Octagon First Call

The Rise of Country Music

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UPDATED POST (May 26, 7:00am EST): As everyone knows by know, Scotty McCreery is the winner of American Idol. He didn't do the record company any favors by hugging everyone during the final song (and not singing it) but just like country Idol contestants in the past, expect a solid career in the future.

ORIGINAL POST (May 25, 7:00pm EST): What do the current season’s of Celebrity Apprentice, The Voice and American Idol all have in common? Aside from being hit reality shows – Nashville has taken them by storm. Often in the shadows behind more mainstream stars, country musicians and country music is playing a major role in pop-culture.

Case in point:

• Celebrity Apprentice: On Sunday night, John Rich (half of the country-duo Big & Rich) was named the winner of Celebrity Apprentice beating Marlee Matlin to win $250,000 for his charity – St. Jude Children’s Hospital. He was seen as one of the best players, uniting with everyone he worked with, not burning any bridges with other contestants, and his work ethic and attitude sealed the deal.
• The Voice: On NBC’s hit singing-competition show The Voice,  Blake Shelton has received more media attention than any other judge (Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine and Christina Aguilera). Everyone is talking about him, and in our recent chat, Naughty But Nice columnist Rob Shuter dubbed him ‘the next big thing’. Having partnered with a local Ford dealership several years ago, brands will be knocking on Shelton’s door very soon.

• American Idol: The final battle was between Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina - "the boy-next-door versus the Southern belle" as Ryan Seacrest dubbed them. No matter who won tonight’s finale, the next American Idol will be heading to Nashville to kick-off their career in country music. Both are talented, charming, all-American teenagers who used their Southern charm to secure their place. At just 17 and  16-years old respectively, they are the youngest two finalists in Idol history who garnered more than 122 million votes in the finale, "the highest # of votes in the series' history."

The major reality show lacking in country stars this year was  Dancing With the Stars, who hasn’t had a country artist on since Chuck Wicks participated in Season 8. But, they made up for it during Tuesday night’s finale with a performance from former contestant and country star Sarah Evans (who has previously worked with Hallmark, Disney and St. Jude).

What does this mean for marketers? A new selection of spokespeople that’s demographic heaven to Middle America. There is something very American about country music that consumers identify; people often considering country artists likeable, caring, generous, patriotic and humble. And, the world of country music is rarely rocked by scandal. While this group is often under-utilized/over-looked – aside from superstars like Carrie Underwood (Vitamin Water, Olay), Taylor Swift (CoverGirl, Target, Sony) and Martina McBride (Sunny D, Cheerios) - we don’t expect that to be the trend moving forward.

Perhaps country music itself is gaining popularity – thanks to cross-over acts like Taylor Swift and Lady Antebellum – or perhaps the stars themselves are winning over America. Regardless, expect to see more country musicians on your TVs in the next few years.

First Call Chats With…Naughty But Nice Rob Shuter

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We had the chance to chat with PopEater's  'Naughty But Nice' columnist Rob Shuter recently. Here's what the Hollywood insider had to say about The X-Factor, who he thinks will win American Idol, and which celebrities he's following and thinks marketers should be too.

Q: With The X Factor and The Voice, there are now strong reality-signing competitions contending for the audience American Idol monopolized for so long. Do you think there’s room for all of these shows, or do you think this will have an impact on the success of future American Idol seasons?

RS: I think that there’s always room for good TV shows. So if it’s (The X-Factor) a good show, and with having Simon Cowell associated with it and having seen the UK version I think it will be good, I don’t think it will hurt American Idol or The Voice. I think people will tune in to all of them. When America’s Got Talent launched, people thought that would impact Idol and it didn’t. There is a lot of TV, a lot of channels, and it runs 24 hours a day - there will always be a place for well-produced TV shows no matter the subject matter.  

Q: Make a prediction: Who will win American Idol?

RS: The country singer: Scotty. He is going to win. The two girls will cancel each other out, and country music has such a huge dedicated fan base. There will be no competition.

Q: How do you think America will react/welcome the new British personalities on The X Factor - Cheryl Cole and Steve Jones?

RS: I know Steve from London, and he’s very talented, charming. And, they’re both very good looking people. I think if they have a good personality on the show, nationality won’t make any difference. They won’t be accepted if they aren’t good, but they are both very talented hosts. Steve could become a huge, huge star in America. The public didn’t know Ryan Seacrest before American Idol, and I think The X-Factor will do for Steve Jones what American Idol did for Ryan Seacrest.  

Q: In your opinion what’s the biggest pop-culture story so far this year?

RS: Probably the Royal Wedding. It sold a ton of magazines, had enormous amount of coverage on TV and online. And, was one of People Magazine’s biggest issues with over 2.5 million copies sold. If there is a cheating scandal in Hollywood it eventually ends. A divorce happens, or we move onto the next story. There is no end to this story. As this couple grows, we’ll be fascinated with every aspect of their lives. If they have a baby it’s a great story, and she’ll also become a fashion icon now that we’ll all follow.

The other big pop-culture story of this year is the Real Housewives of New Jersey. It premiered to 2.8 million viewers – a million more than the Real Housewives of New York. We just can’t get enough of these women. And, I heard after last night’s premiere, they’ve already gone into production for next season.

Q: Which celebrities best use social media, specifically Twitter; and who are your must-follow people (celebrities, industry, brands, etc) on Twitter?

RS: Bethenny Frankel is a wizard at self-promotion. She’s the star, the publicist, the agent – a one woman machine. No one has a better publicist than her because she is her own publicist. And, she uses social media to sell books, sell her products, to bash other Housewives. It’s extraordinary the power she has, she is her own hobby. Bethenny thinks about Bethenny the brand 24 hours a day.

The trouble with a lot of celebrities is they use social media as a press release. I’ve gone off following the Kardashians and the Housewives because all they sell are products. I really enjoy Kirstie Alley. She does promote stuff, but she doesn’t promote all the time. And, she actually gives insight into her life. She tells funny stories, gossips about other celebrities, etc. For example, she was having dinner where George Clooney was having his 50^th birthday and tweeted throughout her dinner. I felt like I was at George Clooney’s birthday party.

