Howard Stern & The Talk Hosts "Talk" About Leah and Holly!

Well I do hate beating a dead horse, but here we go!  The Talks hosts are visiting New York City this week and while they are here they stopped by to chat it up with Howard Stern.  Howard Stern never minces his words and no one is going to side step his questions.  So, during the second 15 minutes of the interview, he zeroed in on why the hosts have not discussed the departure of Leah Remini and Holly Robinson Peete?  He made sure to mention that fans were upset at not having their questions answered and blamed the decision almost entirely on Julie Chen. I am guilty of that myself. The interview did nothing to change my mind about Julie either.  Though I have lost some respect for Sharon, and Sara is just a puppet.

When Howard got the ladies, Julie Chen, Sara Gilbert and Sharon Osborn all chatty, he made his move and asked what has been on everyone's mind since before season two started, why were Leah and Holly let go?

It seemed Julie was about to answer, when Sara Gilbert jumped in to say she would answer for Julie, after all she graduated from Yale.  First of all she said Julie was not the witch everyone thought she was.  I'm sure the fact that Julie is married to the head of CBS, Sara's boss, did not have anything whatsoever to do with Sara's defense of Julie.  Then Sara proceeded to give an explanation which was not satisfying at all.  Sara says, "Julie is definitely not the bad guy."  Then she blames it on "the show being run by the studio, the network, an EP (I guess that executive producer) and that's where the creative decisions are coming from...these kind of changes happen all the time on these shows, and basically that's the creative force behind it."  And so, when people are blaming Julie they are looking for a scapegoat or something."  Howard Stern jumps in with, "I like you Sara but I smell a cover up here, a little bit."  So do I, but you probably guessed that.  It shouldn't have taken months to say these things and yet it did.

A few minutes alter Howard gets back to the Leah and Holly issue and they discuss why Julie did not want them discussing Casey Anthony while she was away.  Legal issues.  It's about getting sued and CBS does not want to get sued when hosts do not adhere to the rules.  She says "some" people had issues with using the word allegedly or in my opinion and that's why there was so much "journalistic" concern. Julie saw it as protecting the network and each other...not being overbearing and controlling.

Howard wants to know why no one called Leah or Holly to discuss it with them and Sharon blurts out, "Why should we call them? What's there to discuss!"  Right here, Sharon shows her true colors of what kind of friend she is.  She had to have known how hurt and betrayed both Leah and Holly felt.  A few kind words and an explanation to them and their fans might have averted all these long months of hard feelings.  Howard agrees with me.  Sara chimes in that she talked to them, but not about what was said.  Sharon made another hurtful remark implying that Leah and Holly didn't know "who they were."  Really Sharon?  Then Sharon admits that she spoke to Julie about the fact that Leah and Holly were not "working" out.  Way to stick in a knife and twist it good!

So, I wonder why the hell they couldn't have said any of that months ago.  It comes across much worse now. Sara and Sharon sound like backstabbers and I am really disappointed with Sharon.  Her comments were totally insensitive. With friends like Sharon, you don't need enemies do you?  After listening to the interview and particular comments I think the fans outrage was justified.  I don't agree with their remarks, but I might have let it go had they spoken to Leah and Holly and then their viewers and cleared the air.  Obviously they had specific reasons for not asking them back so why all the secrecy?  They handled this badly and unprofessionally and let that be a lesson to anyone who works with them in the future


Whole Interview here: Howard Stern Gets Hosts to "Talk"

The Talk, Julie Chen, CBS



A while ago I wrote a blog about the changes on The Talk. They were eliminating Leah Remini and Holly Pete Robinson from the show. I was shocked, but just reported what I read and reacted to it. However, since then, I did another search to get the “facts” and what I found out made me peeved. Now let me say I was not a huge fan of The Talk, I did watch it and got a few laughs. This is not about an obsessive fan who wants her hosts back. This is about my sense of right and wrong and how this was all so mishandled and unprofessional.  I woke up pissed and here is why.

