have ever acted like a jerk EVER! Anyways!”

“Anyways.” The elephant in the room remained–unremarked upon. Awkwardly for Jarrett–and the viewer.

*America’s Newsroom – 04/17/15 (@ 10:42 a.m. ET).

The Third: Martha’s Independence Day?

Unshackled? MacCallum’s wedding ring missing anew. Before her show today, FNC co-anchor Martha MacCallum Tweeted, “Happy to be back in America’s Newsroom today.” Subsequently, when she appeared on the program, guest co-anchor Gregg Jarrett enthusiastically saluted her, saying, “It is terrific to have you back: everybody missed you!” Beaming, the blonde beauty responded, “Thank you so much! It is very good to be back!” Naked.

Yes, naked again. Almost immediately after Martha expressed how wonderful it was to be back on AN, she gestured with her left hand: gone again was her wedding ring (given to her almost a decade ago).

As Carpe Diem readers may remember, Martha quit wearing her connubial band after a (201) Magazine holiday family profile but began anew after the author noted it. Ironically, today, on the eve of the Fourth, Martha seemed to signal her personal independence day had started early: i.e., she wore no wedding ring and sported no tan line which might suggest that she had ever done so.

Martha’s Independence Day? No fireworks. Hopefully.

Megyn Kelly Disappears

With her show without a word. Apparently, even America Live anchor Megyn Kelly’s lead-in, Happening Now guest host Greg Jarrett, was caught off guard this afternoon: as Jarrett confidently segued from HN to the next Fox News program at 1:00 pm. ET, Jarrett remarked, “America Live begins right now.” Apparently, getting a quick word from his producer, Jarrett quickly glanced at his computer screen and corrected himself, saying, “America’s News Headquarters.”

Subsequently, the screen switched to ANHQ and Kelly Wright began with a “News Alert”: Then, after finishing it, he remarked, “This is America’s News Headquarters. I’m Kelly Wright.” Thereafter, his comely blonde co-host chimed, “Great to see you, Kelly….I’m Jamie Colby.”

Oddly, neither Kelly nor Jamie mentioned that, at least, for the day, they were replacing Megyn Kelly and America’s News HQ was supplanting America Live. Furthermore, to the author’s knowledge, Megyn did not mention yesterday that she or her program would be absent today (Friday). Moreover, Megyn failed to alert her Twitter followers to any AL changes either. Not to mention, when the author consulted FNC’s on-air schedule at FNC’s foxnews.com/fnctv web site (at 1:55 p.m. ET), the “Now” tab showed no program for the 1:00pm slot but rather started with the 3:00 pm one (Studio B w/ Shepard Smith).

Strange indeed. Wherefore art thou, Megyn? Fox News flub-up or Shine “shakeup”?

[Author’s aside: Even at the start of the second hour and at the end of show, both Jamie and Kelly failed to acknowledge the obvious–the absence of Megyn Kelly and her show America Live.]

Update: On Labor Day itself, Megyn answered: She and America Live reappeared. Perhaps, it had been merely a Fox News flub-up. Or, was it Shine’s inadvertent portent?

ANHQ: Who’s the New “Girl”?

Heather Childers. When a Twitter follower asked Julie Banderas yesterday about not seeing her on with Gregg Jarrett on the weekend [America’s News HQ], she tersely Tweeted, “Yeah, he got a new co-anchor.” And, just who is that co-anchor? Her name is Heather Childers, a recent Fox News hire.”

According to her hometown paper Charlotte Observer, Heather was reared in Charlotte, North Carolina; graduated from UNC Chapel Hill; and worked for eight years at Time Warner Cable’s News 14 Carolina (a 24-hour news channel). The Observer reported that Heather left News 14 Carolina last year in search of “bigger things” and finally landed a job at Fox News. It quoted an apparently ecstatic Heather as saying, “Now my dreams have come true.”

At FNC, Heather co-anchors America’s News Headquarters with Gregg Jarrett on the weekend generally from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. ET. She also Tweets her Twitter followers almost daily with a truly personal touch. (Cf. link here.)

A belated congrats, Heather!