Jenna Lee & Hubby SEAL’s Pup

Liberty Josephine Babin arrives! Friday, The Five co-host Kimberly Guilfoyle gleefully announced the advent of the daughter of Happening Now co-anchor Jenna Lee and her hubby, retired Navy SEAL Lt. Cmdr. Leif Babin [NYT wedding profile of Jenna and Leif]. At the end of the show [FNC vid], Kimberly proclaimed, “Well, I have a very exciting ‘One More Thing’ today.”*

Gleaming with joy, Kimberly continued, “Super delighted because we have a new baby in the Fox News house. As a photo of the newborn aired, she exclaimed, “Yes, indeed! That is Liberty Josephine Babin and that is the beautiful, beautiful daughter of our very own Jenna Lee and Leif. We are super excited for them.”

Elaborating, Kimberly revealed, “Born eight pounds, five ounces on Tuesday. And, her name was chosen many years ago during a phone conversation between Jenna and Leif. And, her daddy was in Iraq, deployed there….And, Jenna at that time when she was talking to Leif, [she] was looking at the Statue of Liberty….And, the middle name is in honor of her great grandmother.”

Congratulations, Jenna and Leif!

[Author’s note: Jenna and Leif’s son, Brian Marc [nicknamed Trace (pic)] now has a little sister.]

*The Five – 04/08/16 (@ 5:57 p.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).

F&FW’s Clayton & Anna Pulled

Jon & Kimberly join Tucker to form the Fox & Friends Weekend “A-Team” Saturday. Co-hosts Clayton Morris and Anna Kooiman were pulled from the F&FW Saturday lineup this morning in the wake of the horrific terrorist attacks on France Friday evening (local time) that left 127 dead and 200 others injured (99 in critically condition). In their stead, F&FW substituted more seasoned FNC veterans, Happening Now co-host Jon Scott and Five co-anchor and guest co-host Kimberly Guilfoyle. Notably, today Tucker got to stay in the game. [Two years ago (04/20/13), after the capture of the last of the Boston Marathon bomber brothers, Tucker and Clayton both were temporarily demoted on F&FW (Saturday) in favor of FNC heavyweights Brian Kilmeade and–yes, dear reader–the very same Jon Scott: Perhaps, to Clayton and Tucker’s chagrin, their then F&FW ace co-anchor Alisyn Camerota aptly stayed in the game.]

At the end of weekday Fox & Friends yesterday, Clayton and Anna promoted their then upcoming F&FW Saturday with promises of guest appearances of “one of the premier psychics in the world, Laura Lynne Jackson” and of Santa Claus. Concluding the show, a smiling and waving Anna sweetly declared, “Bye, everybody! See you dark and early tomorrow!” But, it was not to be: Clayton and Anna had to leave the field.

When there is explosive hard news to cover, F&FW knows full well that they need to go to their “A Team.” And, today they did–with Jon and Kimberly. But, there is still hope for tech geek Clayton and alluring lovely Anna to make F&FW‘s “A-Team”: After all, Tucker got his call today.

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).

Heather: Happening Now Happily

Tony Snow: “God made you beautiful: Now you’ve got to make yourself smart.” Quirky Fox & Friends newsreader Heather Nauert seems to have found a more fitting slot of late on FNC as guest co-host of Happening Now.  Paired with HN regular co-anchor Jon Scott oft now that Jenna Lee is on maternity leave, the “Chicago” chirper excels in her new chair as a sharp counterpart to FNC’s whilom Shakespearean actor/go-to aviation “expert” Jon: Consequently, fans of F&F are treated to a more mellifluous Carolinian cadence in the early morn as F&F First co-hosts Heather Childers and Ainsley Earhardt often fill in for Heather N. as headline news anchor.

F&F fans can now enjoy their show more as the Southern belle beauties ameliorate their Yankee (Rhode Island) colleague Elisabeth Hasselbeck‘s too oft nasal sounds with their delightful drawl. To boot, the viewers are not subjected to a pedantic Ms. Romper Room Nauert who too oft wants to “tell you about this” before she actually does.