Here is what I learned. Leah and Holly worked with the other co-hosts to create the Talk. They put their hearts into developing it along with the other women. When the season ended, they did not have a clue they would not be coming back or replaced. Suddenly, they find out, along with everyone else, that they were not going to be “asked back” which is a nice way of saying they were fired. They were given no explanation and neither were viewers. When season two started, there was absolutely no mention of either of them not being there or why they were gone. The audience was just supposed to accept it and move on. And many fans have NOT moved on! They have started Facebook pages in protest and trying to get Leah and Holly a new show. To be honest, Leah, Holly and Sharon Osborn is what made the show good and funny. Now they have Sarah Gilbert, who without Leah is as dry as toast. They have Julie Chen, who if she was disliked before, is now detested. They have Sharon who just announced she was taking a 3 week vacation till October (and I hope she doesn’t come back at all). Two new people were added and I think they are no match for Leah and Holly.

What do I think was behind this debacle? Julie Chen. Why would she sabotage a successful show and get rid of two of the people attracting viewers? Jealousy. Leah and Holly were getting attention, attention that she wanted for herself. Julie is not likable. She puts people off. She has control issues. She is full of herself. Also, Leah and Holly are much prettier than Julie Chen. Julie Chen is insecure. They hired two women who are clearly not as beautiful as Leah and Holly to replace them. Coincidence?

Maybe if her husband wasn’t Leslie Moonves, president of CBS, it would be her ass out of the show. But no, it’s two of the popular hosts that were not asked back. One has to ask, what kind of business decision is that? Maybe Les needs to consider retirement? Who shoots themselves in the foot by ruining a popular show? CBS does.

Why am I upset? I am upset at the way they handled the whole situation. Leah and Holly deserved to be treated better than that for all their hard work. They are the ones who launched the show and got the viewers to tune in. They helped make it was it was and for their trouble, they were stabbed in the back? Not even the courtesy to discuss the decision ahead of time and give them a heads up before it hit the media. Blindsided by the people they considered to be friends? I have been also following some of Leah’s tweets. Leah has said that she has NOT heard from anyone except Holly. She must be hurt. She and Sarah Gilbert appeared to be good friends. And what about Sharon Osborn? She is miss independent, I don’t care what anyone thinks, this is my opinion Sharon. You would think she would have picked up the phone and offered some comfort to her costars. That is what bothers me. The backstabbing of the network and Julie Chen, and the lack of communication on the part of Sarah and Sharon with their “friends.” Can you imagine how much that must have hurt? And yet both Holly and Leah are handling the situation with grace and class. And how can they not? If they defend themselves and speak up against CBS they could be hurting their own careers. They just have to accept what was done and move on. However, I am not accepting it. I chimed in with some of these Facebook pages to help spread the word. I called CBS and voiced my discontent. I do not appreciate how these women were treated and I have nothing invested in them or the show. It’s just about my sense of fair play, ethics, decency; none of which was shown by CBS and Julie Chen. There is no way they can right this wrong. They are just waiting for people to forget about Leah and Holly and hope they can save the show. Julie Chen is not enough to save the show. People will not forget.

CBS and Julie Chen owe everyone an explanation for this situation. They were not acting in the best interest of the show or CBS with this change. Maybe stockholders should be calling old Les and asking WTH was he thinking? It’s their money he is playing with. He strokes his wife’s super ego at their expense, at our expense at Leah and Holly’s expense?

Shame on you Sarah Gilbert for not even calling your “friends.” Shame on you Sharon Osborn, you are outspoken on all things except this, which you know was wrong. Julie Chen, maybe it’s time you packed your bags and got evicted from the Big CBS House? If we took a vote today, America would send you packing and bring back Leah and Holly. And Les, big shame on you for allowing your personal life to interfere with your professional life and your responsibility to your network. I hope CBS has it’s EYE on you!