TV’s Star looks for other media outlets

Now that the smoke is clearing from her abrupt departure from “The View,” Star Jones Reynolds is trying to see if she has a future in television.

She’s been appearing this week as a guest host on HGTV’s top-rated show, “House Hunters,” a booking made before she left “The View.”

Reynolds announced two weeks ago she was leaving the daytime chat show because ABC wasn’t renewing her contract – drawing the anger of “View” creator Barbara Walters, who had hoped for a smoother transition.

ABC said it cut Reynolds loose because its research showed her extreme weight loss and highly publicized wedding turned viewers off.

“She became a headstrong diva who lost her way and lost her audience by becoming this self-involved star,” says Tom O’Neil, senior editor at In Touch Weekly.

However, he adds: “If she taps what made her successful before, she can become successful again.”

In Touch Weekly reported this week that both CNN and Fox News Channel have approached Reynolds about hosting jobs.

However, Fox News spokeswoman Irena Briganti says the network has had no discussions with Reynolds and has “no interest” in hiring her.

CNN spokeswoman Christa Robinson says there have been no conversations with Reynolds, although she didn’t rule out the possibility in the future.

Reynolds’ recent appearance on CNN’s “Larry King Live” was an eye-opening indication of the curiosity surrounding her exit from “The View.” The interview drew 3 million viewers, nearly triple what King’s show normally gets.

CNN quickly reran the interview at least twice – including less than 24 hours later, in direct competition with “The View.”

Reynolds also had an impact on “House Hunters,” according to Nielsen Media Research. Her debut Monday lifted the show’s ratings 36 percent over what it had been averaging this year.

While HGTV has no immediate plans to use Reynolds again, “we wouldn’t rule it out,” says network spokeswoman Cindy McConkey.

Reynolds, a lawyer, began her television career in 1991 as an analyst for Court TV, quickly parlaying that into a similar role at the “Today” show. She worked as a correspondent for “Inside Edition” and had her own syndicated show, “Jones & Jury,” which lasted one season.

That shouldn’t be held against her, since there’s a high failure rate in the syndication market, says Bill Carroll, an expert in that area for the ad-buying firm Katz Television.

Carroll says he can see Reynolds working in cable television, probably as a legal analyst.

“You can’t have that kind of a profile and the awareness that she has and not have someone out there trying to take advantage of it,” he says.

Before her recent problems, Reynolds appealed to many women who felt like they were misfits, says In Touch Weekly’s O’Neil.

At the very least, in a reality television world that can make stars of former “Brady Bunch” actor Christopher Knight and hip-hop performer Flavor Flav, there may be a role there, too.

In Touch says Reynolds is being considered for celebrity judge slots on reality shows.