Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Campbell Brown Gone From CNN: Does Anyone Care Anymore?

A career that had so much promise has apparently hit a major snag as Campbell Brown removed herself from CNN and her own show because she just wasn't getting it done. It's a long time from when she was possibly the hottest free agent in the TV news business. She was a fill-in on NBC Nightly News, Today weekend anchor, and had crafted quite a good reputation amongst the cappers and devotees of gorgeous newswomen. She had started out without much of a profile as she was a White House correspondent and didn't really got a lot of glam air time and then once she was promoted to the Today show it took her a while to shed her stiff and serious reporter's shield and loosen up, but when she did, it turned out to be pretty good. There was all sorts of speculation and thinking that she could go to either ABC or CBS and take the anchor chairs or a morning show chair. But no. In the first of what I thought were really bad ideas, she went with CNN. And not only that, she was pregnant, having married Republican operative Dan Senor. I would probably have said the marriage itself was a bad idea but I'm going to be charitable. She wanted a family, and well, now she has it. Her being pregnant really stifled any real good chance for her show to gain momentum and take on a personality. While she did show well when the show first started with a lot of good shots, and set furniture that really helped out, things began to take a downward slide. She stopped wearing anything good. The set changed. Hell, one time after I stopped recording the show, I peeked over just to see, and I could tell she was wearing sneakers. It had gotten that bad where she had so little enthusiasm for the show that she was wearing sneakers. So it was not a surprise that she has left. I don't have any interest in how the show competed with (or didn't) its 8 PM rivals. None of those shows feature any GN's. It's just a shame that a slot that was held before by one of the great all-time GN's, Paula Zahn, who also left CNN in disgrace, evolved into Campbell's show, and the same fate has befallen her. I have no idea what the future holds for Campbell. Where will she go now? Will she go anywhere? And what of CNN and the people still there? I have to be pretty nervous and worried if I am one of the on-air talents there. So many have left. Kiran is now about the only GN left. Her show's ratings can't possibly be any good. How much longer does she stay? How much longer does CNN stick with the show, or do they re-invent and re-vamp as is rumored?

Thursday, April 29, 2010

4/28

Not a real busy day but there were some highlights. HD is very good to Jennifer Ashton, or that the other way around? Susan Koeppen did not give us any goodness and that's too bad. Stephanie Abrams was back in the skirts today and about time. Natalie showed why sheer black looks the best on legs. It's a bolder look for sure and of course, it does the trick in catching the eye. Margaret Brennan has been out this week but we haven't gotten much from the tag teams of girls covering for her. Melissa Lee also showed probably the most leg I've seen out of her.


Tuesday, April 27, 2010

4/27

Nothing from the financial nets today really as they focused on the congressional hearings. Trish Regan made an unfortunately rare appearance on the Today show hawking a new clock gadget from Sony. She showed off a pretty trim body after having her kid. A couple of shots she looked absolutely stunning. We need to see more of her in these kinds of situations. With CNBC depleted of hotties, they need to take advantage of those that they have.


Monday, April 26, 2010

4/26

Today was pretty good overall. Despite some people not looking their best like Robin, Stephanie, Megyn, it was busy enough that I didn't mind too much. We had a bit of everything. Some comedy with Kiran running somewhere off to the left of the screen. But the main highlight of the day was the Early Show, finally, finally, finally, going full HD. Like, duh, it's fricking 2010 people, get with the program you know? But it looks damn good. Looks better than the Today show. It has a crispness and the colors are not too saturated. The Today show always looks a bit too orange to me. GMA's without a doubt the worst. Coincidentally, we saw that CBS hired Taryn Winter Brill (funny name, hot chick) as the color and culture (I made that up) correspondent. Every show needs that, someone who goes off and does the lighter, fluffier pieces that every morning show needs. She had appeared on GMA before. I don't recall if she was ever really a member of the team or not. But this shows that CBS is getting serious with stocking up on the babes. Only a couple years ago was it pretty fallow. I still think that Tracy Smith always got the shaft and that she should have gotten something, but I think she succumbed to the baby syndrome and is more or less not really working anymore which kinda sucks. But CBS is now appearing to realize that, you know, having hot chicks on staff is, like, cool, you know?