Yes, the “younger sister of another Heather (Locklear)” is beautiful, and she is smart. But, she can be pedantic and irritating a la erstwhile F&F anchor Gretchen Carlson when she talks down to her audience who generally know as much or more than she does. Like the former Miss America [vid] with her new show (The Real Story with Gretchen Carlson), Heather now seems to be more relaxed and at ease on HN–not feeling as if she has to prove her smarts to her audience vis-a-vis the boys, F&F co-anchors Brian Kilmeade and Steve Doocy.

Heather Happening Now: beautiful, smart–and, finally, starting to chill.

[Author’s aside: The subtitle, supra, is based on a Tony Snow quote cited in a Paul Farhi article in the Washington Post.]

Jenna’s “Happening Now”: Her Frogman Curse?

My husband and I are expecting our first child…in early fall. Friday, Happening Now co-host Jenna Lee confirmed what many of her viewers were expecting: the auburn-tressed beauty’s growing girth was not necessarily diet-induced.

Before announcing her gravid state [vid via J$P], she read a Tweet from a fan who asked, “Is it me or is Jenna Lee putting on a little weight in the tummy?” Turning to her co-anchor Jon Scott, she teased, “Jon, do you want to answer this one?” After he wisely refused to do so, Anna read a few more audience questions as to whether she was pregnant. In answer, Jenna joyfully remarked, “I can confirm that my husband [Leif Babin] and I are expecting our first child: It’s very much “happening now”: But, it will be happening in early fall.

Interjecting, Jon joked, “He’s [Jenna’s hubby Leif (pic)] former Navy SEAL….Did they teach him how to deal with a pregnant woman?” Chuckling, Jenna replied, “I can’t reveal all their…top secret training, Jon, but I do know that the SEAL’s have something that they call the frogman curse–which I think I can talk about–which is that a lot of them end up having little girls.” When Jon queried, “Should our viewers take that as a hint, Anna answered, “[N]o….We don’t know the gender: we’re not going to know, and it’ll, it’ll just be breaking news when it happens.”

Congratulations, Jenna and Leif! A little girl: Frogman curse? Nah, frogman blessing!

H/t, J$.

 

Oops! Naughty Janice Dean Says “Sl*t”

Happening Now! FNC meteorologist Janice Dean heated things up today as she forecast the latest winter storm on FNC’s HN. In her second hour debut, Janice declared that her hubby was staying home tomorrow with their sons and that she was “staying here…[in]…the sleeping bag set up: Setting up, perchance, a Freudian slip, she declared, “We could get another storm Sunday into Monday for the Northeast, and this could be a big one, Jenna.”*

Smiling, Janice continued, “So, yes, sl*t”: Reddening at her salacious faux pas, she haltingly chuckled, “Set up the sleeping bags and a lot of mothers and fathers are going ‘when are my children going back to school.'” Even though neither Janice nor HN co-hosts Jenna Lee and Jon Scott said nary a thing about her racy gaffe at the conclusion of Janice’s report, Jon did randomly remark, “I never like to see all that pink on those maps.”

Oops! FNC’s sexy Dancing Machine did it again!

*Happening Now – 02/04/14 (@ 12:08 p.m. ET)

Game Day Over: Aly’s “B Team” Back!

No news is good news for Fox & Friends Weekend co-hosts Clayton Morris and Tucker Carlson. Yesterday, FNC’s “A Team” took the field after the capture of the last of the Boston Marathon bomber brothers: From an early edition F&F First to America Live, FNC’s regular programming (save for Happening Now) and their co-hosts returned to the day’s fare. Nevertheless, F&FW co-host Alisyn Camerota maintained her pivotal position on F&F‘s curvy couch as she was joined by FNC’s week-day alpha dogs, Brian Kilmeade (F&F co-anchor) and Jon Scott (Happening Now co-host). Notably, F&FW “B Team” boys, Clayton and Tucker were sent to the sidelines without a mere mention to their F&FW fans.

