Melania Nude: America’s Carla Bruni?

The “First Hottie”! And what’s wrong with that? For two days straight (NSFW Sunday pics, Monday photos), the New York Post has posted pics of the GOP nominee Donald Trump‘s gorgeous former model wife Melania in her birthday suit (obscured by the usual censoring graphics). Like Jackie O. (a seemingly sexy naturalist–at least at the pool), she is fabulously beautiful and exudes a certain sensuality that would captivate the American public.

Aptly, Trump adviser Jason Miller declared, “Nothing to be embarrassed about with the pictures–she’s a beautiful woman.” The Donald himself said, “Melania was one of the most successful models and she did many photo shoots, including for covers and major magazines.

Yes, the photos might be a mite racy of the beautiful Godiva in the nude–by herself and in the embrace of another lovely lady. But, Melania’s detractors should understand that she was modeling for a French gents’ mag. The photog remarked, “I think it is important to show the beauty and freedom of the woman, and I am very proud of these pictures because they celebrate Melania’s beauty. And Melania’s proud hubs The Donald remarks, “Melania was one of the most successful models, and she did many photo shoots, including for covers and major magazines. This was a picture taken for a European magazine….In Europe, pictures like this are very fashionable and common.”

The comely Melania is veritably a Venus. And, if her hubby succeeds, she may be America’s version of France’s former fine first lady Carla Bruni (NSFW pics).

F&FW Censors Sharon Stone!

F&F Weekday: Sharon clad & Sharon naked! Saturday, Fox & Friends Weekend producers transmogrified into risible prudish prigs when they censored sexy siren Sharon Stone’s sensual shot featured on the front of the New York Post. Even though the Basic Instinct star had all of her “naughty bits” or “lady bits” covered, F&FW censored everything from her shoulders to her mid-thighs to keep the “p.c. police” away.*

Friday, F&F producers similarly clad the nude Venus the first time that they aired her NYP photo. However, they came to their senses the second time, deciding that the empress needed no clothes nor censorship. And that was during the weekday!

F&FW censoring the NYP front page! Seriously? Ha!

[Author’s aside: For the censored F&FW pic, link here.]

*Fox & Friends Weekend – 08/15/15 (@ 7:45 a.m. ET).

“Haggling” Gretchen Gone: Hottie Hasselbeck In

Finally. Carlson “promoted” to her own afternoon show. As Fox & Friends began this morning, co-anchor Gretchen Carlson announced to her Fox & Friends viewers that she was leaving the curvy couch sometime in September for her own Fox News afternoon show. Referencing obliquely the New York Post “Page Six” exclusive yesterday that she would be replaced by The View‘s co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck and that she would get a one-hour show in the early fall, a smiling Gretchen threw up her hands, saying, “Welcome, everybody! Hey, I, I think we’ve been in the news recently!”

The news comes as little surprise to cable news watchers who have noticed that Gretchen has seemed to be increasingly absent from the show over the past year. On August 4, 2012, Carpe Diem noted in “Gretchen’s Last Summer Vacation” her very frequent vacations and F&F‘s showcasing of possible replacements, including regular fill-ins, Alisyn Camerota and Ainsley Earhardt, and outside talent, Dara Torres and Kara DioGuardi. Over a month later, New York Magazine indicated that Gretchen’s “conspicu[ous] absen[ces] from Fox  & Friends for days on end” that summer coincided with her “haggling over her contract terms,” including a contentious one for her own show, with Fox News.

Apparently, Gretchen has finally won that year-long battle with the FNC suits. Now, she will have to live or die on her own smarts, talent, and charisma. After seven years of Gretchen’s being buttressed by her bulwark F&F co-hosts, Steve Doocy and Brian Kilmeade, Roger Ailes and his Fox family and friends will finally find out if she can stand on her own.

Update 1: J$P “‘advance'” video of Gretchen explaining her “move forward in [her] career.” H/t, Johnny.

