Post Anna: Heather Nauert?

On the Fox & Friends Weekend curvy couch. As the lovely Anna Kooiman gambols about on her cross-country trek showing hubby Tim Stuckey the sights (before going Down Under to live with him), frequent fill-in F&F First co-host Heather Nauert auditions for Anna’s erstwhile job. And, Heather is not too bad: She is smart, sexy, and no nonsense–after all, she is from the Chicago area.

The delightful thing about Heather is that she is sexy fun and unashamed while she is not afraid to take her male co-hosts to task. Captivatingly, she is happy to disclose her first kiss and with whom; to reveal skipping school to get a fake I.D.; and to confess her nude frolic in a VW bug. In fact, she reminds the author of a certain gal who helped set the precedent for what it means to be queen of the F&F weekday curvy couch, E. D. Hill–the gal who could be more than a match for her bookend guys and who put the “Fox” in “Fox & Friends.”

Good job, Heather!

 

Smitten Ainsley Sexes It Up

For People Magazine’s “Sexiest Vet.” Yesterday, Fox & Friends co-host Ainsley Earhardt was very demure for her fans but she finally showed some skin for her hunky guest, veterinarian Dr. Evan Antin. Yes, that South Carolina Southern belle was clearly smitten.

As Ainsley opened the show in the first hour, she tugged repeatedly at the hem of her dress–four times (a double tug, for good measure), to be exact–to make sure that it virtually hugged her knees. And, she demurely did so for almost the entirety of the show until she interviewed her beefcake eye candy [vid]: Then, she gladly bared her gorgeous gams for Dr. Antin, chyronned “‘Sexiest Vet Alive’: People Magazine Picks Out Hot Doctor.” No pulling down of the hem then: Perhaps, even a flirty hike!

The irony is that it was really no big deal. The Ainsley of old was never one shy of flaunting her sexy stems: But, when she joined F&F as its official co-anchor, she said that she could not fill very family-friendly Elisabeth Hasselbeck‘s shoes but she certainly seemed to try her best to follow in the footsteps of her predecessor who platonically deemed her co-hosts Steve Doocy and Brian Kilmeade “brothers.” Likewise, Ainsley has seemed to try to tamp down the sexual tension that characterized F&F with “Foxes” E. D. Hill and Gretchen Carlson (not to mention guest co-hosts like Kiran Chetry, Alisyn Camerota, and Anna Kooiman) and their co-anchors Steve and Brian (who famously once swatted Aly’s lovely derriere).

For the reader who whines that Fox & Friends is strictly “NEWS,” s/he should remember that it is not. As the current senior executive vice president of FNC Bill Shine apprised the NYT, F&F “falls under the network’s entertainment umbrella and does not pretend to be straight news.” To whit, F&F is edutainment: Get the news with a fun, flirty twist to start your morn!

 

Elisabeth’s Tearful Farewell

Hasselbeck: “This hurts!” Today, Fox & Friends co-anchor Elisabeth Hasselbeck said  a painful goodbye to her co-hosts, Steve Doocy and Brian Kilmeade; the F&F crew; and her fans after a mere two plus years on the curvy couch. The three hours of F&F today were replete with homages to Elisabeth from the likes of Judge Andrew Napolitano, Governor Chris Christie, and GOP front runner Donald Trump. And, Elisabeth was effusive in her praise for, of course, the boss Roger Ailes, for her co-hosts Steve and Brian, and seemingly for every Tom, Dick, and Harry who works for F&F. It was vintage Elisabeth: sweet, cloying so, and seemingly sincere.

The author wishes her well in her position as CBO, i.e., Chief Breakfast Officer, of the Hasselbeck household. Speaking of which, it seems odd, in retrospect, that her own family, hubby Tim and the kids, seemed to have taken a backseat to her work family of Steve, Brian, newsreader Heather Nauert, meteorologist Maria Molina, and the F&F crew today. The faithful F&F fan might have hoped to hear not only her fond farewells to her F&F fam (and fans) today but also a dear, sweet welcome back to full-time work as Hasselbeck CBO from her eagerly awaiting hubs and kiddos–on screen or even on the phone this morn. Alas, it was not to be.

Elisabeth, even though you initially seemed to the author to be an odd choice to follow the footsteps of E.D. Hill and Gretchen Carlson, you have earned your place on the curvy couch–as a sister to Steve and Brian rather than the sexy siren to her couch mates. Much success in the future, Elisabeth!