But, today was a new day. As the news returned to normal, Aly still reigned supreme on her curvy couch. And, joining her again were her courtiers, Clayton and Tucker, comfortably ensconced as her bookends: The alpha males had gone away and the beta boys were back in town.

Today, all was right again–at least, in F&FW‘s world.

Kyra’s “Cannuck Hubby”: Robert’s Ring Ruse?”

Special Reports with JD: Ring on, ring off! Yesterday, FNC Special Report with Bret Baier guest anchor John Roberts decided to doff his seemingly connubial band for, at least, the third time this week.* Only about six months ago, Roberts was proudly donning his seemingly marital ring as he hosted Special Report (soon after his long-time flame HLN anchor Kyra Phillips had claimed to have a Cannuck husband): As a result the author assumed that Roberts had finally tied the knot with Phillips after proposing to her over two years earlier on bended knee.

But, maybe, not. According to HuffPo (in 2011), Roberts revealed that he did not “call Phillips is fiancee and they[had] no plans to get married soon” in “spite of the couple’s ‘engagement.'” In that same interview, Roberts remarked, “There’s no plan for a wedding. I call her my wife, she refers to me as her husband.” Holding out hope for the future, Roberts added, “Do I expect that at some point we’ll get married? Yes, it’s just that we’ve both been so busy working and preparing for our babies that we haven’t found time.”

Perhaps, the two lovers still haven’t found the time–after all. Stay tuned, John and Kyra fans.

*Special Report with Bret Baier – 12/07/12 (@ 6:34 a.m. ET); Happening Now – 12/04/12 (@ 9:37 a.m. ET); and Studio B with Shepard Smith – 12/03/12 (@ 3:41 p.m. ET).

Baby Banderas Arrives: Avery Julie Sansone

And, the baby pictures are in! FNC correspondent Julie Banderas is finally getting her much needed “rest.” Proclaiming the good news this morning, Happening Now guest co-host Rick Folbaum and regular co-anchor Jenna Lee announced that Julie and her hubby (Andrew Sansone) welcomed their newborn daughter Avery over night.* As Jenna subsequently promised, HN produced photos of little Avery (one with her proud parents; a close-up in swaddling clothes: and a third with her big sister Addison): to boot, HN  revealed Avery’s middle name (Julie); her weight (eight pounds and five ounces); and her length (twenty-one inches).

Congratulations, Julie and Andrew!

Happening Now – 11/13/12 (@ 12:59 a.m. ET)

Update: In a Tweet to apparent friend, photographer Julie Bidwell, yesterday (11/13/12), Julie revealed, “Her full name is Avery Julie Bidwell Sansone. I named her after you! Haha.”

FNC’s “Mean Girl”: Kirsten Goes Loco on Lolo

Today’s “Beast”? Anthony Weiner’s former girlfriend and erstwhile defender Kirsten Powers. Fox News’ self-professed Christian progressive must have forgotten all about I Corinthians 13 (“The Love Chapter”) today. In her Happening Now appearance this afternoon, the usually compassionate Daily Beast columnist defended New York Times sports columnist Jere Longman’s misogynistic attack against Olympian Lolo Jones, a born-again Christian who posed a la a shy pre-Fall Eve in ESPN Body Issue 2009, for her sensual allure to an appreciative media at the perceived slight to her competitors. [N.B. No mention from Longman that Lolo is the first woman who has won back-to-back World Indoor titles in the 60-meter hurdles and that she was a three-time national champion hurdler and an eleven-time All-American at LSU.]

In Kirsten’s HN segment, her fellow Fox News colleague, former NYT investigative reporter Judith Miller opined, “I think it was very unfair….It was so harsh on her. It was so unforgiving.”* Substantiating her point, Miller cited the criticism of the NYT‘s very own ombudsman Arthur S. Brisbane, who said, “I think the writer [Jere Longman] was particularly harsh, even unnecessarily so….[T]his piece struck me as quite harsh and left me, along with others, wondering why the tone was so strong.”