I also follow Lisa Rinna. She knows everyone in Hollywood and is always bumping into someone and tweeting about it. She is uncensored and doesn’t hold back. If she thinks it, she tweets it.

Q: As a Hollywood insider who you know who’s hot, who’s about to break through, etc. Who should marketers be watching? –or – Who are the most overlooked/underutilized celebrities that marketers should pay attention to?

RS: Celebrities role in marketing programs have changed. Signing celebs up for multi-year deals doesn’t work anymore. We now have very short lived celebs, gone are the days of Madonna where a celebrity could hold marketing power for 30 years. The kids from Jersey Shore are very popular, but in two years we’ll have a replacement for them. Celebrities only have power for a matter of months before someone else replaces them – it’s the factor of reality stars. Marketers should be signing celebrities for very short deals and then move on to find the next one. The exception to the rule are the Kardashians. I would have thought their  15 minutes would have been over two years ago. They continue to amaze me at keeping themselves relevant.

Country stars are the most underutilized. What celebs are hot in New York or LA, isn’t necessarily what middle America likes. Blake Shelton from The Voice is about to explode. He’ll be the next big, big thing. Also, Lara Spencer. She was the host of The Insider and is now on Good Morning America. She’s going to become the next Diane Sawyer, and will be a superstar in the media. If I was a beauty product or a brand wanting to reach out to women, I’d try to sign up Lara Spencer now.

Thanks again, Rob!

This Week on Talk Shows: May 16-20

Our Must-Sees on This Week's Talk Shows:

1. The Cast of "The Hangover Part II" premiers on May 26 and the cast will be the talk show rounds this week
2. Again this week, with finale dates for "The Apprentice," "Dancing with the Stars," and "American Idol" fast approaching, networks will be sending out the show's stars for the talk show route.

Monday, May 16

GMA: Cheryl Burke, “Pawn Stars”

"Pawn Stars" is a regular on the weekly Top 15 cable shows according to Nielsen's ratings

Today: Cee Lo Green, Shea Gallante

David Letterman: Julianna Margulies, Andy Cohen, White Lies

Jay Leno: Eva Mendes, storm chaser Reed Timmer, Tedeschi Trucks Band

Jimmy Kimmel: Kate Hudson, Windell Middlebrooks, Raphael Saadiq (R 5/12/11)

Craig Ferguson: Robot skeleton sidekick Geoff Peterson, Simon Helberg

Jimmy Fallon: Howie Mandel, the final three "Survivor" contestants, Cee-Lo Green, Randy Newman

Carson Daly: Ben Schwartz, Duncan Jones, Biffy Clyro (R 3/23/11)

Tavis Smiley: Tom Selleck

Daily Show: Jon Ronson

Colbert Report: Alison Klayman

Chelsea Lately: Kelly Osbourne, Fortune Feimster, John Caparulo, Loni Love

Conan O'Brien: Zach Galifianakis, Sig Hansen, Raphael Saadiq

Lopez Tonight: Eva Longoria, Ellie Kemper, Fitz and the Tantrums

The View: Randy Jackson, Suze Orman

The Talk: Chaz Bono, Jack Hanna

Regis and Kelly: Jimmy Kimmel, Jane Lynch, "American Idol" castoff James Durbin

Ellen DeGeneres: Shia LaBeouf, Marlee Matlin

Gayle King: Chaz Bono

Tuesday, May 17

GMA: Matthew Morrison, Donny Osmond

Today: Christina Aguliera, Jane Pauley, Mario Batali

David Letterman: Martin Short, Melissa McCarthy, Tinie Tempah

Jay Leno: Ryan Seacrest, Jordana Brewster, TV on the Radio

Jimmy Kimmel: Anthony Hopkins, Andre Agassi, "Dancing with the Stars" castoffs Kendra Wilkinson & Louis van Amstel (R 5/3/11)

Craig Ferguson: Betty White, Patton Oswalt

Betty White's May 2011 book establishes, even further, Ms. White's permanent position as Hollywood gold

Jimmy Fallon: Randy Jackson, Mario Batali, Death Cab for Cutie, Robert Randolph

Carson Daly: Adam Pally, Make Believe, the Black Angels

Tavis Smiley: k.d. lang, Daniel Dae Kim

Daily Show: Annie Jacobsen

Colbert Report: Amy Kremer

Chelsea Lately: Greg Proops, Heather McDonald, Jo Koy

Conan O'Brien: Norm Macdonald, Todd Phillips, the Joy Formidable

Lopez Tonight: Chris Colfer, Shane Mosley, Ian Edwards

The View: Jim Belushi, Andrew Morton

The Talk: Paul Reiser, Megyn Price, Dr. Ian Smith

Regis and Kelly: Chris O'Donnell, Tom Welling, Ellie Goulding

Ellen DeGeneres: Bradley Cooper, Donny & Marie Osmond

Gayle King: Jamie Foxx, Pam Slaton (R 4/18/11)

Wednesday, May 18

GMA: Shannon Miller

Today: Frankie Valli, Martha Stewart, Sam Zien

David Letterman: Keith Olbermann, Julie Bowen, Ben Harper

Jay Leno: Ed Helms, Chelsea Kane, Iron & Wine

Jimmy Kimmel: Topher Grace, Adam Carolla, Christina Perri

Craig Ferguson: Julie Andrews, Little Big Town

Jimmy Fallon: Jim Parsons, Mireille Enos, the Head & the Heart

Carson Daly: Jon Shook & Vinny Dotolo, Adam Blackstone, the Kills

Tavis Smiley: Suze Orman, Harry Shearer

Daily Show: Richard Beeman

Colbert Report: Austan Goolsbee

Chelsea Lately: Maya Rudolph, Josh Wolf, Mo Mandel, Ross Mathews

Conan O'Brien: Bradley Cooper, Chris O'Dowd, Ryan Hamilton

Lopez Tonight: Will Ferrell, Niecy Nash, Sheila E. & the Family

The View: James Woods, Cat Cora, Ming Tsai, Marcus Samuelsson, Jessie J, guest co-host Tyra Banks

The Talk: Shania Twain, Cameron Mathison, Barbara Rose Brooker

Ms. Twain is gracing this week's issue of PEOPLE and the subject of OWN's new 6-part documentary "Why Not?"

