You cross Jon Stewart and you end up getting fired
CNN IS SAYING GOODBYE to Tucker Carlson, and to the combative “Crossfire” show he’s co-hosted. Carlson, who was told Wednesday that CNN would not offer him a new contract, is expected to replace Deborah Norville at MSNBC.
“Crossfire,” the granddaddy of high-volume political debate shows on cable TV, likely will be shortened and folded into another CNN program such as “Inside Politics.”
The bow-tie wearing, conservative Carlson got into a high-profile public tussle with Comedy Central’s “Daily Show” host Jon Stewart, who blasted “Crossfire” as high-decibel “partisan hackery” during a guest appearance in October.
“I guess I come down more firmly in the Jon Stewart camp,” said Jonathan Klein, who took over as CNN’s chief executive in November.
“I doubt that when the president sits down with his advisers they scream at him to bring him up to date on all of the issues,” Klein said. “I don’t know why we don’t treat the audience with the same respect.”
For now, he can only hope
Mark Consuelos, who used to work with wife Kelly Ripa on the daytime soap “All My Children,” starts a three-episode guest-starring gig tonight on her sitcom “Faith and Hope.”
Consuelos will play a charming ex-baseball player who moves in next door to kooky Faith (Ripa) but then rejects her when she puts the moves on him.
Says Ripa: “We promised him nude scenes – with other actors, not me.”
Osbournes ready to swear off
Ozzy Osbourne and his foul-mouthed clan will be back Jan. 17 with the final 10-episode season of their reality show, MTV announced Thursday.
Ozzy, wife Sharon, daughter Kelly and son Jack first allowed cameras into their Beverly Hills home in 2002.
Said an MTV exec: “Since we began our journey with the Osbournes we have been through serious subjects like Sharon’s cancer, Jack’s rehab, Ozzy’s life-threatening ATV accident and more humorous subjects like Ozzy’s dental visits, the Osbournes’ planning a family vacation, and more dog drama then I can remember.”
Hey, Ashlee – read our lips
Ashlee Simpson, who returns with the second season of her self-titled MTV reality show on Jan. 26, has to be hoping for a better reception than she received during her halftime appearance at Tuesday night’s Orange Bowl college football championship.
The 20-year-old singer, whose reputation took a hit following a lip-synching scandal on “Saturday Night Live” in October, received a discernible chorus of boos following her performance.
Britney to again imitate art
Less than three months after announcing she was putting her career on hold to start a family, Britney Spears revealed she has begun working on a new album planned for release this summer.
Dropping by unannounced at a Los Angeles radio station, the 23-year-old Spears brought along rough mixes of a new song, “Mona Lisa.”
The birthday bunch
Keyboardist Paul Revere (Paul Revere and the Raiders) is 67. Singer Kenny Loggins is 57. Actor Sammo Hung (“Martial Law”) is 53. Actor David Caruso is 49. “Today” show co-host Katie Couric is 48. Actress Hallie Todd (“Lizzie McGuire”) is 43. Actor Nicolas Cage is 41. Actor-rapper Doug E. Doug is 35. Actor Dustin Diamond (“Saved by the Bell: The New Class”) is 28. Actor Liam Aiken (“Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events”) is 15.