Ashleigh: Zoraida, “React!”

Well, it‘s terrible.” Today Early Start co-anchor Ashleigh Banfield demanded that her co-host Zoraida Sambolin do what she seems to too oft not do, i.e., react–or, at least, say more. Perhaps, Ashleigh feared that “Page 6” [updated February 2] sources may indeed be right: the two of them “just don’t gel”–she “talks to much” and Zoraida “doesn’t say enough.”

Early this morning, when Zoraida read a headline news story (about an octogenarian veteran who had been brutally carjacked by an assailant and subsequently had been largely ignored by bystanders), Ashleigh shook her head and exclaimed, “Makes you sick!” As Zoraida succinctly answered, “It’s, it’s pathetic,” Ashleigh gesticulated somewhat histrionically and emotively elaborated, “‘A,’ that he’s a vet; ‘b,’ that he’s an elderly gentleman; ‘c,’ that he was carjacked in front of everybody; and ‘d,’ that people walked right by. Please! Am I outraged enough!” As Zoraida rather sedately remarked, “Oh, it’s terrible,” Ashleigh demanded, “React!”

In response, Zoraida softly said, “Well, it’s terrible.” Without so much as a verbal reply to her co-host, Ashleigh incongruently chuckled and turned to the camera. Then, to her ES audience, she simply said, “It’s twenty-three minutes past five. Uh, let’s get  you up to speed on your early reads.”

Guess it’s still Ground Hog Day at ES.

*Early Start – 02/27/12 (@ 5:23 a.m. ET)

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.”

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.

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.