Regis and Kelly: Eric Stonestreet, Matthew Morrison, the winner of "Survivor"

Ellen DeGeneres: Patrick Dempsey, Tom Andrews

Gayle King: Wynonna & Naomi Judd, John Avlon (R 4/22/11)

Thursday, May 19

GMA: Melissa Rycroft

Today: Nirmala Narine

David Letterman: Kelly Ripa, Jennifer Lawrence, a performance by the Broadway cast of "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying"

Jay Leno: Jack Black, Mike Huckabee, Parachute

Jimmy Kimmel: Albert Brooks, Chaz Bono, Rammstein

Craig Ferguson: Tony Shalhoub, Sloane Crosley

Jimmy Fallon: Ellen Barkin, Chris Hardwick

Carson Daly: Brian Williams, Cochon 555, Nicole Atkins and the Black Sea

Tavis Smiley: Bobby Brown

Daily Show: Lisa P. Jackson

Colbert Report: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Chelsea Lately: Lucy Liu, Brad Wollack, Michael Yo, Arden Myrin

Conan O'Brien: Will Ferrell, Paul Bettany, James Blunt (OAD 5/2/11)

Lopez Tonight: Prince, Rosario Dawson (R 4/13/11)

The View: Chandra Wilson, Jonathan Lipnicki, U.S. pole dancing champion Natasha Wang

The Talk: Robin Tunney, Fabio Viviani, Dr. Raj

Regis and Kelly: Tom Selleck

Ellen DeGeneres: Josh Duhamel

Gayle King: Sanaa Lathan

Friday, May 20

GMA: Dan Harris, Emeril Lagasse

David Letterman: Tracy Morgan, Jake Johannsen, the Airborne Toxic Event

Jay Leno: Kirstie Alley, Il Volo

Jimmy Kimmel: Khloe Kardashian Odom, "Science Bob" Pflugfelder

Craig Ferguson: Carrie Fisher

Jimmy Fallon: Jim Belushi, Jennifer Lawrence, Fleet Foxes

Carson Daly: Bill Carter, 4th and Forever, Frank Turner

Tavis Smiley: Bill James, Moby

If "The Hangover Part II" follows the success of the first movie, Ken Jeong could establish himself as a top comedic actor and even more attractive for tongue in cheek campaigns (Pepto Bismol, Adidas)

Chelsea Lately: Judd Apatow, Jim Norton, Natasha Leggero, Josh Wolf (R 5/12/11)

The View: Daniel Radcliffe, John Larroquette

The Talk: Tom Selleck, Mary Hart

Regis and Kelly: Geoffrey Rush

Ellen DeGeneres: Jessica Alba, Ken Jeong

Gayle King: John Leguizamo

This Week on Talk Shows: May 9-13

Our Must-Sees on this Week’s Talk Shows:

1. The cast of Bridesmaids (Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy, Rose Bryne, John Hamm) will be featured throughout the week- the movie releases this Friday the 13^th.
2. The cast-offs from American Idol and Dancing With the Stars. AI is down to 4, DWTS to 5 and at this point in the competitions new stars are rising.
3. Chelsea Handler’s book, “Lies that Chelsea Handler Told Me” will be released on Tuesday the 10^th- the comedian is sure to be entertaining on Today, Jimmy Fallon, and Regis and Kelly.

Monday, May 9

GMA: Julie Andrews and her daughter, Emma Walton Hamilton, Donny and Marie Osmond

Today: Beth Holloway, Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph, Chelsea Handler

Handler's new book is out on Tuesday. Her other three books have already topped the Best Selling list

David Letterman: Albert Brooks, Kristen Wiig

Jay Leno: Jennifer Lopez, Chris Colfer, BC Jean

Jimmy Kimmel: Rob Lowe, Ty Pennington, Wiz Khalifa

Craig Ferguson: Jeff Goldblum, Sarah Chalke

Jimmy Fallon: Chelsea Handler, Josh Gad, Ziggy Marley

Carson Daly: Walton Goggins, Dave MacDowell, Soundtrack of Our Lives

Tavis Smiley: Bill White, Morgan Spurlock

Daily Show: Keira Knightley

Colbert Report: Lupe Fiasco

Chelsea Lately: Will Ferrell, Jo Koy, Jen Kirkman, Whitney Cummings

Conan O'Brien: Anthony Hopkins, Demetri Martin, Amos Lee

Lopez Tonight: Adrian Grenier, Sinbad, Jonny Lang, Brad Whitford & Chris Layton

The View: Michael Douglas, Donny & Marie Osmond

Regis and Kelly: Chelsea Handler, "American Idol" castoff Jacob Lusk

Ellen DeGeneres: David Spade, Bethenny Frankel

Gayle King: Edie Falco, Tracy Pollan

Tuesday, May 10

GMA: Penelope Cruz, Gayle King, Chaz Bono

Today: Paul Reiser, eliminated “American Idol”

Will be interesting to follow "American Idol's" rising stars after the show's finale

David Letterman: Mark Harmon, Chris Morgan, Hugo

Jay Leno: Julie Scardina, Ginnifer Goodwin, Def Leppard

Jimmy Kimmel: Nathan Fillion, the latest "Dancing with the Stars" castoff, Calle 13

Craig Ferguson: Kenneth Branagh, Edward Conlon

Jimmy Fallon: Keira Knightley, John McEnroe, Chris Cornell

Carson Daly: Frenchie Davis, Lost in the Trees, the Knux

Tavis Smiley: Diane Nash

Daily Show: Will Ferrell

Colbert Report: Geoffrey Rush

Chelsea Lately: Paul Bettany, Jeff Wild, Chris Franjola, Sarah Colonna

Conan O'Brien: Jennifer Lopez, Judd Apatow, Al Madrigal

Lopez Tonight: Jennifer Lopez, Chris Hemsworth

The View: Mark Harmon, Albert Brooks, guest co-host Teri Hatcher

Regis and Kelly: Keira Knightley

Ellen DeGeneres: Jennifer Lopez, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Stevie Nicks

