F&FW’s “Throwback Weekend”: Juliet & Mike Return!

Huddy’s Philly Sandwich: tasty but stale? Today, former F&FW co-hosts Juliet Huddy and Mike Jerrick returned to their old stomping grounds for a “Throwback Weekend” (as aptly described by F&FW meteorologist Janice Dean). To make things interesting, the concupiscent couple rejoined regular anchor Clayton Morris for a Yuletide romp on the curvy couch.

Yesterday morning, Juliet announced the big news of their reunion, Tweeting, “Oh my…lock up the kids… hosting @foxandfriends thos [sic] weekend w my old pal in crime @MikeFOX29 aka JERRICK! & @ClaytonMorris. Tune in!” For her fans the news was momentous: the leggy lovely had not been flanked by her “Philly guys” to make “a Philly sandwich” since August 2011 (if the author’s memory serves him correctly). And, if Clayton and Mike were right in 2011 about their saucy siren, perhaps, Juliet “needed help” again “with [her] plumbing.”

Consequently, when the author tuned in this morning to the “Throwback” fun, he half-expected the old F&FW opening of a blushing, beaming Juliet listening to blond beauty Jenny McCarthy bawdily declaring, “Yes, the carpet does match the drapes!” Instead, the oft profane Andrew Dice Clay tamely introduced Fox & Friends [Weekend]: Cutely coiffed Mika-style, Juliet reappeared this morning in the middle of her Philly boys as the lady in the red dress–demurely cut with a high neck, longer sleeves, and a midi hem. Not necessarily boding well for those expecting vintage Mike and Juliet.

When the show started in earnest subsequently, Mike turned to his long-time colleague, saying, “Oh! Hi, Juliet! Good to see you.” Eying her freshly shorn head impishly, he remarked, “I like the new hairdo!” Teasing her seemingly about her more mature mien all the more, he playfully displayed her reading glasses, jibing, “And, now you’re wearing glasses. I haven’t seen you in a while!”

Grabbing her spectacles from Mike’s hands and putting them back on the table,  a smiling Juliet jauntily riposted, “Oh, shut up! Get away from me.”

With arched eyebrows and a glint in his eye, Clayton mischievously interjected, “You know, they say [that] when a woman cuts her hair or puts on glasses like there’s some sort of thing going on in her life.” Apparently, acknowledging her recent engagement to her Mr. Wright, a grinning Juliet replied, “Yeah, there’s a lot of things going on in my life!”

Later, in the segment, Mike alluded to the Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration this year and recalled how cold it was when he and Juliet had hosted FNC’s New Year’s Eve festivities. In their segue to Janice, Juliet asked her if she remembered her and Mike’s hosting. In response, Janice declared, “I do. This is like Throwback Weekend here!”* And, it was: But, eleven years later–with someone new.

And, that someone was Clayton. When the second hour began, Mike declared, “We take you back to 2002: Look, it’s Mike and Juliet on the couch again!” Turning to Clayton, Juliet laughed, “You don’t look like Julian Phillips [their whilom African American co-anchor]! Grinning, Clayton answered, “I know. I’m not Julian Phillips.”

And, today, Mike and Juliet were not quite “Mike and Juliet” either. As usual Mike appeared to be his ever randy testosterone-infused self: But, today, bereft of her tresses, Juliet seemed especially estrogen deficient–and wanting a Miley moment [NSFW VMA 2013 vid]. Tomorrow may be a whole new day.

*Fox & Friends Weekend – 12/27/18 (@ 6:12 a.m. ET).

Tucker Carlson: F&FW’s Shelley Hack?

Clayton Morris: “Welcome in Mike Jerrick from Philadelphia!” Yesterday, Fox & Friends Weekend co-host Anna Kooiman welcomed increasingly frequent co-anchor Tucker Carlson fill-in Mike Jerrick with a spirited fist bump to the curvy couch. Heartily endorsing his predecessor and successor at FOX 29 Good Day (Philadelphia), Clayton Morris enthusiastically exclaimed, “Welcome in Mike Jerrick from Philadelphia!” And, no mention was made of Tucker then or for the rest of the show Saturday. Or Sunday–when Mike returned.

As the author mused today about yet another absence of Tucker and the fact that his co-anchors Anna and Clayton (or meteorologist Rick Reichmuth) did not even care to cite it, he recalled, perhaps, a revealing vignette last Sunday on F&FW of Tucker’s disconnect to the show. After a segue to his weather report, Rick ribbed Tucker about not being able to get off the floor in an earlier “fitness” segment: Chuckling, Tucker jested, “I’d fallen and I can’t [sic]  get up.”* Meanwhile, putting her hands over her eyes, Anna interjected, “So embarrassed about that video: we keep playing it.” In reply to both, perhaps, Rick declared, “We can’t let it go.”

