Handicapping Philbin's replacement
Regis Philbin attends the premiere of "Page One: Inside The New York Times" at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center in Manhattan. (June 13, 2011) Credit: Getty Images
Three guys. Three famous guys. All good talkers. Know pop culture. Big parts of pop culture themselves. But only one of them -- assuming it will be one of them -- can replace Regis Philbin, stepping down as host of "Live! with Regis & Kelly" this fall.
But who?
On Monday, The Wall Street Journal reported that Andy Cohen, Ryan Seacrest, and Mark Consuelos have emerged as front-runners. Let's handicap the trio:
ANDY COHEN: Mr. "Watch What Happens" (and Bravo chief of programming) is arguably the best choice of this threesome -- until you start to add up the "cons." That personality -- that big, blowzy, effervescent personality -- is perfect for bibulous belligerent housewives but might be too much of a good thing when matched with Kelly Ripa, whose personality is similar. Plus, why would Disney want to cross-promote Bravo, which is owned by NBC? That makes no sense . . . at all.
MARK CONSUELOS: Help me, please. What exactly is Consuelos known for, other than a soap career and being Ripa's husband? Nice guy, but this match-up conceivably falls on the opposite end of the Cohen/Ripa scale -- too pillow-talky and dull.
RYAN SEACREST: Of course Seacrest is mentioned as a "leading candidate"; he's mentioned as a "leading candidate" for any opening. And he usually seems to land the opening too, which is the chief problem here. As perfectly good a co-host as he would be, viewers might be left with the accurate feeling that this is just another notch in that ever-expanding career-building belt as he surpasses Dick Clark as the most ubiquitous show biz everyman in history. But would "Live" and Kelly be willing to relocate to Los Angeles to meet Seacrest's schedule?
My suggestion: Let's keep on looking.
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