NYPost

STRUGGLING CNN WOOS CLINTON

By RICHARD JOHNSON with Paula Froelich and Chris Wilson

FRESH off hiring former "NYPD Blue" beauty-turned-sizzling-nude-model Andrea Thompson, CNN may have found its next star - Bill Clinton.

Sources close to the 24-hour cable news network say the former president has been approached by Bob Pittman, chief operating officer of CNN parent AOL Time Warner, about hosting a talk show on CNN.

One executive close to Pittman characterized the talks as "informal," but insisted that the AOL Time Warner titan is "very serious" about actually reeling Clinton in.

"It works for everybody," said the source. "CNN gets its ratings and Clinton gets back in front of the cameras and makes some money."

One insider predicted that if Clinton lands the gig hosting a one-hour talk show similar to "Larry King Live," he'd command at least $15 million.

"Larry makes $7.5 million - Clinton's worth twice that any day," the exec said.

CNN has been on a "celebrity" hiring spree lately in an effort to revitalize its sinking ratings. The news channel recently hired the busty, blond Thompson to help boost ratings at its sister channel, Headline News, and has brought back former "Moneyline" anchor Lou Dobbs to help bring in more viewers.

A rep for Pittman refused to comment on his talks with Clinton.

And Clinton's lawyer insisted that any deal is still far from the table.

"The president has had a large number of offers from print and broadcast news organizations," said Robert Barnett, who is handling all of Clinton's post-presidential endeavors. "For now, we are not considering or negotiating any of them."

But Barnett said he is working on landing a book deal for Clinton - the details of which remain under wraps. Pittman's overture to Clinton follows recent reports of a potential merger between CNN and CBS News. The cable network - looking to beef up its celebrity quotient - has been looking at ways to get CBS's highest-profile anchors on some of its own programs. The prospect of longtime CBS anchorman Dan Rather appearing on CNN has been at the heart of the negotiations, say sources closes to the talks.

"Imagine a night in which Clinton and Rather had shows back-to-back. It would be a blockbuster," said one network insider.

-- Anonymous, May 05, 2001

Answers

Response to CINTON - Struggling CNN woos him for talk-show

Obviously CNN does stand for Clinton New Network. It will also guarantee that I will NOT watch CNN for anything, I will watch MSNBC or FOX and somehow I don't think I will be the only one.

The idiots at CNN must think that most of the US are idiots - but we arent'.

-- Anonymous, May 05, 2001