[Author’s aside: The subtitle, infra, is a quote from Elisabeth re her departure in the final moments of the first F&F segment this morning. F&F – 12/22/15 (@ 6:10 a.m. ET).]

F&F’s Hasselbeck Out: Who’s In?

“I’m just waiting on a Friend!” Today, FNC announced that Fox & Friends co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck is on her way out and that she is expected to exit the early morn cable news champ in late December according to “Variety” magazine. Elisabeth, F&F fans barely knew you!

Only two years ago (September 16, 2013), sexy Survivor celeb and The View’s erstwhile conservative co-anchor Elisabeth became the belle of the ball, replacing flirty 1989 Miss America beauty, Gretchen Carlson, who never really seemed to quite click with her male co-hosts, Steve Doocy and Brian Kilmeade. In contrast, Elisabeth was the sweet married hottie that put her boys on the curvy couch on notice from the start that she considered them brothers.

To the author who has followed F&F since the days of E. D. Donahey (a/k/a E. D. Hill), Elisabeth seemed like such a sweet, sincere soul that he could not easily snark or snipe at her–even when she became mawkish and maudlin. Nevertheless, she seemed like an odd choice for F&F‘s then EVP of Programming Bill Shine over the much beloved Fox & Friends Weekend co-host Alisyn Camerota who oft held court from the center seat on the weekend curvy couch when Gretchen was away. Of course, the long-time F&F fan was not overly surprised since Shine had similarly overlooked E. D.’s obvious successor, the smart, sexy, and charismatic F&FW co-anchor Kiran Chetry.

Perhaps, Shine will bring back comely Kiran: But, it is somewhat doubtful in light of the manner that Kiran was reportedly dismissed. If he is not ready to bring Kiran back into the fold, perchance, he will consider Aly who was always there for him on F&F First, F&F Weekend, and F&F weekday (as a sub, especially during the big news special editions). If Shine wants to stay with the Fox stable, he may want to consider Greek goddess Nicole Petallides who brings sexy back on FBN:AM on a daily basis (as F&FF once did).

[Author’s aside: Best of luck, Elisabeth! Hopefully, you will enjoy much joy, peace, success with the fam in the present and in your career in the future.]

Hasselbeck: I’m Still Here!

“Ever thankful to be a part of @foxandfriends.” Today, Fox & Friends co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck set the record straight: She’s still the queen of the curvy couch–no matter what fans of her recent fill-ins Anna Kooiman, Ainsley Earhart, or Kimberly Guilfoyle may want.

Seizing the opportunity that every holiday affords the Twitter user to say whatever is foremost in her mind, Elisabeth proclaimed, “Ever Thankful to be a part of @foxandfriends and @FoxNews Family – where every day is #VeteransDay #ThankYouVeterans #USA.” In other words, I support the veterans and what they have sacrificed for me and the nation, AND I am still in the center seat on the curvy couch, girlfriends–and viewers.

Even the Fox & Friends fan who can barely stomach Elisabeth’s priggish paean to The View by constantly dubbing her co-anchors, Steve Doocy and Brian Kilmeade, “brothers” (vis-a-vis a more randy approach a la E. D. Hill or Gretchen Carlson) should root for Elisabeth’s speedy recover from the surgery that she had about a month ago. However, they can be forgiven for wondering why Elisabeth has taken her time returning to the vaunted curvy couch. Approximately a month ago (October 15), Steve announced, “In case, you were wondering where Elisabeth is today…she had some surgery yesterday and she’s going to be out for a couple of weeks, and Brian reassuringly remarked, “In a short time, she’ll be back on the set.”

Happy Veterans Day indeed to those who have served this great country and her citizens! And, get well soon, Elisabeth!

Kilmeade & Doocy Fails: Ravens’ Rice Jests

Anna Kooiman: “This is so shocking!” Today, Fox & Friends co-hosts Brian Kilmeade and Steve Doocy both committed major fails this morning in ill-conceived jests as to domestic abuse. After a segment on now erstwhile Baltimore Ravens player Ray Rice‘s apparent elevator assault on his then fiancee (vid via TMZ), Brian joked, “I think the message is [to] ‘take the stairs.'”* As Anna chuckled uncomfortably, Steve rejoined, “The message is when you’re in an elevator, there’s a camera.”