Shaking her head, Kirsten emphatically countered, “I don’t agree! I do not agree.” Clad in her low-cut, sleeveless, short black dress, FNC’s blond beauty, perhaps, ironically groused, “He [Longman] never called her the Anna Kornikova: he interviewed somebody who said that….The point that he was actually trying to make is that here are actually two other American athletes whose names we don’t even know really…[who] have gotten no endorsement deals, have gotten no media coverage even though they have medals when this person who didn’t even get a medal is getting all of this media attention….How did she become the victim?”

Then, Kirsten added, “In terms of him talking the stuff about her, she’s the one who put it out there….She’s a woman. She’s, at least thirty….She cannot complain about media coverage that’s critical of her.” Coming to Lolo’s defense, Miller exclaimed, “Oh, yes, she can. Yes, she can when she’s really being attacked.” Shrugging her shoulders, Kirsten replied, “I don’t think it was an attack.”

Miller answered, “It was an attack! The only two people quoted in the entire piece are negative quotes.” Smirking, Kirsten caustically queried, “You’re not allowed to write a negative article about an athlete?” Miller riposted, “Wait a minute! He left out the fact that she had spinal surgery the year before. Her own extremely back story left out.” After clenching her teeth as Judith spoke, an irate Kirsten argued, “But, hasn’t that been covered extensively.”

Miller responded, “But, not in his column! If somebody’s reading that column, you have no idea where [she’s coming from]…Why beat up on this woman?” Unconvincingly, Kirsten replied, “He’s not beating up on her!” Immediately, Miler countered, “He was!” Appearing to contradict herself, Kirsten answered, “And, why he is not allowed to do that? I don’t understand.”

Interjecting, HN co-host Jon Scott remarked that while Lolo’s competitors may have won medals she was apparently the only woman to have won the national indoors hurdling championship twice. Cutting to the quick, he said, “Let’s show the photo that…aroused so much, I guess, ire, so much negative attention to her.” As the photo of a seated nude Lolo looked backed at the camera with all of her “lady bits” discreetly covered, Jon continued, “What doesn’t get noted is the small type there…a quote from her coach at LSU Dennis Shaver who writes, “She has the perfect core, which is where her horsepower comes from. Her abs are like a washboard, all muscle fiber and no fat. You don’t get like without proper diet and training: And, even then, you’d need Lolo’s determination.’ That gets lost in the coverage of that photo.”

“Exactly: it certainly did,” concurred Miller. As Kirsten laughed in derision, Miller chastened, “And, the back story gets lost. And, Kirsten, I’m really surprised.” Interposing, a bemused Kirsten queried, “What back story? I don’t even understand.”

Miller explained, “Wait a minute! You can make the point that the media likes some people and the companies choose to use some people without beating up on her, without demeaning her or her achievement. And, the fact that she’s a self-proclaimed Christian virgin and comes from this poor family. I think it’s an amazing story.”

Gesticulating animatedly, Kirsten interrupted, “As one of the other girls comes from a very poor story [sic]. And, it’s an amazing story that been covered ad nauseum.”

As Kirsten ranted, a smiling Miller interposed, “She’s beautiful. Why should we hold that against her?”

In a seemingly disingenuous response, Kirsten said that “we shouldn’t” but then echoed Longman’s plaint that Lolo was getting a disproportionate amount of attention. Then, baring her claws, Kirsten caustically exclaimed, “And, I’m sorry, but, you know, the whole born-again Christian thing and posing naked, I don’t think they really go together. Call me crazy!…I talk about my faith all the time, and if I posed like that I would expect to hear about it!”

Conversely, if Kirsten posits like that, she should certainly expect to hear about it.

Happening Now – 08/10/12 (@ 12:45 p.m. ET)

Update: Video via J$P.