Gayle King: Paul Reiser, David Goldman

Wednesday, May 11

GMA: Patricia Heaton, latest “Dancing With the Stars” castoffs

Alley is a clear breakout star on this year's "Dancing with the Stars"

David Letterman: Keith Olbermann, Chaz Bono, Ray LaMontagne

Jay Leno: Dick Van Dyke, Khloe Kardashian & Lamar Odom, Steve Earle

Jimmy Kimmel: Chris O'Donnell, Ginnifer Goodwin, Zac Brown Band

Craig Ferguson: Tim Meadows, Colin Hay

Jimmy Fallon: Keith Richards, Paul Bettany, Jennifer Hudson

Carson Daly: Charles Bradley, Spencer Susser, Grouplove

Tavis Smiley: Dionne Warwick, Malcolm McDowell

Daily Show: Albert Brooks

Colbert Report: James B. Stewart

Chelsea Lately: Tyrese Gibson, Josh Wolf, Brad Wollack, Heather McDonald (R 5/2/11)

Conan O'Brien: Jon Hamm, Ke$ha

Lopez Tonight: Nick Cannon, Bruno Tonioli, Musiq Soulchild

The View: Susan Lucci, Mary Hart

Regis and Kelly: Patrica Heaton, the winners of "The Amazing Race"

Ellen DeGeneres: Jon Hamm, Taylor Swift, NeNe Leakes

Gayle King: Barbara Corcoran

Thursday, May 12

GMA: Ellen Pompeo, Dr. Richard Besser

Today: Will Ferrell

David Letterman: Jim Parsons, Manchester Orchestra

Jay Leno: Norm Macdonald

Jimmy Kimmel: Kate Hudson, Windell Middlebrooks, Raphael Saadiq

Craig Ferguson: Mary Lynn Rajskub, Lawrence Block

Jimmy Fallon: Maya Rudolph, Nick Offerman, Jakob Dylan

Carson Daly: Rob Riggle, Hugo, the Greenhornes

Tavis Smiley: Betty White

Daily Show: Kristen Wiig

Colbert Report: John Bradshaw

Chelsea Lately: Judd Apatow, Jim Norton, Natasha Leggero, Josh Wolf

The cast of Judd Apatow last film are making the Talk Show rounds this week

Conan O'Brien: Magic Johnson, Maggie Q, Jen Kirkman

Lopez Tonight: Ralph Macchio, Def Leppard

The View: Ellen Pompeo, Chaz Bono, a performance by the Broadway cast of "Anything Goes"

Regis and Kelly: Penelope Cruz

Ellen DeGeneres: Shania Twain, Kym Douglas

Gayle King: John Leguizamo, Patina Miller

Friday, May 13

GMA: Matthew Morrison

David Letterman: Nick Griffin, Okkervil River

Jay Leno: Jodie Foster, Ken Jeong, Rodrigo y Gabriela

Jimmy Kimmel: Rerun TBA

Craig Ferguson: Paul Reiser, Melissa McCarthy

Jimmy Fallon: Kristen Wiig, Lenny Kravitz

Carson Daly: Anders Holm & Adam DeVine, Sam Hain, Raphael Saadiq

Tavis Smiley: Bill Moyers

Chelsea Lately: Dita Von Teese, John Caparulo, Fortune Feimster, Greg Fitzsimmons (R 5/5/11)

The View: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy

Regis and Kelly: Will Ferrell, Chris Hemsworth

Ellen DeGeneres: Colin Farrell, Christina Perri

Gayle King: Tina Fey, Nick Cannon

On The Talk Shows May 2-6

Our Must-Sees  on this week’s Talk Shows:

1. Rob Lowe was a personable hit last week on Oprah and this week will be touring to promote his memoir Story I Only Tell My Friends and will surely be promoting Parks and Recreation prior to the May 19-25 Sweeps Week.
2. Cast members from The Office (Mindy Kaling, Will Ferrelll, Steve Carell, John Krasinski, Ellie Kemper ) are heavy in the media circuit this week sure to be talking about Carell’s departure and the future for the NBC comedy staple.
3. Christy Turlington’s self-directed and produced documentary debuts on OWN this  May 7- Christy is heavy on a media tour this week for the documentary featuring mothers. Don’t forget Mother’s Day on May 8^th!

Monday, May 2

Audiences will be tuning in to see what Office Cast members have to say about Carell's final Bow

Early Show: Melissa McCarthy, Dr. Phil

Today: Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez, the Wiggles

David Letterman: Tracy Morgan, Rex Ryan

Jay Leno: Paul Walker, Donny & Marie Osmond

Jimmy Kimmel: Rene Russo, Kristin Gore, k.d. lang

Craig Ferguson: Mindy Kaling, Matt Lucas

Jimmy Fallon: LL Cool J, Judd Apatow, Ambrosia

Carson Daly: Fred Armisen, David Seidler, Broken Bells (R 2/24/11)

Tavis Smiley: Loretta Devine

Daily Show: Philip K. Howard

Colbert Report: Francis Fukuyama

Chelsea Lately: Josh Wolf, Brad Wollack, Heather McDonald

Conan O'Brien: Will Ferrell, Paul Bettany, James Blunt

Lopez Tonight: Mark Ruffalo, Yvette Nicole Brown, Rex Navarrete

The View: LL Cool J, Andrew Schorr

The Talk: Lisa Ling, Niecy Nash, Carolyn Glaspy

Regis and Kelly: Eva Mendes, "American Idol" castoff Casey Abrams

Ellen DeGeneres: Steve Carell, Alison Sweeney

Gayle King: Paula Patton

Tuesday, May 3

David Letterman: Caroline Kennedy, Ty Burrell

Jay Leno: Penelope Cruz, Maria Bamford, Ricky Martin

Jimmy Kimmel: Anthony Hopkins, Andre Agassi, the latest "Dancing with the Stars" castoff

Craig Ferguson: Geoffrey Rush, Reese Waters, OK Go

Jimmy Fallon: Whoopi Goldberg, Elmo

Carson Daly: Jason Eisener, Shane Smith, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

