'Dealer'-in-Chief? Bush Hits Game Show

It's clear the legend can't hack it anymore

(NEWSER) - If you needed proof that it’s time for Larry King to retire—beyond the plummeting ratings —you got it during his painful interview with Lady Gaga. The interaction was a total dud, despite Gaga’s obvious willingness to have fun. “If he can no longer hit a hanging curve ball over the middle of the plate, shouldn’t CNN be thinking hard about who is on deck?” writes David Carr of the New York Times . More»

These guys get no respect, and they deserve it

(NEWSER) - You rarely see Carrot Top or Gallagher anymore, but showbiz is still full of guys who just aren’t funny. Sarah Bell of Newsweek points out the worthiest tomato targets:

• Larry the Cable Guy: A really, really poor man’s Jeff Foxworthy, minus any actual jokes.
• Carlos Mencia: Makes a living mocking mentally handicapped people and “beaners.” Dave Chappelle, he ain’t.

Star Trek actor and husband just marked 1st anniversary

(NEWSER) - The new version of the Newlywed Game will feature a gay couple for the first time—Star Trek actor George Takei and his husband Brad Altman, Queerty reports. Takei and Altman just celebrated their first anniversary—they’ve been together for 22 years but didn’t tie the knot until the brief legal window in California last year. The show airs on the GSN cable network next month. More»

Ex-president's daughter will report on education, not politics

(AP) - The Today show's newest hire has extensive White House experience—she's Jenna Hager, the daughter of former President Bush and Laura Bush. The new correspondent will contribute stories about once a month on issues like education, not politics, Today executive producer Jim Bell tells the AP, adding that the unsolicited offer wasn't a quid pro quo for an interview with her father. Hager, 27, is a teacher in Baltimore. More»

Broadcasters say 'overexposed' prez wastes valuable time

(NEWSER) - Networks are not happy about the primetime hour that President Obama's July 22 news conference took up, reports Howard Kurtz of the Washington Post. Rahm Emanuel called the top brass at all three networks to ensure they carried the event. The networks both resent the pressure and complain that they’re not getting their money’s worth. “There was nothing” newsworthy, says one CBS VP. “There hardly ever is these days.” More»