Abby’s View Table: Whose F&FW Curvy Couch?

Now she’s gone. Who will rule the F&FW curvy couch? Yes, sadly, today, the sexy short-lived former queen of Fox & Friends Weekend, good girl Abby Huntsman Tweeted, “It’s official! Thrilled to return to where it all began for me @abcnews …never dreamt back then I’d one day join @theviewabc table.” Now, the question is what lovely royal will be given Abby’s crown and scepter to reign on the F&FW curvy couch after her untimely abdication.

Probably, the hottest F&FW co-host was the comely Kiran Chetry; the naughtiest, perhaps, was Juliet Huddy (who always smilingly blushed when the blonde heard her show intro’d by Playboy Playmate Jenny McCarthy, saying, “Yes, the drapes match the rug”), and the strangest transmogrifying one, Alisyn Camerota, a sexy, smart gal who later “woke” to another whole new world–CNN.

Regrettably, the sexy, sharp Puerto Rican Five siren Kimberly Guilfoyle left FNC under some less than flattering accusations. And, strangely, the leggy lovely Nicole Petallides left her FBN:AM fans without an explanation but, happily, she still graces the screen as a reporter for FBN. Molly Line seems to be a possibility since she seems to be getting more air time on FNC on shows such as Outnumbered as of late: Formerly, she oft guest co-hosted F&FW when the suits were seemingly trying to transition Aly out–without success.

So, who should be the next F&FW queen? If it were up to the author, FNC would bring back Nepalese goddess Kiran Chetry: The former F&FW & America Morning co-host has the killer looks, personality, and smarts to arouse her F&FW fans to a fabulous morning. (She’s done her time, and she has been loyal to the network and her fans.) If not Kiran, Nicole would be awesome on the curvy couch as the brainy, famously leggy Greek beauty who will waken F&FW viewers with a jolt of pulchritudinous femme fatale java.

Nevertheless, the author believes that the odds favor Rachel Campos-Duffy who has begun to occupy the center seat lately on both Fox & Friends and Fox & Friends Weekend. She’s a lovely lady who came to the public’s consciousness as a cast member on MTV’s The Real World: San Francisco before becoming a regular guest co-host of The View–and she’s the wife of Rep. Sean Duffy (R-WI). Like former F&FW co-anchor Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Survivor contestant (the predecessor of Anna Kooiman, who was the predecessor of Abby), Rachel starred in her own reality series and she has political connections like Abby Huntsman (whose dad is the current Ambassador to Russia).

Stay tuned.

 

F&F’s Hasselbeck Out: Who’s In?

“I’m just waiting on a Friend!” Today, FNC announced that Fox & Friends co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck is on her way out and that she is expected to exit the early morn cable news champ in late December according to “Variety” magazine. Elisabeth, F&F fans barely knew you!

Only two years ago (September 16, 2013), sexy Survivor celeb and The View’s erstwhile conservative co-anchor Elisabeth became the belle of the ball, replacing flirty 1989 Miss America beauty, Gretchen Carlson, who never really seemed to quite click with her male co-hosts, Steve Doocy and Brian Kilmeade. In contrast, Elisabeth was the sweet married hottie that put her boys on the curvy couch on notice from the start that she considered them brothers.

To the author who has followed F&F since the days of E. D. Donahey (a/k/a E. D. Hill), Elisabeth seemed like such a sweet, sincere soul that he could not easily snark or snipe at her–even when she became mawkish and maudlin. Nevertheless, she seemed like an odd choice for F&F‘s then EVP of Programming Bill Shine over the much beloved Fox & Friends Weekend co-host Alisyn Camerota who oft held court from the center seat on the weekend curvy couch when Gretchen was away. Of course, the long-time F&F fan was not overly surprised since Shine had similarly overlooked E. D.’s obvious successor, the smart, sexy, and charismatic F&FW co-anchor Kiran Chetry.

Perhaps, Shine will bring back comely Kiran: But, it is somewhat doubtful in light of the manner that Kiran was reportedly dismissed. If he is not ready to bring Kiran back into the fold, perchance, he will consider Aly who was always there for him on F&F First, F&F Weekend, and F&F weekday (as a sub, especially during the big news special editions). If Shine wants to stay with the Fox stable, he may want to consider Greek goddess Nicole Petallides who brings sexy back on FBN:AM on a daily basis (as F&FF once did).

[Author’s aside: Best of luck, Elisabeth! Hopefully, you will enjoy much joy, peace, success with the fam in the present and in your career in the future.]

Anna K.: “In for Elisabeth”

The younger, fresher Gretchen? Today, Fox & Friends Weekend co-host Anna Kooiman once again filled in for the increasingly absent Elisabeth Hasselbeck on F&F. The North Carolina flirty fitness fiend [vid] is a delightful break from the overly earnest Lis who is quite keen on apprising her curvy couch mates Steve Doocy and Brian Kilmeade that they are like brothers to her and embracing every guest female as if they were sisters.