Today, normally surefooted Brian and Steve weighed into an area where any angel should fear to tread, i.e., domestic abuse and a cheap laugh. Obviously, assaulting a female is no joke and never should be treated as such. Unfortunately, Brian tried to add some levity after the horrific video and it fell fatefully flat: To make matters worse, Steve weighed in and was mired in the process.

For this longtime viewer of the show (dating back to when whilom F&F co-host E. D. Hill was E. D. Donahey), the aforementioned moment was definitely cringe-inducing. Even though the author assuredly does not believe that either Brian or Steve think that domestic abuse is a laughing matter, they should have known better this morning than to not let their condemnation of it be patently obvious and severe. Unfortunately, in the author’s view, Brian did not help matters by giving NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell virtual absolution for his bone-headed decision to give Ray Rice only a two-game suspension for his alleged assault–by commenting that Goodell had owned up to his “huge mistake” and had increased future penalties for domestic abuse to a six-game suspension for the first offense and a life-time ban for a second offense: Perchance, if Brian were not the FNC sports guy and former Fox News anchor Jane Skinner were not Goodell’s wife, Brian might have been less charitable in his assessment.

Happily, according to the Washington Post, “Fox & Friends will address [the] Ray Rice ‘stairs’ comments on Tuesday’s show.” And they should–because it is the right thing to do. And, for the cynical, if they do not, Fox News critics will use Brian and Steve’s ill-advised remarks to slam them and their network mercilessly henceforth.

[Author’s aside: Re the subtitle, it is guest co-host Anna Kooiman‘s assessment of the alleged assault before Brian and Steve’s errant extemporaneous utterances.]

*Fox & Friends – 09/08/14 (@ 8:32 a.m. ET).

Aly to CNN! A la Kiran?

Fox’s finest foxes have left the building: But, the vixens did it different ways. Fox & Friends Weekend co-host Kiran Chetry was unceremoniously escorted out of the FNC den sans her personal belongings according to NYMag.com whereas whilom F&FW co-anchor Alisyn Camerota was given an “emotional @FoxNews send-off” with her belongings packed by her colleagues. Happily for their respective fans, they both subsequently found a home–at CNN.

As long-time Fox News viewers may well remember, Kiran was a rising star at FNC as co-host of both Fox & Friends Weekend (and Fox & Friends First) in 2006 and she was widely expected by her phalanx of fans to take over for E.D. Hill whenever she left her center seat on the curvy couch: However, FNC Senior VP of Programming Bill Shine dashed her and their hopes when he selected the rather awkward and too oft solipsist Gretchen Carlson for the position on September 22, 2006. Later, in early  2007, Kiran negotiated for a new contract with a high-powered agent who, according to FNC, wanted a term for Kiran to replace Gretchen by a certain date: Conversely, purportedly, she simply wanted a provision that she could escape her contract if she were not awarded that position by a certain date. Consequently, FNC cut off contract negotiations with Kiran in a royal row, and eager CNN’s Prez Jonathan Klein hired the prized journalist that day within an hour of learning of the “extraordinary circumstances.” (According to NYMag.com, a less impressed FNC had the Nepalese lovely escorted out of the building without her personal effects in her office and hubby FNC weatherman Chris Knowles had to “raid her office” to get them–before being “released from his Fox News contract” the very next day.)

Similarly, Kiran’s former FNC colleague, Aly, has been a shining star in the Fox News constellation, deftly doing double duty as the captain of Fox & Friends Weekend and ably subbing for Gretchen on the F&F “A-Team” at the drop of a hat during even the most momentous moments. When Gretchen renegotiated her contract and received her own show, viewers naturally assumed Aly would finally be coronated as F&F weekday queen. Using the same “wisdom” that inanely snubbed Kiran seven years earlier, Shine chose The View‘s discarded damsel Elisabeth Hasselbeck for the role over fan fave Aly: Shortly thereafter, he sent Aly “out to “pasture” with Bill Hemmer for a short while on America’s Newsroom and replaced her on F&FW with his new hire, Anna Kooiman. Subsequently, with Kiran’s purportedly ill-conceived forced exit in mind, FNC and Aly crafted a happier meme: Aly Tweeted a pic of her in her office with her files (with a sweet note that @lauraingle, @JennRiveraTV, and @rickreichmuth had helped her pack) and another of her in the hallway hugging one of many in a gauntlet of FNC colleagues. To any doubting Thomas,  she returned to the building to guest on Kilmeade and Friends, telling her fans, “I left on great terms. I love everybody here: I think the feeling is mutual. And, it’s fun to be back in the building.” But, not for long: On Monday, CNN Worldwide Prez Jeff Zucker announced that he had grabbed the “seasoned journalist with a great curiosity and passion for the news…[that]…has a presence on camera…[that]…is very hard to find.”