Yep, Julie Banderas Gravid Again

“Yes haven’t u heard?” In case, anyone missed her big announcement a month ago, FNC correspondent Julie Banderas reminded her fans that she was preggers today with her second child. For her uninitiated acolytes, she subtly teased, “Check out my good friend and Senior Producer of @HappeningNow @ClintPHenderson ‘s blog featuring my Addison! :) fxn.ws/LM0d1u.” When one linked to Henderson’s post titled, “Sneak Peak of Baby Banderas Celebrating the 4th of July!,” a photo appeared of Julie’s darling daughter Addison walking hand-in-hand with her gravid mom.

In response, one apparent new follower of Julie queried, “So… is there another little Banderas on the way?” In response, she cheerfully declared, “Yes haven’t u heard? I’m 5 1/2 weeks pregnant due in November.” For any other such new devotee enraptured by their goddess’ miraculous short gestation period, Julie later Tweeted, “I meant MONTHS not weeks!”

Lately, Julie has seemed especially ebullient about her and her husband Andrew Sansone‘s second “bun in the oven”: on Independence Day, she sent a pic of Addison and baby bump, Tweeting, “Happy 4th from 2 kids! ;).” She has every right to be proud.

Congratulations, Julie and Andrew!

[Author’s aside: For Julie’s fans who can barely wait for her second baby’s pics, cf. here for a vid link to her firstborn Addison Melissa’s Fox Report debut.]

Fox & Friends First: Happening Not!

Anna Kooiman and Ainsley Earhardt hide their gorgeous gams again: But, Jenna Lee shows her sexy stems. Today, Fox & Friends First producers played the prude anew by keeping their day-old desk to shield the lovely legs of their co-hosts Ainsley and Anna after hooking their viewers with a gamfest the very first day. However, Happening Now producers, which share the same set, smartly decided to ditch that desk obscuring the pretty pins of their co-anchor Jenna.

It seemed ironic that the most veteran of the three anchors Jenna would dare to bare again but that her less seasoned colleagues could not or would not. After all, Ainsley and Anna could benefit a bit by distracting their viewers from their still too oft callow commentary. Nevertheless, perchance, their Carolina charms can carry them until they finally find their sea legs.

Fox & Friends First: Pretty faces. For now, as Pork Pig would say, “That’s all, folks!”

Wallace Repentant? “Happy” if Paul Wins

Bushie no more? Fox News Sunday anchor Chris Wallace seemed to distance himself from his GOP establishment colleagues, e.g., Karl Rove, Dana Perino, etc. today. After pontificating yesterday on FNC’s “Your World with Neil Cavuto” that a Ron Paul victory would “discredit the Iowa caucuses,” Wallace chose a decidedly different tack this morning when Happening Now co-host Jon Scott asked him what a Paul win would mean in Iowa. With his sails more neatly trimmed, Wallace responded, “I don’t mean in any way to denigrate Ron Paul….I fully understand why his…millions of supporters across the country but thousands here in Iowa are so supportive of him.”*

Elaborating, he continued, “But, I think it is fair to say [that] he is a long shot for the Republican nomination. And, to the degree that people look at these States and say, ‘Are they picking a President?,” if they were to pick Paul, I think a lot of the–and, maybe, we’re not so smart–but a lot of the smart guys in the media and in the Republican party would say, ‘Well, that’s kind of an aberration.” Apparently, repentant, he added, “Now, it may be that Ron Paul proves us wrong, and I’d be happy if he did because it would be a very exciting race.”

Chris Wallace: fair and balanced? Trying.

*Happening Now – 12/15/11 (@ 12:11 a.m. ET)

Aly Back In: Juliet Out?

Camerota: “Let’s make it a surprise.” A “Shine” surprise? After abdicating her Fox & Friends Weekend throne for five months, co-host Alisyn Camerota announced her long-awaited return to F&FW tomorrow. Early this morning as she hosted F&F weekday, Aly Tweeted, “FOX News Alert — I’ll be back on F+F this Saturday! …don’t tell Dave and Clayton. let’s make it a surprise. I may wear a disguise.”