Update 2: In Elisabeth’s adieu on The View today, she emotionally declared, “I’m really happy and excited to confirm that indeed I will be joining the Fox & Friends team in September. And, [I] would like to thank Mr. Roger Ailes, Bill Shine, [and] the entire news channel for this incredible opportunity. Today is officially my last day at The View.” [Vid via Mediaite.com – @ 1:03/9:16.]

Soledad O’Brien: “Bravo”?

“My theme song.” Yesterday, Starting Point host Soledad O’Brien seemed more than satisfied with her new morning show—so much so, that she practically begged thrice-Grammy-nominated R& B singer Ledisi to be able to use her song “Bravo” as SP‘s theme song. After Soledad started her last SP segment with Ledisi’s “Raise Up,” she said, “If I could get a little portion of America to love Ledisi as I do, it would be a very good thing but, I really would like ‘Bravo.’ For some reason, we can’t play it. I don’t think we have the right to it.” Then, looking straight into the camera, she pleaded, “So, Ledisi, Tweet me. Can we have the rights to “Bravo” as my theme song? Call you later.”

Fortunately, CNN appears more ambivalent about Soledad’s new show. According to the New York Post‘s “Page Six,” one source said that “executives are looking to support Soledad O’Brien…and have expressed interest in adding [regular panelists] conservative commentator Will Cain and liberal commentator Roland Martin to the cast.” But, “Page Six” also indicated that an unnamed CNN representative denied it saying, “We couldn’t be more pleased with Soledad and the direction she is taking her program. Her newsmaking interviews and substantive panel discussions are the centerpiece of the program.”

Unfortunately, for CNN, Soledad’s show (which replaced in part the now kaput American Morning) has not gained traction with CNN viewers. In fact, if early ratings are any indication, it will lay even lower in the cable news morning cellar than it’s predecessor AM–for good reason. Regrettably, SP is proving to be not as good as AM: instead of a program where co-hosts had, at least, the patina of objectivity, CNN has an unabashedly opinionated sole anchor, who never fails to remind her panelists and her viewers that SP is “my show.” Nevertheless, CNN would make matters even worse if CNN were to give the soft-spoken milquetoast Will Cain and the obstreperous, cocksure Roland Martin even more prominent roles as Soledad’s co-hosts on Starting Point.

Bravo for SP? No. At least, not in the foreseeable future.

H/t to J$P for “Page Six” alert.

AM’s Aphrodite Leaves CNN

Kiran taking her Cestus back to Fox News? According to “Page 6” of the New York Post, American Morning co-host Kiran Chetry was seen cleaning out her desk today and has told her co-workers that she will leave CNN at the end of the month. The NYP added that Kiran’s current co-hosts Christine Romans and Ali Velshi will continue on at AM on an interim basis.

Furthermore, Mediaite confirmed the NYP account and added that it had obtained Kiran’s memo to her “American Morning Family.” In that note, Kiran revealed that July 29th will be her final day behind the AM desk and at CNN itself. Then, after thanking her bosses for the opportunity and her colleagues for the memories, Kiran enigmatically concluded, “This isn’t goodbye… this is see you soon.”

Kiran back to where she once belonged? Perhaps, Fox News Senior VP of Programming Bill Shine is really shaking up the FNC daytime. Her Fox & Friends fans can only hope so.

Update: Kiran subtly alerted her Twitter followers early Thursday morning to her imminent departure from AM by reTweeting a Piers Morgan missive. She RT’d, “Thx! I’ll b watching u!RT @piersmorgan: Very sad to see @kiranchetrycnn go – great lady, terrific presenter. My mornings won’t be the same.”