Who knows? Maybe, Aly and Kiran fans will be treated to a double espresso of the arousing Aphrodites in the morning. When one Twitter follower Tweeted, “You and @kiranchetrytv should team up again. You two were great,” Aly answered, “That would be a blast.”

Indeed, it would. Vintage Fox & Friends Weekend on CNN? Aly and Kiran: A real “New Day”!

[Author’s aside: It may be no anomaly that Kiran (CNN’s former American Morning co-host) made her return to the CNN morn Sunday on Reliable Sources as a guest journalist in a segment entitled “Women, TV News, and Attractiveness.”]

 

Comely Camerota: CNN’s Catch?

Bathing beauty Aly: “For anyone wondering what I’ve been up to….” Today, Alisyn Camerota, the quondam queen of Fox & Friends Weekend‘s curvy couch got her fans attention with that Twitter tease that featured her in a sexy bathing beauty pose. She may have been more demure than her daring ’80’s bikini shot but the Bristol Bay Babe was just as alluring with her sexy come-hither pose. The catch? The former F&FW fox has jumped ship to CNN according to FTVLive.

For Fox & Friends viewers, Aly’s move should come as no surprise. FNC’s Senior VP of Programming Bill Shine has seemingly given his erstwhile best anchor the shaft: When he ditched Gretchen Carlson on F&F weekday, it appeared that the long-suffering three-time co-anchor of F&FW and frequent guest-host of F&F would finally get her due. Instead, the same genius that chose Gretch to be E. D. Hill‘s replacement on F&F over the eminently superior Kiran Chetry decided to go outside of the FNC family and choose Barbara Walter’s View outcast, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, rather than F&F fan favorite Aly.

Hopefully, CNN Prez Jeff Zucker will put Aly on against Lis in the mornings to jump start his moribund morning show New Day. Of course, Aly will be at a distinct disadvantage having to contend against Shine’s FNC juggernaut trio that also includes F&F Everyman Steve Doocy and Puckish wit Brian Kilmeade. Hopefully, Aly will join a cast including current Early Start co-host, wag John Berman, and another engaging gal or guy during the New Day time period: I.e., if the proverbial CNN stars are aligned propitiously, ND co-anchor Kate Bouldan, Michaela Pereira, and Chris Cuomo will find new places on Ted Turner’s network and Aly can usher in a new dawn to CNN.

Congratulations, Aly! And, good luck!

H/t, J$P!

F&F’s “Sexy” Nauert: Distant But in Control

Waking up with Heather on the weekend. Leggy Fox & Friends First co-host Heather Nauert seized the F&F Weekend helm for Alisyn Camerota with gusto Sunday. But, instead of flaunting her gorgeous gams a la F&FF, the blond beauty seemed somewhat demure: Dressed in a short black dress and an “M&M” green jacket, Heather hid herself behind her open laptop for the day (as her co-hosts Clayton Morris and Dave Briggs provided her cover as they anomalously kept theirs studiously open as well).

Sexy or not, the girl still ruled the roost almost like a young E.D. Hill. Playing the needed F&FW “alpha bitch,” Heather had her boys going through their paces. Rarely stopping for breath, she was subtly hushing Dave with her hand at one moment and conspicuously instructing Clayton to elaborate at another.

Heather may have performed well today as a substitute with her co-hosts, Clayton and Dave: But, she could learn from Aly, the master, on how to awaken F&FW‘s fans. For FNC weekend viewers who are struggling mightily to escape the embrace of Morpheus, a softer, gentler greeting from a gorgeous gal is preferable to one from a Red-Bull-infused chatty Cathy. To boot, she may want to close the cloaking laptop as a general rule in the future: as Megyn Kelly aptly declared (about her America Live leg-displaying glass desk), “It’s a visual business. People want to see the anchor.”