Five months to the very day: Aly’s return just in the nick of time? Last week FNC aired a new F&FW promo for its Labor Day weekend that featured her recent sole sub Juliet Huddy with F&FW co-anchors Clayton Morris and Dave Briggs as “One Morning Team” and “the Friends You Trust.” The message seemed pellucidly clear: FNC had dubbed Juliet queen again of the F&FW curvy couch. After all, Aly had been strangely absent from her F&FW post for almost five months (approximately one month longer than the purported “maternity shuffle” for Megyn Kelly): Furthermore, in the interim, Aly had repeated anchored other FNC shows, including, America’s Newsroom, Happening Now, America Live, and even Fox & Friends weekday without returning to her own F&FW.

Perhaps, Aly realized that she needed to move now if she were to reclaim her F&FW throne from Juliet before it was too late: i.e., before her co-hosts, Clayton and Dave, and her viewers switched their allegiance to Juliet. Even though it may appear less likely, FNC Senior VP of Programming Bill Shine himself may have prompted the move to oust Juliet, at least, for now, after her questionable comments two days ago on the O’Reilly Factor: Juliet called GOP Presidential candidate Ron Paul a “yellow belly” who would not appear on O’Reilly and that O’Reilly should have “just slapped him down” – verbally or literally. Coincidently or not, just yesterday, the author wrote, “Unless Alisyn Camerota returns to her long “abandoned” center seat this weekend, F&FW viewers should not be surprised by a ‘contrite’ apology posthaste from jaunty Juliet to Paul and his Praetorian Guard.” (Apparently, Juliet’s apology will have to wait.)

Welcome back, Aly! Hopefully, you will stay. But, whatever you do, do not banish F&FW‘s beloved Juliet from your F&FW realm for good.

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?

Jenna Lee Returns

“Back for good–for now.” Happening Now co-host Jenna Lee was radiant today as she returned to her FNC show from her honeymoon with new hubby Leif Babin, a Navy SEAL and Fordham law student. Welcoming the auburn beauty back heartily, co-anchor Jon Scott facetiously queried, “Anything big happen while you were gone?”* Shrugging her shoulders demurely, Jenna joyfully replied, “Thank you very much. You know, got married, went on a honeymoon but now I’m, I’m back: Back for good–for now.”

Sorry, boys, one of Maxim‘s “TV’s 10 Hottest News Anchors” and Ben Stein’s favorite money honey, “the heart-stoppingly beautiful” Jenna Lee, is now off the market. To boot, after an almost three-year, cross-country courtship, it sounds as if the thirty-one year old lovely may be down to serious connubial business. I.e., Jenna’s maternity leave not too far around the HN corner?

Congratulations, Jenna & Leif!

*Happening Now – 07/18/11 – (@ 11:00 a.m. ET)

Clayton: “The [Aly] Update”

“Where’s Alisyn?…It might be 2014.” This morning Fox & Friends Weekend co-anchor Clayton Morris and his co-hosts Dave Briggs and Molly Line joked anew about Alisyn Camerota’s personally promised return. After welcoming viewers mid show, a grinning Clayton remarked, “Emails, we saw people out here for the concert series [asking], ‘Where’s Aly? Where’s Alisyn?’ We said, ‘Uh, it might be 2014.'”*

As Molly laughed heartily, Dave chuckled, “Maybe, by the time the presidential elections come around.” Perhaps, not quite ready to relinquish her reins anytime soon, Molly exclaimed, “She’s still here [FNC], though. She’s here all the time! She’s everywhere. She’s all over.”

Then, trying to reassure Aly’s fervant F&FW fans, Clayton insisted, “She’ll be back soon. The maternity, the maternity shuffle is still continuing. So, that’s the update.”

At least, “that’s the plan for now.” As an absent Aly stays adrift on FNC weekdays for three months running with appearances on America’s Newsroom, Happening Now, America Live, and even the weekday Fox & Friends, “the maternity shuffle” claim seems less and less credible. Nevertheless, Clayton may be right.