Tavis Smiley: Tim Flannery, Bootsy Collins

Daily Show: Rachel Maddow

Colbert Report: Rex Ryan

Chelsea Lately: Paula Patton, Jo Koy, Loni Love, Chris Hardwick

Conan O'Brien: Steve Martin, Atticus Shaffer

Lopez Tonight: Kaley Cuoco, Idris Elba, 2AM Club

Lowe's on the rise (see regurlar Parks & Rec role, Vanity Fair cover, memoir, and more sure to come)

The View: Rob Lowe, stylist Alison Deyette, guest co-host Betty White

The Talk: Jessica Capshaw, Cheryl Jackson, guest co-host Soledad O'Brien

Regis and Kelly: Andy Samberg, Melissa McCarthy

Ellen DeGeneres: Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers, Star Jones

Gayle King: TBA

Wednesday, May 4

Early Show: Candace Bushnell

Today: Shania Twain, Christy Turlington, Mark Bittman

David Letterman: Brian Williams, Rick Harrison, a Top Ten List presented by Betty White

Jay Leno: Kate Hudson, Chris Hemsworth, Sergio Mendes with Siedah Garrett

Jimmy Kimmel: Kenneth Branagh, Ellie Kemper, the 2011 National School Scrabble Champions

Craig Ferguson: John Waters, Pauley Perrette

Jimmy Fallon: Alec Baldwin, Maggie Q

Carson Daly: Anthony Ameen, Sarah Vowell, Goldheart Assembly

Tavis Smiley: Tom Selleck

Daily Show: David Barton

Colbert Report: Amy Farrell

Chelsea Lately: Melissa McCarthy, Joe Matarese, Chris Franjola, Ross Mathews

Conan O'Brien: Eva Mendes, Dan Dunn, the Belle Brigade

Lopez Tonight: Paul Walker, Mike Rowe, Julius Sharpe

The View: Dick Van Dyke, Lala Vazquez & Carmelo Anthony

The Talk: Estelle Harris, Patricia Richardson, Marion Ross, Susan Burton

Regis and Kelly: John Krasinski, Maggie Q

Ellen DeGeneres: John Krasinski

Gayle King: Rob Elder, Sheryl Crow

Thursday, May 5

Model (remember CK, Maybelline, Versace) turned director, Mother of Two, and Media Friendly,Turlington appeals to a wide and coveted demographic

Early Show: Jim Parsons, Melanie Notkin

Today: Giada De Laurentiis

David Letterman: Jodie Foster, Tom Dreesen, Neon Trees

Jay Leno: Katie Couric, Ralph Macchio, Priscilla Ahn

Jimmy Kimmel: Chris Hemsworth, Calexico

Craig Ferguson: Juliette Lewis, Phil Rosenthal

Jimmy Fallon: Tina Fey, Tom Welling, Twin Shadow

Carson Daly: Eliot Rausch, Mini Mansions

Tavis Smiley: Kenneth Branagh

Colbert Report: Bill James

Chelsea Lately: Dita Von Teese, John Caparulo, Fortune Feimster, Greg Fitzsimmons

Conan O'Brien: John Krasinski, Ian Edwards

Lopez Tonight: Eva Mendes, Mike Epps, Carlos Santana

The View: Amy Poehler, Guy Fieri, a performance by the cast of "Sister Act: A Divine Musical Comedy"

The Talk: Angela Bassett, Dave Pontell

Regis and Kelly: Kate Hudson, Jennifer Hudson

Ellen DeGeneres: Meat Loaf, Sara Niemietz

Gayle King: Rob Lowe

Friday, May 6

David Letterman: Mike Birbiglia, "The Human Fuse" Brian Miser, Brother

Jay Leno: Steven Tyler, the Civil Wars

Jimmy Kimmel: Rerun TBA

Craig Ferguson: Will Ferrell, Olivia Munn

Jimmy Fallon: Edie Falco

Carson Daly: Paul Feig, Dan Harmon, the Airborne Toxic Event

Tavis Smiley: Raphael Saadiq

Chelsea Lately: Mary McCormack, Fortune Feimster, Gary Valentine, Ross Mathews (R 4/28/11)

The View: Edie Falco, Toni Braxton

The Talk: Eva La Rue, Gina & Patrick Neely, Crystal Darak, guest co-host Gina Neely

Regis and Kelly: Jodie Foster, Ginnifer Goodwin

Ellen DeGeneres: Kate Hudson

Gayle King: Christy Turlington

This week on Talk Shows: April 18-22

Monday, April 18

Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson star in Water for Elephants premiering on April 22

GMA: Reese Witherspoon, Marcia Clark

The Early Show: Daniel Holzman, Michael Chernow

Today: Robert Pattinson, Allison Fishman

David Letterman: Chris Rock, Ellen Page, Funeral Party (R 3/31/11)

Jay Leno: Matt Damon, Betty White, Cake (R 3/1/11)

Jimmy Kimmel: Courtney Cox, Kunal Nayyar, Jessie J

Craig Ferguson: Tina Fey, Joe DeVito, Everest

Jimmy Fallon: Rachel Maddow, Colin Quinn, Tres Mts. (R 3/24/11)

Tavis Smiley: William Cohan

Daily Show: Jamie Oliver (R 4/7/11)

Colbert Report: James Franco (R 4/5/11)

Chelsea Lately: Robin Wright, Josh Wolf, Natasha Leggero, Michael Yo

Conan O'Brien: Emma Roberts, Scala & Kolacny Brothers

Lopez Tonight: Tracy Morgan, Judy Greer, REO Speedwagon

The View: Michelle Obama, Dr. Jill Biden

The Talk: Lynda Carter, Josh Hopkins

Regis and Kelly: Robert Pattinson, "American Idol" castoff Paul McDonald, guest co-host Seth Meyers

Ellen DeGeneres: Tyler Perry, Wayne Pacelle, Chelsea Kane, Mark Ballas

Gayle King: Jamie Foxx, Pam Slaton

Tuesday, April 19

Jamie and Bobby Deen with their new cookbook, “Dean Bros. Get Fired Up out in stores on April 17