True or not, Lis seems like such a sweet gal that the author is rather loathe to diss F&F‘s latest leading lady: Nevertheless, he feels as if he should give the “cruel” critique. Rhode Island’s blond beauty got off to a good start with her fun athletic antics, competing for the eyeballs of America almost a la her Survivor persona in the first days of the show. But, lately, the ever clowning cutie seems to be trying to turn F&F into a coed The View.

In contrast, Anna offers a saucier, more vivacious view. If the F&F fan liked the older queen of the curvy couch, Gretchen Carlson, s/he probably likes Anna all the more. The gals are both blond, broad-faced, and somewhat thick-thighed beauties selected by Bill Shine: However, Anna seems less of the solipsist who appears ready to recite her curriculum vitae to her audience at each and every opportunity.

Stick around for a while on F&F, Anna: Ainsley can sub on the weekends. Or, Elisabeth, at least, play the coquette on occasion–even if you don’t mean it.

[Author’s aside: Title, supra, refers to Anna’s opening F&F line, i.e., “I’m Anna Kooiman in for Elisabeth Hasselbeck this morning.”]

 

Elisabeth Hasselbeck: Who Dat?

FNC’s debutante: courtesy of the curvy couch. Fox & Friends co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck made her debut on the show–and the network– almost two weeks ago. For many F&F viewers who expected F&FW co-host and usual F&F fill-in Alisyn Camerota to take her place on the curvy couch vacated by Gretchen Carlson, it came as a shock when FNC outsider Elisabeth was named the new co-anchor with Brian Kilmeade and Steve Doocy. Naturally, Executive Programming VP Bill Shine had to do some ‘splaining–or, at the very least–to introduce in some detail this new View gal to loyal F&F viewers: He chose the latter.

In so doing, Elisabeth was feted regally on set by Donald Trump, Sherri Shepherd, and Sean Hannity as they all effusively praised the new FNC celeb to her co-hosts and F&F fans. Attempting to endear Elisabeth further to their audience, Steve and Brian elicited bio details from the blond beauty. And for those viewers who have not seen her in Survivor, The Look for Less (Style Network), or The View, a closer look was surely warranted.

Ergo, during the course of this her inaugural show, Elisabeth and her co-hosts provided the following personal info. The athletic lovely played point guard at Bay View Academy (East Providence) and softball at Boston College; studied studio art at BC; met hubby Tim Hasselbeck (then future NFL quarterback) there and married him in 2002 after about five years of dating; and even designed shoes for a while (for Puma). Of course, they also reminded viewers that Elisabeth had been on the aforementioned shows. (On a more “intimate” level, the mother of three revealed to those who thought that she was a natural towhead that she had dyed her hair brown as a college sophomore or junior–or, not!)

Good start! And, good luck, Elisabeth!

Fox & Friends’ Hasselbeck: The New View

Brian Kilmeade: “It’s time for a new day.” Yesterday, former View co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck succeeded Gretchen Carlson as the new queen of the curvy couch. After being unceremoniously snubbed by Gretch Friday, Elisabeth returned the favor by not even alluding to her predecessor (even re the segments on the new Miss America winner): The return slight was made all the more conspicuous since Gretchen was excitedly celebrating her silver anniversary as Miss America. Perhaps, Elisabeth was simply letting the past be the past: After all, FNC had just created a new studio for the “high maintenance” lovely according to Judge Andrew Napolitano.*

The Survivor siren definitely has the potential to be a successful F&F co-host: She’s bright, tough, and beautiful–and she certainly has the requisite gorgeous gams to boot. Furthermore, she surely has the right mentality about the F&F family but she took the metaphor a mite too far in her tease preview vid when she deemed her co-hosts Steve Doocy and Brian Kilmeade to be like “my brothers”: obviously, F&F uses sexual tension, real or feigned, between the boys and the gal to help propel ratings.

But, apparently, as Brian said in the opening to the latest F&F iteration Monday, “It’s time for a new day.” Hopefully, F&F can keep its natural feel and flow even with the new gal and the new set (that looks somewhat like the one at CNN’s New Day re the imposing window and gigantic couch, ironically). However, if it assumes a highbrow Upper East Side vibe, its more humble flyover fans may be less apt to follow as assiduously as they usually do.

Good luck, Elisabeth! And, welcome to the show!

[Author’s aside: Elisabeth jokingly referred to herself as “high maintenance” when Judge Napolitano suggested that FNC had built a new F&F studio for the blond beauty.]

*Fox & Friends – 09/16/13 (@ 6:36 a.m. ET)