Kiran Parties Hard in London

Chetry: “Last standing.” With her hubby and kids safely ensconced across the Pond in Larchmont (NY), American Morning co-host Kiran Chetry showed her  male colleagues in London that she’s no dull girl. After CNN’s hard-working royal wedding anchor told a Twitter follower Monday that she had not tried the pubs yet, Kiran remedied that in no short measure the very next day. According to “Page Six” of the New York Post, AM‘s Aphrodite joined her colleagues, CNN’s Piers Morgan, ABC’s Chris Cuomo, and ABC’s News Prez Ben Sherwood Tuesday night at Morgan’s London pub, Hansom Cab. Reportedly, the Nepalese beauty not only “threw back quite a few drinks” with the boys but also “was the last anchor standing” when the party ended at 11 p.m.

Whether Kiran was seen “last standing”–or, perhaps, dancing–atop a Hansom Cab table is not now known. However, if CNN chief Ken Jautz wants real ratings for AM, stills and footage will soon follow.

Calling all iReporters! Kiran?

Update: Morgan Tweets photo of Kiran in her Royal Wedding “sexy wellies.”

New A.M. Anchor: T.J. Holmes

CNN Saturday and CNN Sunday co-anchor T.J. Holmes announced that he will become the new American Morning co-anchor in the coming year. To his Twitter followers, T.J. Tweeted, “Thank u guys 4 the support on the weekend and hope I can continue 2 count on ur support as I experiment in a new role. (I’m gonna need it.)” He elaborated, “Need 2 let u know this is my last weekend, 4 now. Starting next yr, I’m anchoring “American Morning” in NY 4 a yet-2-be-determined period.”

T.J.’s new position on AM comes as little surprise to cable news watchers. On December 7, Page 6 of the New York Post reported, “T.J. Holmes…is one of the favorites to take over Roberts’ role and anchor alongside Kiran Chetry.” Furthermore, in the past, the younger, handsome CNN anchor has often filled in for Roberts on AM and has evinced a real rapport with the Nepalese beauty.

When announcing Roberts’ departure from American Morning, CNN chief Ken Jautz stated that CNN would “be looking at different people alongside Kiran.” Based on T.J.’s Tweets, it appears that Ken Jautz has now found his new man on AM. At least, for now.

Good luck, T.J.!

Update: T.J. begins his “interim” stint on American Morning on January 6, 2011.

Update: T.J. reaffirms his “interim” AM status (January 18).

AM 2011: John Jilted, TJ Wooed?

Out with the old: in with the new? According to New York Post‘s Page 6 sources, American Morning‘s co-anchor John Roberts is leaving AM “as early as the start of the new year.” Reportedly, Roberts is concluding a contract with CNN which would take him from his AM anchor seat in New York City to a national correspondent role in Atlanta, home of his gravid fiance, weekday CNN Newsroom anchor Kyra Phillips. In Roberts’ stead, inside sources suggest that CNN Newsroom‘s younger weekend anchor T.J. Holmes is a “favorite” to replace Roberts and to join the comely current co-anchor, Kiran Chetry, behind the AM desk.

No one should be surprised at the shakeup of AM, the cellar-dwelling cable morning news program: in fact, cable news media have been speculating for almost a year about a much needed makeover. Even though then CNN boss Jon Klein seemed loathe to alter the team that he himself had confected, successor CNN chief Ken Jautz has shown no such compunction: when Jautz was chosen to replace Klein in September, Jautz outlined his plans to jazz up the primetime ratings by making “primetime more compelling and engaging, sometimes more fun.” Then, last month (November 1) Page Six insider sources disclosed that new CNN chief Ken Jautz was going to concentrate on the daytime programming and that “his first step[would] be to dismantle American Morning, the lowest-rated cable morning show.” Now, apparently, Katz has so acted.

If Holmes does join Chetry, the AM dynamic should change significantly. With the “voice of God” journalist Roberts, Chetry too often has seemed unsure of herself and her abilities. But, when paired on occasion with the greener Holmes, Chetry has appeared to shine with an unabashed self-confidence.