GMA: Pierre Dukan, Martha Hall Foose, Donny Osmond

Today: Lois Frankel, Carol Frohlinger, Jamie and Bobby Deen

David Letterman: Katie Couric, the Pains of Being Pure at Heart (R 3/22/11)

Jay Leno: Robert Pattinson, Whitney Cummings, Alice Cooper with Dweezil Zappa (R 3/18/11)

Jimmy Kimmel: Dwayne Johnson, the latest "Dancing with the Stars" castoff, Sammy Hagar, the Belle Brigade

Craig Ferguson: Kathy Griffin, Derrick Pitts

Jimmy Fallon: Russell Brand, Gayle King, the Strokes (R 3/30/11)

Carson Daly: Robert K. Elder, Chef Ludo Lefebvre, Janelle Monae (R 2/25/11)

Tavis Smiley: Ashley Judd

Daily Show: Billy Crystal (R 4/4/11)

Colbert Report: Andrew Chaikin (R 4/4/11)

Chelsea Lately: Simon LeBon & Nick Rhodes, Ben Gleib, Brad Wollack, Jo Koy

Conan O'Brien: Tina Fey, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Plan B

Lopez Tonight: Dax Shepard, Gary Busey, Lee DeWyze

The View: Robin Williams

The Talk: Courteney Cox, Jack Hanna

Regis and Kelly: Reese Witherspoon, guest co-host Michael Strahan

Ellen DeGeneres: Tina Fey, Mike Posner

Gayle King: Michelle Obama, Dr. Jill Biden

Wednesday, April 20

Emmylou Harris's new album drops on April 26

GMA:  Paul Allen, latest “Dancing with the Stars” castoffs

The Early Show: Katie Lee

Today: Ben Stiller

David Letterman: James Franco, Royal Bangs (R 4/1/11)

Jay Leno: Kirstie Alley, Jon "Bones" Jones, Peter, Bjorn & John (R 3/24/11)

Jimmy Kimmel: Robert Pattinson, Shailene Woodley, Lenka

Craig Ferguson: Michael Clarke Duncan, Lena Headey

Jimmy Fallon: Amy Poehler, Tiger Woods (R 3/16/11)

Carson Daly: Jason Sudeikis, Elgin James, Freddie Gibbs (R 3/1/11)

Tavis Smiley: Emmylou Harris

Daily Show: Ricky Gervais (R 4/14/11)

Colbert Report: Jamie Hyneman & Adam Savage (R 4/11/11)

Chelsea Lately: Ziggy Marley, Lavell Crawford, Ross Mathews, Heather McDonald

Conan O'Brien: Tyler Perry, Morgan Spurlock, the Strokes

Lopez Tonight: Dwayne Johnson, Cat Deeley, Kimberly Clark, Zakk Wylde

The View: Melissa Leo

The Talk: Taraji P. Henson, Julie Bowen, Jason Priestley, Maya Soetoro-Ng

Regis and Kelly: Ben Stiller, Christoph Waltz, guest co-host Christian Slater

Ellen DeGeneres: Robert Pattinson, Cat Deeley

Gayle King: Bret Michaels, Kristin Gore

Thursday, April 21

GMA: David de Rothschild

The Early Show: Emily VanCamp

Today: Ingrid Hoffmann

David Letterman: Steve Martin, Selena Gomez (R 3/16/11)

Jay Leno: Bradley Cooper, Rebecca Black, Duran Duran (R 3/22/11)

Jimmy Kimmel: Christoph Waltz, Jessica Capshaw, Phantogram

Craig Ferguson: Alfred Molina

Jimmy Fallon: Howard Stern, Penn & Teller, Leon Russell (R 3/7/11)

Carson Daly: Tom Shadyac, the Voice Project, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (R 3/2/11)

Tavis Smiley: Robbie Robertson

Daily Show: Tracy Morgan (R 4/13/11)

Colbert Report: Ray Kurzweil (R 4/12/11)

Chelsea Lately: Malin Akerman, Chris Franjola, Chris Hardwick, Loni Love

Conan O'Brien: Reese Witherspoon, Kevin McHale, the Head and the Heart

Lopez Tonight: Tyler Perry, Maria Menounos, Lauren Pritchard

Maria Menounos is touring with her new book, "The Everygirl's Guide to Life"

The View: Diane Lane, Billy Blanks

The Talk: Jorja Fox, Loretta Devine

Regis and Kelly: Kathleen Turner, guest co-host Bruno Tonioli

Ellen DeGeneres: Reese Witherspoon, Paul Walker, Jackson Guthy

Gayle King: Tracy Morgan

Friday, April 22

GMA: Kirstie Alley, David Mizejewski, Greyson Chance

Today: Daniel Radcliffe

David Letterman: Jack Hanna, Danny McBride (R 3/28/11)

Jay Leno: Kourtney & Kim Kardashian, Fareed Zakaria, Mary Mary (R 3/31/11)

Craig Ferguson: Diane Lane, Karen Gillan

Jimmy Fallon: Magic Johnson, the Lonely Island, Joey Kola, Stephen Colbert (R 4/1/11)

Carson Daly: Josh Radnor, Brothers Strause, Cee-Lo Green (R 3/4/11)

Tavis Smiley: Larry Flynt

Chelsea Lately: Elizabeth Berkley, Ross Mathews, Jeff Wild, Josh Wolf (R 4/7/11)

The View: Lucy Danziger, Charlie Wilson

The Talk: Tyler Perry, Justin Kanew & Zev Glassenberg of "The Amazing Race", guest host Michelle Stafford

Regis and Kelly: Olivia Wilde, Kirstie Alley, James Blunt, guest co-host Josh Groban

Ellen DeGeneres: Gwyneth Paltrow, Darren Criss & the Warblers

Gayle King: Naomi & Wynonna Judd

Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards – Winners

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Last night's Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards, hosted by three-time host Jack Black, saw Heidi Klum get slimed, Justin Timberlake honored for his charitable efforts, and Disney stars dominating the Favorite TV Actor and Actress categories. Here's a list of the big winners from the night:

