Channel Surfing
by Laura Nachman
Bucks County Courier Times
July 1, 2003

Kerri Lee's Dark Side

       Following the trend of blondes going brunette, WTXF "Good Day Philadelphia" host Kerri-Lee Halkett has darkened her hair.  Halkett reports, "I've been swamped with emails about my hair. Must be a slow news week."   Halkett said the reaction to the change has been mostly positive, including from Halkett's boyfriend, Jim Liott, WTXF's manager of information systems.


       According to newspapers in New York, former WTXF "Good Day Philadelphia" host Dave Price could be joining the "CBS Early Show."  Price, who had a "cup of coffee" here in the late 90's, recently left his weather position as a weatherman for Fox New York's "Good Day New York."  The CBS morning show's latest incarnation features Harry Smith, Hannah Storm, and Julie Chen (also known for "Big Brother.")


       Former "Good Day Philadelphia" entertainment reporter Molly Mayock, seen on the season premiere of HBO's "Project Greenlight" is teaming up with two fellow "PGL" finalists to make the film "Prisoner."  Mayock, who was one of the ten screenwriting finalists selected from thousands of entries to the Ben Affleck/Matt Damon show,  is now represented by agent Caren Bohrman, the daughter of former  KYW news anchor Stan Bohrman (1980-1983), who died in 1994. 


       Though Larry Mendte doesn't premiere on KYW-3 until September 15th, his first day at work at his new station is tomorrow.

       KYW will do their 5 p.m. newscast live from the beaches of Ocean City, New Jersey Thursday.  Pat Ciarrocchi, Ukee Washington, Beasley Reece, and Kathy Orr get the nice assignment.  No caramel corn while you are working everyone!

       The "Kelvin Beckwith Show" premieres on WPHT 1210-AM Saturday at 4 p.m.  Beckwith was the winner of the "Reality Radio" contest.  Beckwith's prize is a show every Saturday in July.  Looks like he won't be spending any weekends in Ocean City.

       WPVI will broadcast the Philadelphia July 4th festivities beginning with the presentation of the Liberty Medal to United States Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor at 9 a.m. hosted by Jim Gardner. At 7 p.m. Dave Roberts and Cecily Tynan (It still seems weird not writing Dave Roberts and Lisa Thomas-Laury) will co-anchor the "Fourth of July" parade.  At 8:30 p.m. the annual concert features Willie Colon, Musiq, Melba Moore, and Peter Frampton, who comes alive again. Fireworks follow.  Does anyone else remember when Frampton headlined the old JFK Stadium circa 1977?

       KYW tough-guy reporter Walt Hunter showed his mellow side as he was spotted at the James Taylor concert last week.

       WCAU reporter Luann Cahn, recovering from kidney surgery will return to the station in September to lead WCAU's first-ever investigative team called the "NBC-10 Investigators."  However, Cahn's husband WCAU photographer, Phil Houser, won't be part of that team.  "We learned a long time ago, it was best that we didn't work together," laughed Cahn.

       Last week, CN8's Lynn Doyle professionally handled a heart-wrenching interview with parents of Jason Sweeney, the Fishtown teenager who was murdered by his friends.  It is commendable that "It's Your Call" didn't avoid doing a big Philadelphia story, despite its recent expansion to New England.

       On the other end of the scale, CN8 will provide laughs other than when Arthur Fennell puts his pen in his pocket at the end of each newscast, on "Comcast Comedy Spotlight" Sunday at 9 p.m.

Two Thumbs Down

       Especially, now that we are in the heart of the big summer movie season, it is terrible that KYW buries the movie review show "Ebert and Roeper" at 2:05 on Sunday morning.