Megyn & Kirsten Make Up

Catfights to pillow fights? Perhaps, heeding that seductive slogan of peace, “Make love not war,” America’s Newsroom Megyn Kelly and Kirsten Powers appeared ready to sheath their claws and to mew together anew last night on FNC’s American Election HQ. Over three months ago,  the FNC blond beauties had a vicious scratching session during an alleged Black Panther voter intimidation segment. However, last night, the feisty felines appeared on the same set and seemed rather ready to let bygones be bygones.

When Kirsten concluded her AEHQ segment with fellow guests On the Record anchor Greta van Susteren and former Senator Rick Santorum, she segued backed to co-anchors Megyn and Bret Baier at another table.* (Perhaps, not inadvertently, Kirsten and Megyn sat at opposite ends of the two tables.) After Kirsten’s toss, Megyn playfully demanded an answer about the purported Black Panther voter intimidation.* Initially, Kirsten looked surprised but then laughed heartily in reply. Chuckling, Megyn smiled warmly back at her. Joining in the fun, Brett jested that the two gals should be kept apart, and Santorum sportingly stretched out his arms between them as if to do so.

All is well again at their FNC home, apparently. No more catfights! But, pillow fights are another matter altogether.

*American Election HQ – 11/03/10 (@10:49 a.m. ET)

A.M.: American Mourning?

“Boo!” or “Boo Hoo!”  American Morning co-hosts John Roberts and Kiran Chetry must have felt a pang of fear or sadness as they read the New York Post’s “Changes Could Be Coming to ‘American Morning'” published late Halloween night. According to the report, “big changes” could soon be afoot for American Morning. “Insiders” indicated that CNN’s new chief Ken Jautz would likely soon “dismantle” the “lowest rated cable morning show” as he tries to jump-start the flagging ratings of his anemic daytime programming.

Furthermore, New York Post sources said that the AM staff have become disenchanted with both co-hosts. Purportedly, they stated that “John [was] a tyrant, freaking out over stories and guests” and still had “a chip on his shoulder because he [had been] considered the heir apparent to Dan Rather at CBS.” Also, they allegedly asserted that “Kiran [was] dumb as a rock.”

With the CNN dirks apparently out for blood, The New York Post columnist opined that John would likely join his CNN Newsroom anchor Kyra Phillips, his affianced gravid with twins, in Atlanta. As for Kiran who the writer warned “could be the first to go,” she would seem to be in a much more difficult position as she would presumably continue to live with her husband Chris Knowles, who himself was recently relieved of his duties as weekend weatherman at New York City’s CW station WPIX, in Larchmont, New York.

If John and Kiran are both canned by CNN, an interesting scenario may emerge. According to the New York Post, CNN is interested in signing CBS’ Katie Couric whose contract ends in May of 2011: And, if CBS lets Couric go, the AM co-anchors may be vying for the very same job, i.e., Couric’s CBS Evening News anchor position. Ironically, John would have a second chance to win Dan Rather’s throne whereas Kiran could follow in the steps of her mentor (and older sorority sister) Katie Couric.

[Author’s aside: Of course, if Kiran listens to her faithful Fox & Friends fans, she may simply go home again.]

H/t: J$.

America Live CatFIGHT: Megyn vs. Kirsten

FNC’s feral felines: The seven best minutes on cable news in recent memory!* Both America Live host Megyn Kelly and guest New York Post columnist Kirsten Powers had their nostrils flared and their teeth bared as they slashed each other mercilessly with their sharp claws. The a propos topic: New Black Panther Party voter intimidation.

If the reader did not have the pleasure or pain of seeing the polemic blood flowing with abandon today, J$P provides a video here. From one corner, Megyn ferociously cut Kirsten for not knowing what she was talking about, threatened to mute Kirsten’s mike for talking over her, accused her of lying (re watching whistle blower interview), and slapped her with a final suggestion that “it’s going to be more helpful to the viewers if the next time you come back on you have your facts.” From the other corner, a slightly more docile Kirsten responded that she did indeed know what she talking about, challenged Megyn to cut her mike, charged her with hysteria, and accused her of playing the race card (“the scary black man thing”).

