JD: I Wasn’t Going to Go There!

But, fiancee Kyra Phillips certainly did. As American Morning ended today, co-anchor John Roberts reported Minnesota Viking quarterback Bret Favre’s record 500th career touchdown pass (to recently acquired receiver Randy Moss). Ad libbing, John remarked, “Perfect. [He] laid it right up. So, it’s going to be a good pairing [Favre and Moss] for the rest of the season I think.” When John stopped and Kiran waited for him to elaborate, John added, “Looking forward to seeing more of that.”

Grinning, Kiran answered, “I thought you were going to say something else.” With a slight smile, John succintly said, “No.” Feigning belief, Kiran nodded and quickly echoed, “It’ll be a good pairing for the season.” Continuing the staccato colloquy, John replied, “Yeah. Tersely, Kiran countered, “Okay, good.” “Definitely,” retorted John. “Alright,” answered Kiran.” Beaming at the viewer, John responded, “Looking forward to more.”

Subsequently, when John segued to his “sweetie” and CNN Newsroom host, Kyra Phillips, she was not about to let that sleeping dog lie. Alluding to Favre’s current NFL troubles (pertaining to alleged graphic sexts sent to Jennifer Sterger, a NY Jets reporter and Playboy/Maxim model), Kyra brassily boasted, “I know what Kiran was thinking: Brett Favre, all those text messages must be inspiring him to do well on the field. Right, Kiran? Just saying!”

As Kyra’s affianced nodded his head in agreement and looked on with a sheepish grin, Kiran demurely replied, “Well, I was thinking that there is possible talk that he might, you know, get in trouble, perhaps, suspended. So, we’ll see how the rest of the season goes.” Cackling wickedly, Kyra replied, “Yes, we shall. As we know, those boys get by with a lot of trouble.”

Raising his eyebrows, John remarked, “I wasn’t going to go there!” Seeming to know him all too well, Kyra simply smiled and said, “Mm, hmm.” In response, John wisely chuckled to himself and remained silent.

A still too rare moment of AM levity. Perhaps, CNN’s new Executive VP Ken Jautz’s sage advice on improving ratings during CNN primetime is beginning to be applied in the morning. In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, he said, “We need to make our primetime more compelling and engaging, sometimes more fun, you could even say.” Hopefully, AM executive producer Jamie Kraft was listening.

“Cougar” Carlson: Saved by the Bell?

Rowrrr! With baby-faced beefcake “Extra” weekday host Mario Lopez on the Fox & Friends curvy couch, co-anchor Gretchen Carlson appeared ready to pounce. Thoughts of her very own “Saved by the Bell” boy toy seemed to permeate the atmosphere as she and her co-host, Brian Kilmeade and Steve Doocy, interviewed Lopez and even into the show’s subsequent block.

Before the segment, Brian gave his sportscast and named Minnesota Viking quarterback “forty-year old Brett Favre” as his choice as his weekly “Brian’s Best Player.” In an aside, he joked, “Hey, forty-year olds get off the couch, put on a uniform and the eye black. You can still play!” Before he segued to Lopez’ interview, the forty-three old Gretchen groused, “You make Favre and forties sound like it’s ancient.” Brian deadpanned, “it’s very old.”

During Lopez’ interview, Brian asked, “Am I right [that] you were never a dancer until you gave it a shot on Dancing with the Stars [2006].” After Lopez said that he had not danced since he was a child of five or six, Gretchen racily remarked, “Well, let me just tell you, you still have the moves!”

Later, when the F&F producers put up a pic of Lopez donning ladies’ lingerie, a Merry Widow variant, for FOX’s Nip/Tuck series, Gretchen oohed, “Aww, man! She suggestively added, “I understand the inside story on this was that you didn’t like the way your feet looked in the shoes but that some people liked your butt.” Reddening, Lopez asked, “Wait, what inside story is that?” Before she could answer, Brian interjected, “Yeah, what is going on, Gretchen? What are your sources?” Undeterred, Gretchen continued, “That’s what I read. I read the chicks are envious of your butt.” Apparently, rather ready to move on, Lopez deflectively declared, “I did not know that but…I was surprised they found heels…for a size eleven shoe.”

However, in the very next block, Gretchen was still purring. As she and Steve discussed mammogram and self-exams in a health care segment with Dr. Mehmet Oz (the host of the Dr. Oz Show” jested, “By the way, Mario Lopez is back in the green room trying to learn from me how to examine breasts.” Randily, Gretchen exclaimed, “I think he knows!” Finally, as the segment concluded, Gretchen lustily eyed the camera and cooed, “I’m not kidding, ladies.”

Still Not Ready 4 Prime Time F&F

In a Fox & Friends promo for F&F Weekend, an apparently uninformed Clayton Morris teased about the ” big controversy…whether or not Brett Favre is going to be wearing a Green Bay Packer’s jersey or…a New York Jets’ jersey.” F&F guest host (and Clayton’s F&FW co-anchor) had reported much earlier in the program on Favre becoming a NY Jet. Immediately thereafter, Dave joined Clayton, put his arm around him, and continued the promo without so much as a gentle jibe to disabuse Clayton of his ignorance.

Still not ready for prime time F&F. Neither one.

Cf. https://jakeho.wordpress.com/2008/08/06/president-solzhenitsyn-clayton/

Gretchy: “All Orchestrated”

Upon her return from vacation, Gretchen Carlson made Brian Kilmeade and Fox & Friends viewers smile–at her. After a story on Brett Favre’s return to the Green Bay Packers training camp, Gretchy asked Brian with whom he sided. He expressed full support for Favre and said that Favre had only made one mistake, i.e., a premature retirement. Gretchy opined that she thought it was “all orchestrated” by Favre. Brian incredulously smiled at her patent ignorance. Realizing his dismissive response, Gretchy emphatically repeated her belief as if its iteration might give it more credence. It didn’t.

It’s still nice to smile on a Monday.