CNN Mulls Heir to King Throne

Here are the top candidates to fill the legend's time slot

(NEWSER) - Now that Larry King is officially hanging up his suspenders this fall, it's time to start the wild speculation about who CNN might snag to replace him! The Huffington Post breaks down the candidates. More»

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»

Happy 25th Anniversary!

(NEWSER) - Larry King celebrates the 25th birthday of his CNN show next week, but the 76-year-old may not have many more years with the network. His ratings have plunged to an average 725,000 a night, putting him well behind Sean Hannity and Rachel Maddow, as viewers opt for more partisan programs—and high-profile guests do the same. CNN won't say if it plans to renew King's contract, which is up next year, but according to the New York Times there's a growing sense within the company that it's time to make a succession plan. More»

Morgan was oversold as 'dangerous,' King snorts

(NEWSER) - Larry King was back on CNN last night and successor Piers Morgan ended up getting a grilling. The former host, who earlier said he thought Piers Morgan Tonight had been "oversold" with promos billing Morgan as "dangerous," quizzed the Brit about his idea of danger, the Hollywood Reporter notes. "Were you being facetious when you said you were dangerous? Was that an attempt at British humor?" King asked, telling Morgan he had seen him "capable," but nowhere near dangerous. "I'm from Brooklyn," he said. "In Brooklyn, if you say you're dangerous, you better be dangerous." More»

A kinder, gentler Piers takes center stage

(NEWSER) - The obnoxious Piers Morgan familiar to reality show fans was nowhere to be seen as Piers Morgan Tonight made its debut in Larry King's old time slot on CNN, say critics. Morgan was fawning and deferential during his highly publicized interview with Oprah Winfrey. Some early reaction:

• "Morgan's nerves showed in his voice, his eyes and his desperation to have physical contact with his guest," writes Chris Matyszczyk at CBS, who predicts the real test for the host will come later this week, with guests including Ricky Gervais and Howard Stern.