“The Five”: Shine’s Summer Show Permanent?

“We’ll be watching you over the course of a year on The Five.” Oops! Did America’s Newsroom co-anchor Martha MacCallum let the proverbial cat out of the bag? Yesterday, after presiding over a 2012 Presidential election segment with The Five co-hosts, Andrea Tantaros and Bob Beckel, Martha concluded, “We have a long way to go here, over a year….A lot can happen over the course of a year, Bob and Andrea.” Then, seemingly with a slip of her tongue, she added, “And, we’ll be watching you over the course of a year on The Five.” As a beaming Andrea nodded her head, a slightly smiling Bob, replied, “Thank you.”

The Five: Less than three months ago (in a June 30 FNC press release), Senior VP of Programming Bill Shine announced the premier of his new summer show, which was supposed to replace the departing Glenn Beck‘s eponymous show for a few months. Before the debut of The Five, Shine’s concept of this “revolving FOX personalities” panel was panned by media watchers such as Inside Cable News (including, in full disclosure, the author). However, The Five has surprised the critics: in fact, it has garnered comparable ratings to the Glenn Beck Show according to the Washington Examiner. Perhaps, Shine has taken note and has decided that he does not need an FNC daytime “shakeup” after all.

If so, thanks for the tip, Martha, and, congrats, Five’rs!

[Author’s aside: In addition to Andrea and Bob, The Five co-hosts include Greg Gutfeld, Dana Perino, Eric Bolling, Kimberly Guilfoyle, Juan Williams, Monica Crowley, Judge Andrew Napolitano, and, purportedly, Geraldo Rivera.]

America’s Newsroom – 09/26/11 (@ 9:37 a.m. ET)

Update: More evidence of The Five‘s apparent new status: After Carpe Diem‘s report, The Five co-host Andrea Tantaros announced her show’s new Twitter address and her co-host Bob Beckel’s one as well. N.B. Unfortunately, Andrea gave the wrong address to her program: it links to @TheFive held by a “giuseppe” with protected Tweets.

F&F: Late P.M. Fun

Gretchen/Ingraham “catfight”; Brian’s Talkers profile; and Gretchen’s “sexual photos” promise. Fox & Friends memorable moments post-Memorial Day. Late: But, fun–and, for the record.

Gretchen/Ingraham “catfight”: Rowrr! Tuesday F&F co-host Gretchen Carlson got off on the wrong foot as she introduced Laura Ingraham, her former “Ice-Off!” dance-off rival and F&F regular contributor.* Introducing Ingraham, Gretchen remarked, “Now it’s time to bring in Laura Ingraham as we do every week. Although it’s not always on this day, is it, Laura?”

Smiling, a sarcastic Ingraham responded, “Um, what’s today? Is it Tuesday?” Bemused, Gretchen answered, “Tuesday.” Seemingly, slightly  miffed at Gretchen’s inadvertent dis, a grinning Ingraham retorted, “Yes, it is Tuesday. Gretchen, come on, come on! I’m now, I feel really, really sad now. I’ve got to.” Clueless, Gretchen queried, “Why?”

Then, as a slightly miffed Ingraham playfully rose from her seat as if to go, co-anchor Steve Doocy interjected, “[I]t’s our Tuesday girl, Laura Ingr[aham]. Hey, sit down! Sit down.” Smiling sheepishly, co-host Brian Kilmeade added, “Laura, come on!”

Throwing her hands up in the air, an embarrassed Gretchen unconvincingly declared, “Well, I’d, I’m sorry. I thought that that kept it fresh.” Her eyes narrowing, Ingraham riposted, “Wait, weren’t you hosting on the weekend last time I checked?” Chuckling, Brian interposed, “Ah, ha, ha! That hurt!”

Seemingly, trying to prove to Ingraham that her jaunty jab did not hurt, Gretchen emphatically replied, “Yes! Thank you very much. I love Saturdays and Sundays.”

Shaking her head, a smiling Ingraham answered, “Me, too. I’m just teasing.”

Of course, the “B Team,” the F&F Weekend crew of Clayton Morris, Dave Briggs, and Alisyn Camerota–or, now, it it Molly Line or Ainsley Earhardt–might find scant humor in Ingraham’s acidic broadside.

Kilmeade’s Profile: Wednesday Brian celebrated his first year as solo anchor of his radio show, Kilmeade & Friends, formerly known as Brian & the Judge (Napolitano). Perhaps, fittingly, Brian graced the cover of the talk media trade publication Talkers and was featured inside. On F&F Wednesday, Brian was praised by both Steve and Gretchen for the distinct honor: when Gretchen lauded him for his “whole full-page article” on page 12, Brian waggishly remarked that on a following page he had “absolutely no clothes on”: Mercifully, Talkers readers are in fact spared.** Congrats, Brian!

Gretchen’s “Sexual Photos” Promise: “I don’t know about you guys but I can unequivocally say that I have not taken sexual photos.”*** In her colorful commentary with Brian and Steve about “Weinergate” as F&F began, Gretchen so ridiculed Rep. Anthony Weiner’s tergiversation about whether the arousal shot heard ricocheting around the Beltway was his own. An hour later, she similarly twice more emphatically declared her own abstinence from taking such pics to her co-hosts.

