FNC’s New Future: Megyn In for Greta?

Van Susteren: “I’ve been been bucking to get an earlier hour for years….”* Apparently, her boss Roger Ailes was listening: Only five days after FNC On the Record anchor Greta van Susteren uttered those very words to her old friend Larry King on his 06/27/13 eponymous online show, Fox News issued a release which read, “[America Live anchor] Megyn Kelly will move to Fox News Channel’s (FNC) primetime lineup upon her return, announced Roger Ailes, Chairman and CEO, FOX News.” However, FNC took pains to highlight the fact that Greta had been signed to a long-term contract (as well as FNC’s other prime time hosts Bret Baier, Shepard Smith, Bill O’Reilly, and Sean Hannity).

In King’s interview of Greta, the former CNN anchor discussed the possible personnel changes of new CNN honcho Jeff Zucker: In so doing, she referenced FNC and her long-time chief, saying, “Look at Fox News….Roger Ailes has been there the whole time I’ve been there. We haven’t had a change in eleven and half years.” Nonchalantly or not, she continued, “I’ve been bucking to get an earlier hour for years but that ain’t happening….If anyone ever left, I would put in a pitch.”

Now that Ailes has decided to change his storied FNC schedule, it seems that Greta will get her wish of an earlier hour. But, whom will she replace or with whom will she pair? If Greta replaces anyone, it will probably be Fox Report host Shepard Smith who could continue to work in his “long-term contract” as anchor of Studio B. But, if Greta were to co-host instead, a likely pairing would be with fellow conservative Sean Hannity who sorely needs fresh blood to reinvigorate his recently ratings-challenged show.

And, if Greta does vacate her 10 p.m. ET throne, it seems that Fox’s long-suffering “rising star” has finally achieved her rightful place in the FNC ether. In December of 2008, Carpe Diem warned Greta to watch out for Megyn. Six months later, the New York Times eyed Megyn as a “potential heir to Ms. Van Susteren.”

Now, Megyn’s time has come: Prime time!

*Larry King Now – 06/27/13 (@ 11:29/28:19

Kyra’s “Cannuck Hubby”: Robert’s Ring Ruse?”

Special Reports with JD: Ring on, ring off! Yesterday, FNC Special Report with Bret Baier guest anchor John Roberts decided to doff his seemingly connubial band for, at least, the third time this week.* Only about six months ago, Roberts was proudly donning his seemingly marital ring as he hosted Special Report (soon after his long-time flame HLN anchor Kyra Phillips had claimed to have a Cannuck husband): As a result the author assumed that Roberts had finally tied the knot with Phillips after proposing to her over two years earlier on bended knee.

But, maybe, not. According to HuffPo (in 2011), Roberts revealed that he did not “call Phillips is fiancee and they[had] no plans to get married soon” in “spite of the couple’s ‘engagement.'” In that same interview, Roberts remarked, “There’s no plan for a wedding. I call her my wife, she refers to me as her husband.” Holding out hope for the future, Roberts added, “Do I expect that at some point we’ll get married? Yes, it’s just that we’ve both been so busy working and preparing for our babies that we haven’t found time.”

Perhaps, the two lovers still haven’t found the time–after all. Stay tuned, John and Kyra fans.

*Special Report with Bret Baier – 12/07/12 (@ 6:34 a.m. ET); Happening Now – 12/04/12 (@ 9:37 a.m. ET); and Studio B with Shepard Smith – 12/03/12 (@ 3:41 p.m. ET).

Kyra Phillips: I Have a Canuck Husband

John Roberts: “At some point.” Apparently, that point has arrived for CNN Newsroom anchor Kyra Phillips and FNC senior correspondent John Roberts. Even though Kyra recently claimed that she had a Canadian hubby on CNNN, her long-time fiance belied that assertion by eschewing any connubial band. However, Kyra’s “J.D.” decided to don it Monday when he guest-hosted on Special Report with Bret Baier.

Over two years ago, Kyra and John became engaged in grand fashion at Greenbrier Resort on the greens at the 18th hole (bended-knee proposal, champagne, and Tom Watson’s pin-flag congratulations). However, approximately ten months later, with their twins almost due, John seemed to cast doubt on any future nuptials in an interview with HuffPo: He remarked that there was “no plan for a wedding” but that he did expect that he and Kyra to get married “at some point.” Monday, John seemed to signal that “point” has come and Kyra does now indeed have her Canuck hubby as he dutifully wore his wedding band on Special Report.

Congratulations, Kyra and John!

Roberts: No Silver Fox

What was “the wife” Kyra Phillips thinking? Former American Morning co-anchor John Roberts made his virgin appearance on Fox News yesterday on Studio B with Shepard Smith with a drab brown suit and a recently colored coif to match. Unfortunately, CNN’s celebrated silver-maned alpha male looked more like an FNC brown-haired beta boy.

When Roberts made his surreal appearances on Studio B with Shepard Smith, Special Report with Bret Baier, and Fox Report with Shepard Smith, he seemed to sense his fans may not be completely on board with his transition to Fox News. As hosts Shepard and Brett heartily welcomed him aboard, Roberts barely mustered much beyond a mere “thank you” to his new colleagues.

As usual, Roberts’ report (on Congressional safety) was well done but the presentation was certainly not in his usual confident, amiable manner. Like his recent American Morning colleague Kiran Chetry, he may still consider CNN the “gold standard” but he needs to buck up. And, John, even if you are FNC’s senior national correspondent, you can loosen up, too: you’re not on CNN anymore.

O’Reilly: New Krauthammer Segment?

Last night Fox News host, Bill O’Reilly, announced a probable new O’Reilly Factor segment with Charles Krauthammer, a Pulitzer-winning conservative syndicated columnist and regular panelist on FNC’s Special Report. As he introduced Krauthammer in a segment entitled, “Inside Story,” O’Reilly stated, “Tell us what’s really going on inside the Obama administration right now….The concept of this, and we’re hoping to make it a regular segment with you, is that you find something that the folks may not know.” Given the chance, there is little doubt that “America’s most influential commentator” (according to the Financial Times in 2006) will indeed do so if given the chance.

O’Reilly Factor (01/26/10) – @8:48 p.m. ET

Leave It to Baier

FNC’s Special Report anchor Bret Baier did not particularly appreciate being compared by Glenn Beck to Beaver Cleaver today. After Baier’s preview of his program during the Glenn Beck show, Beck commented, “Bret, you look, honestly, you look like somebody that should be on ‘Leave It to Beaver’: You look like you’re eighteen years old.” Visibly miffed, the fresh-faced replacement for FNC’s journalistic pillar Britt Hume deadpanned, “That’s really, that’s really wonderful: That’s a wonderful tease. Thank you very much.”

Beck replied, “I don’t mean that as a slam. I guess that sounded bad, didn’t it?” Trying to dig himself out of the hole that he had dug for himself, he said, “You just look like a clean-cut, all-American, I’m-in-there-pitching-for-you kind  of guy.” Ostensibly accepting his explanation, Bret replied, “Well that’s it: I am.” As an aside, after the segue, Beck commented, “He’s going to hate me.”

In truth, Baier does look a bit like the Beaver.