E.D. Hill Blazes Back

Former Fox & Friends co-host E.D. Hill reappears today as “the face of TheBlaze TVs [sic] coverage at the RNC.”* The erstwhile FNC anchor who was shown the door not long after her ill-conceived allusion to a fist bump between the President Obama and his First Lady as a possible “terrorist fist jab” has infrequently been seen since in television news (save for appearances such as a guest co-host on ABC’s The View and a regular on CNN’s short-lived In the Arena). Perhaps, E.D. has finally found her real second chance and a new conservative home at TheBlaze, the house built by Glenn Beck, who himself seemed to be unceremoniously ushered out of the FNC family.

Congratulations, E.D.!

*Quote from Glenn Beck e-mail (08/28/12) in “On Today’s Program” section.

Geraldo’s F&F Gaffe: “Steve, E.D., and Brian”

Indignant Gretchen: “Geraldo, Gretchen’s been doing this show for about five years. Not E.D [Hill]!” Twice this morning FNC anchor Geraldo Rivera called Fox & Friends co-host Gretchen Carlson “E.D.” And, Gretchen was not amused–at being confused with her older, immediate predecessor, i.e., the blond brassy Texas beauty, E.D. Hill (whom the 1989 Miss America unceremoniously replaced as FNC celebrated its tenth anniversary).

When Geraldo concluded his weekly Geraldo at Large promo segment today at a ceremony honoring the returning troops from Afghanistan at Fort Campbell, KY, he somberly noted the year of loss to them and the consequent questions of whether the sacrifices were worth it. As he did, he mistakenly said, “Steve, E.D., and Brian.”* Then, as he began the further question of the troops families, i.e., “Where do we go from here?,” the apparent cackle of Gretchen could be heard. When Geraldo concluded a few moments later, he remarked, “These are very, very important issues, Steve, E.D., and Brian.”

Without so much as acknowledging those “very, very important issues,” Gretchen insouciantly exclaimed, “Geraldo, Gretchen’s been doing this show for about five years: not E.D!” Looking perplexed at her solipsistic response, Geraldo stammered, “What, what’s that about five years?” Laughing heartily, Gretchen waved her hand dismissively and answered, “”It’s okay. I’ll tell you when I see you next week.”

Ending the segment with a sigh, Steve said, “Alright, Geraldo Rivera live at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, with General Campbell.” Chuckling, guest co-host Clayton Morris commented, “You’re going to receive a nice fruit basket in your office very soon. I’m sure of that.” Gretchen responded, “I am?” Clayton replied, “Yeah, I’m sure.”

As Gretchen took apparent umbrage at Geraldo’s gaffe, ironically, she made her own. I.e., she forgot the returning troops, their fallen comrades, and their respective families at Fort Campbell. Maybe, a few more fruit baskets should be in order. Posthaste.

*Fox & Friends – 08/12/11 (@ 8:32 a.m. ET)

Update: Video of Geraldo’s second (segue) gaffe. (Courtesy of J$P.)

Spitzer’s “Arena”: E.D.’s Debut

Out with the CNN wife: in with the FNC fox. Former Parker Spitzer anchor Eliot Spitzer debuted his new show, In the Arena, last night on CNN. And, make no mistake, it is his show no matter what CNN exec VP Ken Jautz might say. Finally, free of his conservative complaining tv spouse, Kathleen Parker, the old peacock was free to roam at will on his range and show his tail feathers to a saucier, prettier peahen, E. D. Hill.

From the very start, Spitzer marked his territory as he began his show, briefly introducing Jautz “ensemble” members, E.D. Hill (former long-time FNC anchor) and Will Cain (conservative pundit/blogger) as “two friends of the show [that] will be joining me as regulars in the “Arena.” After giving his Arena friends face time for about ten seconds, Spitzer flied solo until the bottom of the hour as he focused on the Libyan crisis (with interviews of the Libyan deputy ambassador, a CNN Tripoli correspondent, and GPS anchor Fareed Zakaria). Then, after stopping for about five minutes to share his time with Cain for a segment with Tea Party Prez fave, Herman Cane, Spitzer started anew on an twenty-minute marathon on another Mideast crisis, the Iranian problem. Finally, in the last ten minutes, did Spitzer allow the first female of the night, his new beautiful blonde, to have her say–on the partisan Wisconsin budget battle. And, then she had to share her time with the boyish Cain to boot.

In the Arena last night: where Spitzer and the boys had their say. And, finally, a good girl got to play.