Grinning, a gesticulating Tucker queried, “On normal TV shows, don’t they kind of prevent you from embarrassing yourself on TV?” Interposing, Clayton jested, “On normal TV shows, not on Fox & Friends!” Rick riposted, “[Inaudible] Tucker has not watched this show before he joined!” Smiling, Tucker conceded, “Yeah, apparently, not.”

Seven months ago to the very day, the rather cerebral Tucker officially was named the replacement of popular, unapologetically sentimental Dave Briggs on the curvy couch. It seemed a somewhat strange choice for a weekend show that is largely predicated on a personal nexus between the co-hosts and the audience. It appeared, especially, so in light of a F&FW signature analysis segment on January 12 (approximately two-and-half months earlier): F&FW “handwriting expert” Michelle Dresbold declared Tucker’s printed signature (“TSMC”) to indicate that he was not really letting anyone see too much of himself.** Concurring, Tucker acknowledged, “It’s like ‘Tears of a Clown’: I keep it inside.”

Perhaps, too much so. What does the FOX say?

[Author’s aside: Incidentally, after seven months as an official F&FW co-host, Tucker has still not added his FNC position to his Twitter rubric. Re “Shelley Hack” in the title of this post, supra, she was the single-season actress who replaced Kate Jackson as the “cerebral” Angel in Charlie’s Angels and got bumped summarily when she did not connect with fans.]

*Fox & Friends Weekend – 10/26/13 (@ 8:04 a.m. ET)

**Fox & Friends Weekend – 01/12/13 (@ 9:48 a.m. ET)

FNC: Missing Mike?

From Gretchen’s “secret” to Janice’s plea, Philly Fox 29 host Mike Jerrick was back–or, perhaps, well on his way back. The former Fox & Friends Weekend co-host received an extra tight embrace from his former colleagues, especially, F&F femmes, anchor Gretchen Carlson and meteorologist Janice Dean today. The bad boy was back and the girls were loving every minute of it.

Welcoming Mike warmly as the show began, co-anchor Gretchen Carlson turned to him and cheerfully announced, “Mike Jerrick [is] back!” As Mike exclaimed, “Good to see you!” and eagerly kissed her cheek, Gretchen continued, “We haven’t seen each other for so long. Or, well, we see other but [have] not worked together.” When Mike then animatedly answered, “Yeah, yeah. It’s been three, four years, I think,” Gretchen turned to the audience and teased, “Coming up sometime during the show, I’m gonna share a secret about Mike Jerrick.” As Mike playfully tensed up and an off-camera floor crew member muttered, “Uh, oh!,” Gretchen added, “There’s many but I’m gonna share one secret.”

Apparently, Gretchen was right. When she segued to FNC meteorologist Janice Dean for her Hurricane Earl story, Janice laughed, “And, can I just say that most women around here have secrets about Mike Jerrick.” Chortling, Gretchen exclaimed, “No kidding!” When Janice concluded her report and tossed back to the co-hosts, Gretchen declared, “Mike’s speechless ’cause he’s wondering what your secret is.” Not quite so, Mike interposed, “I’m very scared about Janice’s secret.” Smiling and shaking her head, Janice sweetly responded, “We love Mike so much! It’s such a pleasure to see you.” Nodding her head, Gretchen concurred, “Very true.”

The lovefest continued unabated. Later, when Janice finished her final weather segment of the program and tossed to the co-hosts, Gretchen stated, “Earlier, I said there’s a secret about Mike Jerrick….I just want to say real quickly that when I started at Fox, you were the nicest person in the world to me. And that’s my secret.”* Seemingly incredulous at her innocuous revelation, Mike queried, “That was the secret?” Gretchen replied, “That’s my secret. And, I, I miss you not being here anymore but I still love you.” Interjecting, Janice pleaded, “We love you. Come back!” Chuckling appreciatively, Mike succinctly answered, “Okay.”

Perhaps, Mike shall–if Juliet Huddy, his television wife (FNC’s F&FW & FOX’s The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet), gets her wish, too. When the author Tweeted, “Would be fun to see Mike [Jerrick] back on w/ you sometime, too, Juliet replied, “Would love to be back on with Mike! Miss him terribly.”

Apparently, Juliet is not alone. And, perhaps, FNC had put out the word to F&F today. Welcome back, black sheep?

[Author’s aside: Today, even one of Mike’s most macho whilom colleagues was showing him the love this morning. During a segment promoting a retrospective on his journalistic work, Geraldo Rivera playfully slapped Mike on the the thigh repeatedly and remarked, “Nice to see you from Philly!” When Mike fondly recalled their spending time together on Fridays, Geraldo replied, “I miss that.” When he added that he had “stopped drinking, though,” Mike jested, “You did? Oh, we can’t hang out.” At least, not during off hours.]

*Fox & Friends – 09/03/10 (@8:42 a.m. ET)