Sunday, April 25, 2010

4/24

Looks like Alisyn was out ill and Juliet Huddy, who has become Fox's go-to super sub, stepped in. Biana Golodryga continues to mystify and cause me to scratch my head. I do not understand what her problem is. She clearly does not understand the purpose of her job and why she is here. She is clearly the hottest female on the ABC News staff. The mystery is why she has chosen not to display her wares fully in that position. I don't know whether it's a sense of entitlement, arrogance, or that her engagement has diminished her feeling that she needs to bring it when she goes to work. The fact is, no one would give a crap about her if she wasn't hot. That's not an insult, that's the truth. This is a visual entertainment business, and you get into the business because you look better than the other person. That may be in the form of simply looking better physically or dressing better or whatever. It's always a combination. The best of the lot never rely on one thing. You have look good both physically and sartorially. Biana needs to watch the other channels and see what Amy and Rebecca are doing. They understand what their job is. They understand that they need to do their job well in all aspects. Now like before I'd be willing to give Biana a pass because, like Kate, she'll usually do better the next day. Well, I got bad news for you. Sunday wasn't any better. Which is particularly disappointing. Marysol felt absolutely no reason to wear pants this weekend. I don't see why Biana did. Nobody is tuning into GMA is to see Biana wear a nice pair of pants, I'm telling you that. It frustrates and disappoints because Biana could have so easily taken the newsreader job when it opened up on GMA. There were many women who have more reason to get that job encapsulated in their little finger than Jujube does in her whole body. The current GMA crew just looks disastrous. They just look weird. You got little midget George standing next to gigantic Robin Roberts. You got Jujube looking like she ought be dropping the kids off at school. You got Sam Champion looking like, well, who gives a shit. The lineup of people they have in reserve like Elizabeth Vargas, Sharyn Alfonsi, Biana, Ashleigh Banfield, Claire Shipman, jesus h, anyone of them would have been better. It's pretty bad when you look forward to someone going on vacation on that show.


4/23

Friday looked pretty good. Becky looked particularly good. They were promoted the Berkshire Hathaway meeting which I'm sure Becky will be attending and once doing everything short of giving the Buffmaster a Quick one. Funny thing is, she was just out there, so I thought that was for this annual meeting. I'm confused. Megyn was out so Shannon Bream was in for her. I didn't get a really good shot of her. That desk has got to go. It was a repeat of Happy Hour Ladies' Night but with somewhat longer skirts. Too bad. Still nice to see. Thing about Sandra is, sometimes she looks funny. I don't know whether it's the lighting or the makeup but there was this one shot of her from the 11 AM show and she looked weird.


Friday, April 23, 2010

4/22 Welcome to Foxy's Angels!

This day was pretty good. The only thing bad was that Natalie wasn't wearing anything good and for some reason that hideous Natasha Curry continues to somehow be Robin Meade's number one sub. I don't know how she has a job what with her voice and her never-changing wardrobe. I swear she wears the same black pants all the time, and I'm sure it's hiding a big butt. But aside from that, the highlight of the show was Foxy's Angels on Happy Hour. I believe the firs time ever that they had three female hosts. They've had two before but never three. And it was the right three too, Sandra, Go-Go and the seriously underutilized Nicole Pettalides. The only thing better would have been somehow sneaking Jenna Lee in, but that would be asking for too much.


Thursday, April 22, 2010

4/21

Nothing really amazing today, but nothing really terrible either.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

4/20

Becky was looking better with a shorter white leopard print skirt. Courtney was in for Gretchen on Fox & Friends and boy did she look like a bump on the log when Beck was on. She is incapable of having any kind of serious discussion. If it's not about fashion or entertainment or something light, she is useless. Once again, the curse of the dual pants hit the Today show. For some reason it always seems like Ann and Natalie coordinate their outfits. Megyn was back to her usual goodness but she has to keep it up. No taking days off!


Tuesday, April 20, 2010

4/19

Monday was pretty good overall. Stephanie returned from wherever. Why does it seem like she is off every other week? I mean is she on assignment those weeks? What gives? As I mentioned in my tweet, I'm starting to get worried about Megyn. I mean, when she's hot, she's smoking, but she starting to get very inconsistent. She needs to understand that she cannot take days off, and she's starting to do that. I don't see Gretchen taking a day off, I don't see Alisyn ever take a day off, I've never seen Martha do that. Megyn is supposed to be the top female at the network now. She needs to represent the ideal Fox female, the top of the group. She cannot look worse than the number 4 or 5 woman there. She needs to look and be the best. If she can't be that, then she shouldn't have the job. I've been recording a portion of the 10 AM hour of Headline News. I don't understand why Richard Freakin' Lui has a job. Why isn't Susan Hendricks on more often? How is it determined who does that hour?

4/18

Two days late, I know. Forgot to even post the links to Twitter. Oh well. Anyway, Sunday was pretty good. Alisyn continue some thigh goodness. She knows how to take a reasonable modest skirt and make it shorter than a cheerleader's outfit. Ashleigh continued her good showing again. I don't know what the future bodes for her, but I hope we see more of her in whatever capacity ABC sees fit. Seeing what kind of talent that they have, it just stuns me still that Jujube of all of them gets the newsreader role. Someone at ABC must be regretting that decision. Juliet was on Fox Report. Guess they are trading her and whoever else off. Eh, Juliet's aged now, and seeming to try to hold on to something.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

4/17

Saturdays are definitely looking up from before, specifically for CBS. What an improvement. I don't know what the regular lineup is going to be like when everyone gets back from maternity leave but I hope that they stick with Betty and Rebecca for Saturday. Maybe they already confirmed it and I didn't pay attention. Also, Ashleigh Banfield has taken a long circuitous route from stardom for her coverage of 9/11 back to network TV. She had apparently gotten married, disappeared for a bit, worked at Court TV, and whatever. Glad to see her back and looking good. And it's hard to argue with Amy and Lynn Berry on Today. Heather Nauert was a nice surprise on Fox Report. I guess they are rotating people through that spot during Julie's leave. Geraldo ditched the chair for Kimberly which was a little annoying but she still had a real nice dress on.