Couric’s new talk show to bear her name
Following in the footsteps of “Oprah,” another TV icon soon will unveil her self-titled syndicated show.
The first promotional art for the much-anticipated talk show from former “CBS Evening News” anchor Katie Couric hit the Internet on Monday with the tagline, “The Opportunity Begins September 6th.”
“Katie,” premiering next fall on ABC, is part of the agreement Ms. Couric reached with the network that enables her to contribute interviews, participate in special events coverage, and anchor television specials, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Full details on “Katie” have yet to be released, but Disney/ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney told the Hollywood Reporter earlier this summer that the program will be “topical” and “capture the zeitgeist of what people are talking about.”
This spring, news outlets spent weeks speculating that Ms. Couric would depart CBS when her contract expired in June. The Virginia native confirmed the rumors to People magazine in an April statement, saying: “I have decided to step down from the ’CBS Evening News.’ I’m really proud of the talented team on the ’CBS Evening News’ and the award-winning work we’ve been able to do in the past five years in addition to the reporting I’ve done for ’60 Minutes’ and ’CBS Sunday Morning.’ In making the decision to move on, I know the ’Evening News’ will be in great hands, but I am excited about the future.”
Though Ms. Couric did not specify what she had lined up, the 54-year-old told People, “I am looking at a format that will allow me to engage in more multidimensional storytelling.”
The perennially “perky” Ms. Couric was the “CBS Evening News” anchor from September 2006 to May 2011.
Pregnant Hilary Duff loses ’Bonne and Clyde’ role
Though she hasn’t even given birth yet, pregnant actress Hilary Duff already is learning about the sacrifices of parenting.
According to TMZ, the former “Lizzie McGuire” star was booted from the upcoming remake, “The Story of Bonnie and Clyde,” soon after the 23-year-old broke the news of her pregnancy.
“Hilary won’t be available until next June,” a source told the online news site of Miss Duff, who had snagged the role of robber Bonnie Parker. “If we could wait, we would.”
Though news outlets haven’t confirmed that the former Disney starlet was cut from the flick because of her pregnancy, many have jumped to that conclusion and bounded to her defense.
Julie Ryan Evans, a blogger for CafeMom, wrote of the news on Monday, “First of all, they could wait if they really wanted to, and plenty of pregnant women have starred in movies and television shows without ruining the story. There are special effects, stand-ins, and all sorts of other ways women can act without their pregnancy ’getting in the way.’ There are options, and pregnancy should never be used as grounds to dismiss someone from a job. … It’s amazing to me that in this day and age, such pregnancy discrimination still happens so frequently, but it does.”
Last week, Miss Duff wrote on her website that she and husband, Mike Comrie, had enjoyed their first wedding anniversary and were expecting a child.
“I can’t believe it has already been a year,” Miss Duff wrote. “We also want to share the exciting news that baby makes three! We are extremely happy and ready to start this new chapter of our lives. Thanks to everyone for the continued love and support throughout the years!”
The day after her pregnancy announcement, Miss Duff posted a picture on Twitter of a stack of Rice Krispies treats alongside the tweet, “now I can finally talk about my cravings! today it was rice crispy treats! trying really hard to give them ALL away!!!”
Filming for “Bonnie and Clyde” is set to take place this fall. As TMZ noted, producers also are on the hunt for a new Clyde due to scheduling conflicts with “The Jane Austen Book Club” actor Kevin Zegers.
Van Sustern’s husband dishes on Kardashian wedding
As celebrity watchers eagerly await more details of reality star Kim Kardashian’s weekend wedding, one attendee is talking about the high-profile gathering.
Fox News host Greta Van Susteren and her husband, John Coale, who took the 30-year-old bride to the 2010 White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, attended the ceremony.
The day was “great fun,” Mr. Coale told the Daily Caller, adding that it was free of Washingtonians.
“No other [D.C. types] there,” Mr. Coale said. “No news people.”
While Miss Kardashian and groom Kris Humphries were the obvious highlights of the wedding, Mr. Coale had a special moment himself, dancing with fashion designer Vera Wang, who made Miss Kardashian’s wedding dress. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Miss Wang comped the $20,000-plus custom dress for Miss Kardashian.
Last week, Mr. Coale told the Caller he became friends with the reality star a few years back and that they “email on a regular basis.”
Though Mr. Coale said there were no other Washington folks at the Montecito, Calif., event, the Washington Examiner’s Yeas and Nays section noted that Georgetown Cupcake sisters, Sophie LaMontagne and Katherine Kallinis showed up to the ceremony and posted pictures of cupcakes from the wedding on their Facebook page.
E! will air the wedding in a two-part TV special this fall. People magazine reportedly paid $1.5 million for photos of the ceremony.
• Compiled by Laura Donovan © 2011 The Daily Caller
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