After Gretchen did so, Steve went one step further, asserting, “I haven’t taken any pictures of myself in my underwear and I don’t know that anybody has taken any of me.”**** Then, pointing his finger at Brian, he teasingly taunted, “Brian, can you say the same thing?” After a brief moment of silence (comedic or not), Brian responded, “Yes. Thank you.” Laughing heartily, Gretchen interjected, “Uh, oh!”

Unlike Brian, Gretchen did not “see” Steve’s statement. I.e., she remained mute as to her not knowing that anybody had taken any “sexual photos” of her. Again, an oversight or simply smarts from Bill O’Reilly’s Culture Warrior?

*Fox & Friends – 05/31/11 (@ 8:04 a.m. ET)

**Fox & Friends – 06/01/11 (@ 6:32 a.m. ET)

***Fox & Friends – 06/02/11 – (@ 6:05 a.m. ET)

****Ibid. @ 7:07 a.m. ET.

Aly Jazzes Judge

Aly’s on. And the Judge was, apparently, turned on. After his legal segment with Fox & Friends co-hosts Alisyn Camerota and Brian Kilmeade, FNC’s senior judicial analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano turned to Aly with delight. Then, running his hand the length of her bare biceps, he declared, “What a pleasant surprise to see you, Miss Camerota!”

Turning to his flirting FNC colleague and radio co-host, Brian Kilmeade jested, “Please don’t touch her!” Pointing to Aly, the Judge remarked, “Italian Jersey beauty!” Beaming, Aly replied, “All here.”

However, the Judge was not done quite yet. After the subsequent teases for upcoming segments, he eagerly took her hand and robustly kissed it. No abashment for his ardor for Aly.

You’re right, Judge. Aly today: what a pleasant surprise indeed!

Switch!

Gretch, Aly, switch! As Fox & Friends’ Gretchen Carlson has co-anchored with guest hosts Judge Napolitano and Clayton Morris this week, she seems to have dropped a defensive (and offensive) assertiveness and become more comfortable in her own skin. For some reason (perhaps, a feeling of inferiority), Gretch seems to embrace a know-it-all attitude and lecturing persona when she anchors with both Steve Doocy and Brian Kilmeade. However, in Steve’s absence she seems to have shown a more attractive, personable side.

Since Steve is top dog at F&F, perhaps, Gretch should move to F&FW: She seems to gel well with Clayton and would probably do so with Dave Briggs. On the other hand, Alisyn Camerota, a comely chameleon, could revitalize F&F with her sassy, sexy approach to news.

Raspy Aly

Fox & Friends co-host Alisyn Camerota left her velvety voice in Seattle and returned with a sexy, raspy one. Yesterday Steve Doocy couldn’t resist saying that she should read the news on a 976 phone line: A flattered Aly said that she hoped that it sounded sexy. Today Brian Kilmeade noted that Judge Napolitano had the same malady and Aly teased that she had to quit making out with the Judge. Unlike her sub Patti Ann Brown, Aly’s no wallflower. She’s one spicy Italian dish.

Page Appears!

Page Hopkins, a favorite co-host of Fox & Friends Weekend, has been resurrected. According to a reader (thanks, Brendon) and Johnny Dollar’s Place, the flaxen-haired beauty has finally “called in.” At approximately 11:13 a.m. ET, the long-lost lovely appeared on FNC’s What’s Happening Now co-anchored today by Jon Scott and Harris Faulkner. The author is not sure of her status or the circumstances of her appearance.

For approximately a month, Page has been below the radar. FNC has failed to fully answer the many questions about where Page was, whether posed by e-mail, on Alisyn Camerota’s greenroom blog, or by radio callers to Judge Napolitano and Brian Kilmeade’s show. FNC’s cavalier manner of changing co-hosts without apprising the audience has shown little regard for its loyal viewer base.

Maybe, Fox News is changing its stripes. Rick Reichmuth called in yesterday and proved that he was indeed on vacation. Today Page appeared seeming to indicate that she is still with FNC in some capacity. Will Fox & Friends Weekend finally announce whether Ainsley Earhardt and Clayton Morris have replaced Page Hopkins and Kelly Wright permanently and that Greg Kelly has retained his position? Hopefully, Fox News has seen the light.

Link: http://homepage.mac.com/mkoldys/blog/jdp.html

Page Hopkins: Still at FNC

With FNC’s odd maltreatment of its viewers by changing co-hosts of shows with no announcements to its audience, it seems to assume that its viewers will faithfully continue watching its various programs. Apparently, Fox & Friends has once again changed its weekend team with little regard to its viewers. Page Hopkins and the Kelly boys (Kelly Wright & Greg Kelly) have apparently been replaced by Ainsley Earhardt, Clayton Morris, and a to-be-named co-host. Kelly Wright appears on America’s Election Headquarters (AEHq) and as a correspondent, and Greg Kelly appears on the Fox Report and AEHq. FNC has not explained the salient absence of Page Hopkins. On Fox radio’s “Brian and the Judge,” a caller asked where she was: Brian said, “I’m not sure.” Judge Napolitano added, “I don’t know the answer to that.” TVNewser explicates the enigma by stating that Page is supposedly still on the payroll of FNC. This “we report, you decide” network needs to quit playing around with its faithful viewers and tell them what’s going on. Enough is enough!

Cf. http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/?page=2