Rowrrr! America Live became America Alive today.

*America Live – 07/13/10 (@1:37 p.m. ET)

Gretchen: 2 “Close” 4 Comfort?

“Get off our golden boy’s case” seemed to be the message Fox & Friends co-host Gretchen Carlson had this morning for her colleague Brian Kilmeade this morning as he sported about the highly prized client of sports agent and hubby, Casey Close. After Brian’s first sports segment at the blue wall, he went back to the curvy couch and asked to “go off script just a little bit.”* Thereafter, he began to express sympathy for a certain someone in the news who was “going through a tough time.”

However, when he named the “poor chap” as New York Yankee star Derek Jeter and showed the New York Post cover pic of him cavorting with his gorgeous girlfriend actress Minka Kelly on the beach at St. Barts, Gretchen seemed slightly chafed. As Brian “encouraged” the 2009 World Series champion marooned on the isle with his bikini babe that things would get better, Gretchen shook her head, smirked, and crossed her arms tightly against her chest. Appearing more than a moit agitated with Brian’s puckish play, she put her right  forefinger to her temple as if she had a headache and snugly wrapped her left arm defensively around her waist.

When Brian finally finished his elfin tomfoolery,  a relieved Gretchen leaned forward, looked straight ahead, and placed her hands more comfortably in her lap. While co-anchor Steve Doocy introduced the next story, Brian turned to Gretchen and smiled impishly. Like an annoyed school teacher, Gretch gave him the eye for a moment and then looked away with a slight air of irritation.

F&F: NSFSC (Not Safe for Sacred Cows)

* Fox & Friends (11/19/09) – @6:36 a.m. ET

Palin: Was the AMFix In?

Even if she was on Oprah, SARAH PALIN WILL NOT BE PRESIDENT! American Morning viewer, if you did not get the message in the first hour, it was repeated in a less than subliminal fashion throughout the next two hours. Before each of its three Sarah Palin segments (two by Carol Costello and another by Christine Romans), a clip of Conan O’Brien’s monologue on the Tonight Show was run.

[In the selected snippet, Conan joked, “The other day Sarah Palin said that she would like to have coffee with Hillary Clinton. Now, Hillary is saying she looks forward to it. The two have agreed to meet at the Never Will Be President Cafe.”]

If the Palin slights had stopped at Conan’s comedy, they would have seemed insignificant. However, Carol’s “Palin vs. Oprah” story (which ran twice) seemed to go over the top to discount Palin’s appearance on the talk show queen’s program yesterday. In the promo to Carol’s segment, AM co-host Kiran Chetry had said, “It was Sarah Palin and Oprah: Very interesting, very interesting sit-down interview. And, we’re gonna have Carol Costello join us: she sat down with Libertarians, Independents, Democrats, and Republican women, and said, ‘Hey, what did you think?” However, when Carol appeared after the break, she remarked, “I sat down with four very sharp women, and you know what they thought of the interview? Boring!”

Then she said, “I talked with these four women, a Republican, a Libertarian, a Conservative, and an Independent to watch [sic] Palin vs. Oprah. We chose not to talk to a Democrat because Sarah Palin doesn’t seem to be trying to win over Democrats.” More telling, and, perhaps, a bit damning, she added, “Let’s face it: We know what Democrats think of Sarah Palin.” (She failed to note that according to most polls, approximately 80% of the media votes Democratic.)

Furthermore, Carol did not tell the  viewer how these four women in the focus group were chosen nor their particular political proclivities. E.g., she did not apprise the audience that the Independent Leighann Lord, who claimed that Palin had “almost trivialized the serious decision of abortion,” has been a pro-Obama HuffPo blogger. Moreover, Carol’s other three panelists appeared to be coastal “country club” Republicans at best: one (Jamie Maarten) was an Ivy League Libertarian prez who proclaimed that Palin “was well-spoken” (but cattily added “she did look nice but I feel it stops there”); the second (Marianna Picciocchi) was a “conservative” attorney who asserted that the interview was “boring” and later admitted that her friends, “of course, are all liberal”; and the third (Joyce Giuffra) was a former press secretary of failed GOP nominee Bob Dole, who indicated that she would not be buying the book but clairvoyantly discerned that “supposedly in a 432-page book, only 13 pages were dedicated to policy issues.” Incredibly, Carol stated that these women wanted “substance” [political]–from an Oprah interview. (Perhaps, they prefer their news from Oxygen as well.)