Heidi Klum Gets Slimed at the Kids' Choice Awards

• Favorite TV Show - iCarly
• Favorite Reality Show - American Idol
• Favorite Cartoon - SpongeBob Square Pants
• Favorite TV Actor - Dylan Sprouse
• Favorite TV Actress - Selena Gomez
• Favorite TV Sidekick - Jennette McCurdy
• Favorite Movie - The Karate Kid
• Favorite Movie Actor - Johnny Depp
• Favorite Movie Actress - Miley Cyrus
• Favorite Animated Movie - Despicable Me
• Favorite Voice From An Animated Movie - Eddie Murphy (Shrek Forever After)
• Favorite Buttkicker - Jackie Chan
• Favorite Male Athlete - Shaquille O'Neal
• Favorite Female Athlete - Lindsey Vonn
• Favorite Music Group - Black Eyed Peas
• Favorite Female Singer - Katy Perry
• Favorite Male Singer - Justin Bieber
• Favorite Song - Baby by Justin Bieber featuring Ludacris
• Favorite Books - Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series
• Favorite Video Game - Just Dance 2
• Arm Fart Hall of Famer - Josh Duhamel
• The Big Help Award - Justin Timberlake

This Week on TV March 14-18

Monday, March 14

GMA: Pastor Rob Bell (Author of Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Every Lived)

David Letterman: Charles Barkley, Cold War Kids

Jay Leno: Jane Lynch, Chris Matthews, Avril Lavigne

Daily Show: Prince Zeid Raad

Chelsea Lately: Isla Fisher, Sarah Colonna, Gary Valentine, Fortune Feimster

The View: Todd Bridges, Tom Shadyac, guest co-host Jeanine Pirro

The Talk: Priscilla Presley

Regis and Kelly: Edie Falco, Matthew Morrison, "American Idol" cast-off Ashton Jones

Ellen DeGeneres: Natalie Portman, Madison McKinley

Gayle King: Lady Gaga, Brian Williams

Tuesday, March 15

Today:Ted Danson, Kristi Yamaguchi, Tom Colicchio, Daniel Radcliffe

GMA: John Boehner, Sammy Hagar

David Letterman: Bradley Cooper, Mindy Kaling, Bob Geldof

Jay Leno: Wanda Sykes, Simon Pegg, Juanes

Jimmy Kimmel: Jane Lynch, David Boreanaz, Avril Lavigne

Craig Ferguson: Martha Stewart Jimmy Fallon: Ted Danson, Kenny Rogers

Carson Daly: Lykke Li, Grace Potter, School of Seven Bells Tavis Smiley: Wynton Marsalis

Chelsea Lately: Sophie Monk, Chris Franjola, Josh Wolf, Celia Pacquola

Conan O'Brien: Javier Bardem, Rashida Jones, Steel Train

Lopez Tonight: Seth Rogen, Ginnifer Goodwin, Sick Puppies

The View: Taye Diggs

The Talk: Tyra Banks

Regis and Kelly: Jason Bateman

Ellen DeGeneres: Patrick Dempsey, Rashida Jones, Zac Brown Band

Gayle King: Lisa Kudrow, Bill Paxton, Isaiah Mustafa
Wednesday, March 16

Today: Mark Bittman

GMA: Liz Pryor, JuJu Chang, Becky Worley

David Letterman: Steve Martin, Selena Gomez

Jay Leno: Matthew McConaughey, Rizwan Manji

Jimmy Kimmel: Kristen Wiig, Adam Scott, the Wombats

Craig Ferguson: Seth Rogen, Brie Larson

Jimmy Fallon: Amy Poehler, Tiger Woods

Carson Daly: Amanda Palmer, Kat Corbett, Matt & Kim, Screaming Females

Tavis Smiley: Meghan Linsey, Joshua Scott Jones, Ed O'Neill

Daily Show: Trey Parker & Matt Stone

Colbert Report: Joshua Foer

Chelsea Lately: Anna Faris, Jeff Wild, Natasha Leggero, Ross Mathews

Conan O'Brien: Ricky Gervais, Kaitlin Olson, Cheap Trick

Lopez Tonight: Justin Timberlake, Stephen Dorff, Ciara

The View: Marisa Tomei, Michael Flatley

The Talk: Miranda Cosgrove, Jean Chatzky

Regis and Kelly: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Beals

Ellen DeGeneres: Paula Abdul, Richard Simmons, Jordan McCabe

Gayle King: Chris Colfer, Russell Simmons

Thursday, March 17

Today: Amy Ryan, Michelle Ree

GMA: Trey Parker and Matt Stone, Becky Worley

Jay Leno: Rainn Wilson, Epic Meals with Harley Morenstein & Sterling Toth, Serj Tankian

Jimmy Kimmel: Matthew McConaughey, Jena Malone, Young Dubliners

Craig Ferguson: Mila Kunis, Geechy Guy

Jimmy Fallon: Howard Stern

Carson Daly: Gale Anne Hurd, Mia Moretti & Caitlin Moe, Lissie and Calre Burson

Tavis Smiley: Clive Davis, Lawrence Goldstone

Daily Show: Howard Stern

Colbert Report: Dan Sinker

Chelsea Lately: Rihanna, Josh Wolf, Fortune Feimster, Adam Hills

Conan O'Brien: Larry King, Shaun White, Iron & Wine

Lopez Tonight: Cameron Diaz, Jason Priestley, Luke Perry, Greg Fizsimmons

The View: Steve Martin

Regis and Kelly: Daniel Radcliffe, Bridget Moynahan

Ellen DeGeneres: Halle Berry, Josh Groban

Gayle King: Dr. Gail Saltz, Chris Cuomo, Lea T
Friday, March 18

Jay Leno: Robert Pattinson, Whitney Cummings, Alice Cooper

Craig Ferguson: David Duchovny, Jo Frost

Jimmy Fallon: Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro, Pauley Perrette, Marcel Vigneron

Carson Daly: Florence and the Machine

Tavis Smiley: Smokey Robinson

Chelsea Lately: Henry Rollins, Brad Wollack, Heather McDonald, Adam Richard

The View: Billy Ray Cyrus, Tory Burch

Regis and Kelly: Paul Giamatti, guest co-host Michael Buble

Ellen DeGeneres: Jennifer Lopez, Matt Bomer, Meghan Tonje

Gayle King: Brooke Shields, Christiane Amanpour

8 Stars to Watch During the Upcoming TV Season

Year after year, Dancing with the Stars and American Idol consistently dominate the ratings and create marketable stars. But every year, we also see a number of stars who breakout and become marketable (i.e. Lea Michele and Sofia Vergara).  Here's who were keeping an eye on as the 2010 fall TV season kicks-off.

