Gretchen Carlson: “Persecuted”?

Religion, politics, and scandal: fact or fiction? No, Persecuted is not a biopic of the Fox & Friends co-host oft lampooned by Saturday Night Live or facilely skewered by Jon Stewart. But, it might just be the name of the major film that she said that she would be filming within the next ten days today in the After the Show Show. [Vid via J$P.]

As A.S.S. started this morning, F&F co-hosts Steve Doocy, Gretchen Carlson, and Brian Kilmeade and FNC meteorologist Marina Molina sat together on the curvy couch. As usual, Brian Kilmeade left almost immediately to go to his Kilmeade & Friends radio show. Shortly, thereafter, Gretchen started to arise, saying, “I’m going off to shoot a movie, actually: So, I’ll see you in about ten days.”

Seemingly, on cue, Steve asked, “In a movie? What kind of movie?” Gleefully, Gretchen answered, “Yeah. A major motion picture.”

As Gretchen walked off the set, Steve queried, “What are you gonna do?” Coyly, Gretchen replied, “It’s a secret!” Following up, Steve asked, “Are you gonna be like the local newsperson or an anchorperson?” Gretchen responded, “Something like that.”

Probing, Steve demanded, “Where are they filming the movie?” Gretchen insisted, “It’s a secret!” “Albuquerque, New Mexico?” Steve persisted.

As Gretchen ignored Steve’s question, Maria queried, “What made you pick that location?” Putting his hand to his forehead suggestively, Steve said, “A voice in my head!” Apparently, to their F&F producers, Maria laughed, “Oh, you told him!”

According to a New Mexico Film Office press release, “feature Persecuted” began mid-July and will end in early August in Albuquerque. Gretchen’s probable “major motion picture” is co-produced by Oscar-winning Gray Frederickson (Apocalypse Now and Godfather) and includes actors, James Remar (Django: Unchained, X-Men: First Class, etc.); Bruce Davison (Lost, X-Men, etc.), and Fred Thompson (Die Hard 2 and Law & Order and former U.S Senator of Tennessee). (The plot revolves around an evangelist framed by a Senator for the murder of a young girl and the persecution that inevitably ensues.)

Gretchen Carlson: “Persecuted”? Or, will she, perhaps, “Transcend” it all?

H/t: J$P.

Martha: “My Sweetheart” Birthday Bill

Fanning the flame? America’s Newsroom co-anchor Martha MacCallum seemed to enjoy stoking rumors of romance between herself and co-host Bill Hemmer yesterday. Only two weeks after she and Bill said that they did not want to talk about people thinking that they were married (on Fox News Radio’s Kilmeade & Friends), Martha appeared more than happy to give their fans more grist for the rumor mill with a flirty final segment yesterday.*

As she and Bill returned from ad break for their last block of the day,  Martha cooed, “So, Bill, my dear, we’ve been talking all day about how it’s a kind of special day here in America’s Newsroom: And, that is because it is young Bill Henner’s “Happy Birthday.” Handing a cupcake with a lit single candle to a smiling Bill, she lilted, “Happy birthday to you, my sweetheart.”

Looking at her with an almost childlike astonishment, Bill exclaimed, “And, you know, you got the icing right because it’s blue!”

Smiling, Martha replied, “It is blue, and that’s your favorite. And, we knew that!” Continuing her birthday tribute to the birthday boy, she declared, “But, we want to thank Mr. and Mrs. Hemmer for bringing Billy into the world just a few years ago. No, we don’t have to say how many. But…you look great!” Giggling, Martha asked, “Is that a comfort?”

Chuckling, he jested, “Thank you! And, I still act and I feel twenty-five so I think that’s going to get me a little bit on the line.”

Looking down at his still lit cupcake, Bill more solemnly said, “So, I just want to make a wish here real quick: And, this will be a ‘Fox News Alert.’ But, I’m not going to tell you!”

Lowering his head toward his cupcake, Bill blew on the flame of the candle. Flickering for a moment, it came back to life. Grinning, Bill exclaimed, “What is this! What is it! Magic candles! We did this…when we were in third grade.”

Excitedly, Martha pleaded, “Blow it out! Blow it out! Keep going. You’ve got thirty seconds!”

As Bill obeyed and blew the flame out quickly, a now more platonic Martha said, “So you made a wish, and I hope it comes true, Buddy.” Giving him a high five, she intoned, “This year!”

Bill’s secret birthday desire? Martha seems to know. For fans, Bill’s personal “Fox News Alert” may just happen “this year!” But, for now, he is not talking. Nor, is she.

So, stay tuned.

*America’s Newsroom – 11/14/12 (@ 10:58 a.m. ET)

Relationship? Hemmer and MacCallum Mum

Steve Doocy: A lot of people think they are married. Yesterday, America’s Newsroom co-anchors Martha MacCallum and Bill Hemmer seemed somewhat disquieted when it came to the scuttlebutt about a possible off-camera relationship between the television couple.

On Fox News Radio’s Kilmeade & Friends, guest host Steve Doocy introduced Bill and Martha to his audience, remarking, “A lot of people think that they are married.”* When an uncomfortable silence ensued, Steve said, “I thought you were going to say something.” Succinctly, Martha responded, “We don’t want to talk about that.” Chuckling, Bill added, “Especially here.”

Apparently, many Kilmeade & Friends listeners were disappointed that both Martha and Bill opted not to discuss the status of any potential personal relationship. For the third day in a row, hits were at historic highs for seven-month-old Carpe Diem post, “Martha MacCallum: Mrs. or Ms.?: ‘Miss’ing Her Marital Band.” Rumors of Martha’s marital status have been fueled by December 9, 2011 profile (201) Magazine article, “Holiday Look: Martha MacCallum and her family get dressed up to celebrate” which seemed to feature Martha and her three children but not her husband; her subsequent doffing of her wedding ring for approximately a month and half on AN; and Bill’s jesting reference to Martha and himself in a photo of the two of them together on an Ailes-hosted evening harbor charity cruise as “the bride and groom.”

Bill and Martha: a happy couple? Unfortunately, yesterday, they failed to report. Until they do, the rumors will persist.

[Author’s aside (caveat) – The quotes, supra, are to the best of the author’s recollection: he recorded them approximately fifteen minutes after hearing them in an auto.]

*Kilmeade & Friends – 10/31/12 (@ 11:48 a.m. ET)

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.