Friend: Piers Morgan Wants CNN to Spit Eliot Out!

By Rob Shuter Posted Oct 7th 2010 08:50AM

CNN executives are so excited about disgraced former New York guv Eliot Spitzer's new show that they are building him a brand new set at their Columbus Circle offices in NYC. However, sources tell me that one of the network's newest stars, Larry King replacement Piers Morgan, thinks they shouldn't even bother.

"This is not the sort of lead-in Piers will tolerate when he replaces King at 9PM," a friend of Morgan's tells me. "Piers is in this to win it. He isn't interested in coming in second or third to FOX or HLN. And if that means getting rid of [Spitzer] at 8PM so that he can have a real lead-in to build upon, so be it."

The reviews have been dreadful for 'Parker/Spitzer,' which is co-anchored by Pulitzer-winning conservative columnist Kathleen Parker.

After catching the debut episode on Monday, Time magazine critic James Poniewozik said the show "seemed to be working hard -- too hard -- to create a sense of intimacy between the hosts and the audience. Especially with the male half of the team, Wall Street crusader and disgraced governor/prostitution client Spitzer, with whom the term 'intimacy' carries the kind of connotations CNN would I think wish to avoid."

Gloria Goodale of the Christian Science Monitor called the show's format a "jumble" that "somebody outside of the show's programming bubble ought to have vetted."

Even worse than the reviews were the ratings. 'Parker/Spitzer's' first night averaged just 454,000 total viewers and 118,000 in the coveted 25-54 demo. That isn't gonna cut it against FOX's 'The O'Reilly Factor' (3.1 million total viewers), MSNBC's 'Countdown' (1.1 million) and HLN's 'Nancy Grace' (468,000).

One TV insider has a different take on why people aren't watching.

"No one wants to have someone like him in their living rooms while they're sitting down to enjoy dinner!" my cheeky insider believes. "It's impossible to look at that man and not think about all the young ladies he paid to have sex with him."

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Tags: Eliot Spitzer, Piers Morgan

Comments

(42)

Thursday 07 October

By Lordofall

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Spitzer is a disgusting pig. CNN should be ashamed of themselves.

Monday 11 October

By Yvonne Mortensen

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Weird sexual escapades have been going on since man kind. Mr. Spitzer just got caught-- that is all and this incident is only one form of his character. One should give him a chance to show his talent at CNN. In time his stories of "kinkiness" will fade as people tend to get bored with "old" news.

By Mr. Leo

Anderson Cooper is the only one worth watching on CNN now. Morgan's bad ratings will have nothing to do with a lead-in show.
Who wants to listen to HIM interview guests? He is a legend in his own mind only. Blah Blah Blah

By richard

What's the theme song? Love Client #9?

By John

If people couldn't sit down to dinner every time a politician who paid for sex one way or another was on the tube, we could cure obesity in America.

By Steven

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Oh really Piers won't tolerate a lead in by the likes of Elliot Spitzer?? I for one would be more likely to watch Elliot over Piers! That whole scandal that Spitzer resigned over was a big ball of crap that a Republican would have claimed false piety and gone to rehab for a week and never have resigned.

By DaTroof

Oh really? Name one. Name a Republican that has been caught with his pants down that hasn't been drummed out of politics by the rest of the RNC. Name JUST ONE Republican envolved in a sex scandal that is still in the public eye. By contrast, we have many Democrats, and Spitzer s just one of them. Typical liberal spin with no facts to back it up.

Mr. Spitzer will do a great job at CNN. Unusual sexual interests have occurred throughout man kind. We just hear about it more often in the 21st century. In time people will forget what Spitzer's "unusual" likes are and will focus only on how well he perfoms at CNN.

By anthony

this irish born englishmen. i wonder if he's even a citizen. what gives him any authority. he's crude, insulting, obnoxious, and hard to listen to. i can't watch americas got talent, because of him. i can't figure out, why they picked him to replace larry king. the guy was disgraced, involved in a controversy, at the gossip newspaper he was editor. he is no larry king. i won't watch that show with him on it.

By DAN

about peiers, i'll cut to the chase, i don't like the guy. he is very mean-spirited. he doesn't care how he insults people. he is very confrontational, and very hard to get along with, i wonder how many friends this guy has? i think he's going to fail, taking over for larry king. i know i won't watch him.

By gov111w

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Spitzer is worthless....He drags Parker down...no one cares what Spitzer has to say about anything other than you know what !!!!!

By CJ

Neither Parker nor Spitzer have ANY talent for television.

By valeskas

Who does Piers think he is. He should go back to England and get a job there. I think we have very good TV personalities here in the USA. Even though I do not agree with what Spitzer did, but why does CNN did not give the job to an american.

Friday 08 October

By Dutra

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Who is Kim Kardashioni?

By sheryl

Better still, CNN is only watched my the little minded folks. That includes Spitzer. Piers is way too good for CNN. CNN is a loosing Network.

By linjack39

I agree with Lordofall. Spitzer is a disgusting pig. I will NEVER watch him.

By bstill

I'm one with Mr. Morgan on this one!

By PHINFAN68

He fits in great at CNN..Don't you see what they think of the American people? They could'nt stop beating on this guy for buying hookers.Every show they carried was craming it down our throats but then they give this guy a show like we need to hear his view point. All I want to hear from this guy is how he lied to the people of New York. What is wrong with these public figures that they have no sense of wrong doing?

By b.borders

Piers is correct; but he better hope his show fairs better.

By Kate

It's not just that Spitzer patronized a prostitute -- as State Attorney General, he PROSECUTED prostitution rings!! He's a HYPOCRITE, as well as a creep, and that's why I will never watch that show!!

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