This segment should be an embarrassment to correspondent Carol Costello, American Morning, and, by extension CNN. Perhaps, AM executive producer Jamie Kraft did not get the memo from CNN news chief Jonathan Klein. According to the New York Post, Klein wants CNN “to position itself as an opinion-free, middle-of-the-road alternative to its cable news rivals — conservative Fox News and liberal MSNBC.”

American Morning should have followed Klein’s admonition and played it down the middle. AM is a good show with excellent anchors and gifted correspondents. Its viewers deserved better today. Hopefully, they will get it tomorrow and in the future.

Brian: Bimbos & Booze Sometimes Fit Bill

Today Fox & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade gleefully reported eight-time gold medalist Michael Phelps’ partying it up with “booze and bimbos,” citing Page 6 of the New York Post. Of the swimming champ and “party animal,” he said, “That’s what happens. When you train every day in the water for eighteen hours and you make history as the most successful Olympian, you need a break; you gotta blow off some stream.” He concluded, “Bimbos and booze sometimes fit the bill.”

Trying to tamp Brian’s enthusiasm down a bit, co-anchor Steve Doocy countered, “My daughter Sally, who’s on the varsity swimming team, she was horrified by the story and there’s another story out there that, apparently, he’s been hanging out with a stripper.” Brian spritefully responded, “Right, they might be in love but he brought her home for Thanksgiving.”

“Really?” asked Gretchen who appeared annoyed throughout Brian’s narrative and segued to the next story about a nine-year old who wrote a book about dating. Perhaps, not too irritated, though. After the story, Gretchen cheerfully related how boys in her fourth grade class in Minnesota would try “to get the girls” by snapping their bras.

Spitzer’s Sins: Hubris & Hypocrisy

NY Gov. Eliot “Steamroller” Spitzer resigned in disgrace yesterday. Time’s Crusader of the Year and Wall Street’s Elliott Ness brought his promising political career to a premature end. He faces possible Mann Act, “structuring,” and prostitution felony charges. (In D.C., the normally misdemeanor prostitution charge is a felony.) Is he in trouble for the underlying morals charge? No. However, Spitzer prosecuted two call-girl services similar to the one he frequented and did so with strident and acerbic denunciations: ergo, the feds have an extra incentive to make this hypocritical highest law enforcement officer in New York accountable. In his take-no-prisoners white-collar prosecutions and his arrogant strong-arm tactics, he gained favorable media headlines but no faithful friends. Now the emperor has no clothes. In the bedroom or in the pressroom.

As Spitzer fizzles, his alleged courtesan, Ashley Alexandra Dupre a/k/a Kristen can now afford to retire from the world’s oldest profession. The comely chanteuse can now exploit the situation as she contemplates offers to pose for Penthouse (unknown amount) and Hustler ($1,000,000), to give an exclusive to the entertainment show Extra for $100,000, a probable one to write a book, etc. According to FNC, Conde Nast Portfolio reports that her song, “Can You Handle Me, Boy? Sex, Money, Drugs Is What I’m All About,” has been downloaded one million times already and presages that she will earn a million dollars by next week by virtue of her downloads. Further, the New York Post said that Ashley’s MySpace page has had 5 million hits. The Emperor’s Club VIP has been linked to the Duke of Westminister (one of the richest men in the world and the godfather of Prince William), has been seen with P. Diddy’s posse, and has performed in a video with NY rapper Mysterious.

Did Spitzer give us the new Paris Hilton?