Who knows? Maybe, Aly will return for her third stint at Fox & Friends Weekend in 2014–if the F&FW ship again starts to list with “the new girl.”

*Fox & Friends Weekend – 07/16/11 (@ 8:01 a.m. ET)

“Update” update: Apparently, Aly is still not so sure about her return either. When a Twitter follower of hers asked, “Miss you on weekend with Dave and Clayton….[a]re you ever coming back [to F&FW]?,” Aly evasively answered, “I miss the guys too!”

Shine’s Line: “That’s the Plan for Now”

“I’m Molly Line in for Alisyn Camerota.” Fox & Friends Weekend co-host Molly Line so welcomed her viewers to the show four times this morning with that insistent line.* Perchance, the current Fox & Friends Saturday co-host who twice laughed seemingly at the prospect of the return of “regular” co-host Alisyn Camerota to F&FW intended to iterate the company line to convince doubtful Alisyn Camerota fans that their favorite host will some day return to her center seat on the curvy couch.

Of course, Molly, “the new girl” of F&F, may well find her task to be Sisyphean at best. After all, Aly has been absent for almost three months from Fox & Friends Weekend and her frequent appearances on other F&F daytime shows, i.e., America’s Newsroom, America Live, Happening Now, and even weekday Fox & Friends in the meantime seem to belie Molly’s now fervent assertions.

At the end of F&FW today, a, perhaps, telling exchange occurred. After F&FW co-anchor Dave Briggs promo’d the program tomorrow, he declared, “Molly Line will be back Saturday, I believe. I assume.” Arching her eyebrows, a smiling Molly shrugged her shoulders and exclaimed, “That’s the plan right now. Yeah!” Chuckling, Dave echoed, “That’s the plan for right now.”

That’s the plan for now: Molly Line in for Alisyn Camerota next Saturday, too. With Aly on vacation all this weekend, Fox News Senior VP of Programming Bill Shine’s “plan for now” for Aly ironically will at least be longer than his plan for his new “shakeup” summertime series The Five (if she returns next weekend). However, unfortunately, for Aly’s acolytes her recently personally promised return seems neither imminent nor foreseeable.

*Fox & Friends Weekend – 07/09/11 (at the top of each hour – 6:00 a.m. ET; 7:00 a.m. ET; 7:59 a.m. ET; and 8:59 a.m. ET)

Janice Dean: “Out of My Pajamas”

And, missing her Teddy, too. FNC meteorologist, Janice Dean, may have left her bed even more reluctantly than usual this morning. Today, the “Weather Machine”  had to “get out of [her] pajamas” and leave her new baby Teddy (and his two-year-old brother Matthew) at home as her maternity leave ended. Bearing photos of her beautiful little boy to work, the tearful mommy was amicably welcomed back by Happening Now co-anchors, Jenna Lee and Jon Scott.

As HN returned from its penultimate ad break, Jon and Jenna stood on each side of a beaming Janice as she tightly embraced them both. Then, as she recounted that she had signed off with them on HN right before her maternity leave, she proudly displayed three pics of her “Theodore Patrick Newman” for the HN audience.

When Jenna asked how her Teddy’s older brother was doing, Janice jested, “Matthew is okay. [But], he’s not the king of the hill anymore.” Segueing to a photo of Jon with Teddy on his lap, Janice related that Jon had visited both Matthew and Teddy and had brought “beautiful gifts.”

Likewise, Janice expressed her appreciation to her FNC fans, too. As she started to cry, Jon and Jenna ribbed her good-naturedly. Janice declared, “This is first day back so I’m allowed to get emotional and they’re all watching right now.” Tugging at her left ear lobe, Janice continued , “So, what does Carol Burnett do? She goes like this just to tell everybody that they’re loved. They’re loved, and mommy has to earn a paycheck.”

After the show, Janice elaborated, “It’s going to take a day or two to get my ‘footing.’ I have been missing my boys.”

Actually, the aptly self-dubbed “Dancing Weather Machine” doesn’t seem to have missed a step. Or, even a beat.