FNC’s Liz Trotta DISSES The Donald

“Vulgarian…celebrity journalist…lounge lizard.” Ouch! Fox News contributor Liz Trotta minced no words in her weekly America’s News HQ commentary about the prospect of real estate mogul Donald Trump’s moderating the GOP Presidential debate on December 27 in Iowa.* Instead of the almost worshipful tone usually adopted by FNC’s Fox & Friends co-hosts for The Donald during his own weekly appearances, Trotta employed a more iconoclastic attitude as she joyfully bashed the Celebrity Apprentice star.

When ANHQ co-host Eric Shawn introduced Trotta’s segment (about media reaction to the debate and candidate participation in it), he sardonically remarked, “So, from the venerable Howard K. Smith moderating the Kennedy-Nixon debate to The Donald.”

Chuckling in concurrence, Trotta first opined that the media were afraid of Trump or of losing access to him: Sneering, she added, “The man really is a vulgarian and really traipses in where he shouldn’t be such as Presidential debates.” Approvingly, she then noted GOP candidate Ron Paul had declined Trump’s invitation and quoted his issued statement which read, “The selection of a reality television personality to host a presidential debate that voters nationwide will be watching is beneath the office of the Presidency and flies in the face of that office’s history and dignity.” With less favor, she subsequently cited Republican frontrunner Newt Gingrich’s “whole-hearted” acceptance of Trump’s invitation and his assertion that he “loves entertainment,” Disdainfully, she declared, “Well, thank you, Newt, because that’s exactly what it’s going to be: It’s certainly not gonna have anything to do with journalism. I mean, Donald Trump as journalist or, we should say, as celebrity journalist.” When concluding her report, she snidely noted that Trump has a new book out and that he seems to surface whenever he does.

Smiling, Shawn sarcastically responded, “‘Seems to surface,’ I don’t think he ever goes away. But he does say, Mr. Trump in his defense says [that] he will talking about important issues…[that] it will be a serious debate and…[that] he gets high ratings.”

Dismissively, Trotta declared, “Well, I don’t know about the ratings but…he keeps just repeating the same thing: I’m sure [that] we’re gonna here the same old line about China and all his…sorta truck-driver tough remarks.” Scornfully, she snarked, “I mean, here is this lounge lizard trying to sound like a working man: It really is quite laughable….But, it will be entertainment.”

After Trotta tossed back to Shawn, he duly laughed, “Alright, vulgarian, lounge lizard, Liz, when you go home, stay away from Trump Tower. Okay? You don’t know what could come off the terraces.”

Other than the boiling oil.

*America’s News HQ – 12/4/11 (@ 11:56 a.m. ET)

Trotta Skewers Couric: “Pretend Journalist”

Outspoken conservative Fox News contributor Liz Trotta trashed CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric during her weekly America’s News HQ commentary today. When AN co-host Eric Shawn asked the former Washington Times NY bureau chief how the media “report card” was for their coverage of the Egyptian protests, she replied, “It’s not very good.”* [Especially, for Katie Couric.]

Elaborating, Trotta explained that the media, especially the Big Three broadcast networks (ABC, NBC, and CBS), had long put foreign news “on the shelf” and, consequently, they were having to play “catch-up” in their Egyptian protest coverage without proper context, specificity, and facts. Concluding, Trotta blamed their purported sorry state on “major budget cuts” and the “star-ridden system.” Re the “star-ridden system,” Trotta caustically commented, “No better example of that, of course, are people like Katie Couric….This pretend journalist makes supposedly $300,000 a week and doesn’t even appear Thursday and Friday on the CBS Evening News to cover a very big story.”

In defense of Couric, Shawn answered, “Well, some, I think, would disagree with your contention that Katie Couric is a quote ‘pretend journalist.'” Incredulous, Trotta emphatically exclaimed, “Oh, certainly, you can’t have deluded yourself with thinking [that] this is a woman who is a journalist. Come on, now, Eric!” Arching her eyebrows, she scoffed, “You’ve been a reporter too long: You know that!”

Disagreeing, Shawn stolidly stated, “No. She is a journalist. She has, in my view, absolutely is, has been a solid journalist.” Unconvinced, Trotter riposted, “Well, you’re a lot kinder than I would be.”

*America’s News HQ – 01/30/11 (@ 11:56 a.m. ET)

Briggs Back

Dave Briggs, Beantown sports “Pretty Face,” was back today on Fox & Friends Saturday. It was good to see him relieving Eric Shawn: he certainly fits in better with the B-Team. However, that’s not the ultimate compliment.

Generally, the crew of Clayton Morris, Ainsley Earhardt, Courtney Friel, and Rick Reithmuth was somewhat more palatable today. Happily, Clayton seemed more mature but his lady’s-Kentucky-Derby-hat wearing was just juvenile. Happily, Rick called him on it when he refused to wear a similar hat at the show’s end: Rick said, “Not only no but hell no!” In an earlier Churchill Downs interview with the owner of one of the Kentucky Derby favorites, Visionaire, Courtney lost her train of thought mid-question but recovered nicely. Ainsley seemed a bit saucier today with her wish to have Jennifer Lopez’ “rump” in a “Hot Latin Diet” tease and her query whether Clayton wanted a “hot Latin body” in his bed or on him in the segment.

The current F&F Weekend line-up is like a store-brand item: Tolerable but not tasty.

Fox & Friends Storm

As I awoke this morning to the return of Fox & Friends Saturday mediocrity, I kind of dreaded the viewing: I got a reprieve. After watching the weird first weather segment voiced by Rick Reithmuth, my reception went out because of thunderstorms in the area.

It is back on but I’m not that happy that it is. The crew of Ainsley Earhardt, Clayton Morris, Eric Shawn, Courtney Friel, and Rick Reithmuth do not really inspire alot of love. Eric Shawn supplies a bit of gravitas but he seems quite out of place: he is like the kid who wants to fit in a bit too much. Clayton tries to be the leader with his “take-charge” wackiness and Ainsley sweetly follows along. It’s like watching Happy Days without the Fonz. FNC has to add a sexy, knowledgeable, and confident female co-host like Kiran Chetry or Page Hopkins, or this show has “jumped the shark.”

Central Casting Continues

FNC’s Fox & Friends Weekend personnel person must be an MSNBC mole. Co-hosts Ainsley Earhardt and Clayton Morris may finally be able to coalesce into a cohesive F& F Weekend team if FNC finds that third catalystic co-host: however, Eric Shawn does not fill that bill. He’s a fine Fox News correspondent but he lacks a natural rapport with his co-hosts. His stiff, awkward demeanor makes Greg Kelly look like Mike Jerrick in comparison. Central casting continues!

F&F A-Team

Thanks to the Pope coverage, Fox & Friends Weekend is in adult hands today. Alisyn Camerota is in the center spot flanked by Steve Doocy and Eric Shawn with Ainsley Earhardt reading the news. Some sanity (albeit probably passing) has returned to the set: no childish Clayton nor co-host de jour. It’s a little like watching Dukes of Hazzard after the “real” Bo and Luke returned or Dallas after Bobby woke up. All is right or, at least, better in the F&F world again. For now.

For those turning in at 9:00 ET today and wondering what happened to Fox & Friends Saturday. Because of Fox News’ extensive coverage of the pope’s visit to America, F&F Saturday was moved up an hour. I.e., it began at 6:00 ET and ended at 9:00 ET.

Ainsley Hints at Permanent Change

Fox & Friends Weekend opened Saturday with the triad of Ainsley Earhardt, Clayton Morris, and Eric Shawn. Eric introduced himself as sitting in for the weekend. Ainsley responded, “You know we’re the veterans here: we’ve only been doing this a few weeks, too, so we’re all in this together.” Is Greg Kelly ensconced in some hideaway with Page Hopkins and Kelly Wright? Or is he is merely holidaying while Eric Shawn substitutes and a new team of F&F Weekend is in place?