• Nina Dobrev, Ian Somerhalder: The leading actors of the CW's Vampire Diaries have capitalized on the recent vampire trend and become popular with the teen crowd. A high end fashion company would be smart to snag them for an ad campaign a la Kellan Lutz for Calvin Klein.
• Eric Stonestreet: With an Emmy win under his belt, this lovable actor returns for the second season of the popular show Modern Family.
• Keri Russell: The actress returns to the small screen alongside funnymen Will Arnett and David Cross in Running Wilde. Both mom-friendly and stylish, we can see her promoting an affordable fashion line.
• Jaime King: The model turned actress is set to star in ABC's upcoming mockumentary My Generation. We wouldn't be surprised to see her appearing in a beauty campaign similar to her previous Revlon deal.
• Joanna Garcia: The actress is poised to have a breakout role in ABC's upcoming Better With You. Young, beautiful, bilingual and newly engaged (to New York Yankee's outfielder Nick Swisher) she's a good fit for a wide variety of products targeting young women.
• Adrianne Palicki: Already known for her role in Friday Night Lights, the young actress will star in Fox's new buzzed-about drama Lone Star. She would be a great choice to star in a beauty campaign.
• Craig T Nelson: With NBC's Parenthood picked up for a second season, we think that the long time actor is due for a comeback. Brands targeting older males should consider him for their campaigns.

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Interesting Trends From E-Poll's "Celebrity Special Report"

In digging through the latest E-Poll Market Research Celebrity Report, which measures the awareness, appeal and a slew of other celeb characteristics, we found a few interesting (and somewhat surprising) trends. We're not typically huge fans of "celebrity polls" as there are a lot of other factors that dictate marketability, popularity and success. That said, the report leads us to some interesting insights about celebrities' marketability.

1. Comedians are notably more marketable to younger age groups. The results of E-Poll's "Appeal by Age Group" study reveal that comedians primarily resonate with those in their teens and early twenties - an interesting trend for brands targeting a younger demographic. 30 Rock's Tina Fey, who has made several appearances on SNL and has a deal with American Express, is already among this group. Also in the category are Chelsea Handler of Chelsea Lately and How I Met Your Mother's Jason Segel. Handler has her own column in Cosmopolitan, recently released bestseller Are You There Vodka? It's Me Chelsea and just added 40 new cities to her "Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang" comedy tour, sponsored by Belvedere Vodka. Segel has a role in summer film Despicable Me and will star in a Disney Muppets film premiering in 2011. Other marketable members of this group include George Lopez, Joel McHale and Demetri Martin. Look for stars like these to match up with brands targeting younger consumers (think mobile communications or soft drinks) in the future.
2. Timing matters. Tim Tebow, Apolo Ohno and Drew Brees all rank in E-Poll's top 5 celebrity endorsers, with a strong combination of awareness and appeal. Their accomplishments provide evidence that winning top-level sporting events is a great way to gain popularity and ink endorsement deals. After leading Florida to a Sugar Bowl victory and signing with the Denver Broncos, Tebow signed a prestigious deal with Nike. After establishing himself in the 2006 Winter Olympics, Ohno earned deals with Nestle, Coca-Cola and Omega around the 2010 Games. These brands had great foresight, as the speed skater went on to become the most decorated American Winter Olympian through his performances in Vancouver. New dad Brees had a deal with Pampers before his Superbowl appearance with New Orleans, and inked a deal with Dove Men after the win. Being known for winning a top-level event often makes former athletes marketable in and around the competition, even after they've retired. NBA legend Magic Johnson along with the figure skating trio of Michelle Kwan, Kristi Yamaguchi and Dorothy Hamill also remain among E-Poll's top athlete endorsers, despite the fact that they are no longer competing. Johnson hasn't played professional basketball in over fifteen years, but has recent deals with Aon Corporation, Rent-A-Center and Jackson Hewitt. Kwan and Yamaguchi signed deals with Coca-Cola and OPI respectively, and Hamill continues to appear as a public speaker. One important key to remaining marketable once leaving the athletic arena is to maintain a clean reputation - E-Poll finds that sincerity and trustworthiness are highly correlated with awareness and appeal.
3. Reality TV has become a "celebrity creating machine," transforming talented people into marketable stars. Americans love competition - there is something invigorating about contestants going head-to-head against one another in hopes of winning the top spot. Thus, reality TV ratings are soaring, and contestants and judges alike are gaining awareness, evidenced by the large number of celebs who have gotten their breaks via reality TV.The Biggest Loser has certainly made trainers Jillian Michaels and Bob Harper household names. Michaels now has her own show (Losing it with Jillian Michaels), a line of nutritional products and a deal with K-Swiss. Harper has deals with Honda and Brita and gives personal training advice on his website. Harper's site could be a great asset for a potential brand partner, as Harper has built a reputation as a trusted voice in the fitness arena. The show has also boosted the marketability of host Ali Sweeney, who was among E-Poll's celebrities with the biggest "jump in appeal" this year, increasing her awareness by nearly ten percentage points. She currently appears in a Turbo Tax commercial and teamed up with Zyrtec for their "Race against Your Allergies" campaign.Dancing with the Star has consistently brought celebrities back into the spotlight. E-Poll lists country musician Chuck Wicks as a celebrity up-and-comer - a classification he earned just after participating on DWTS. Football legend Emmitt Smith came swinging back from retirement when he won Dancing season three, subsequently earning a four-year deal with the "Good Feet" store. Since then, Smith has also inked deals with the National Pork Board, American Association of Orthodontists and Herradura Tequila. Winning the show made Brooke Burke one of Hollywood's most marketable moms, immediately earning her deals with Sketchers and Jell-O. She is currently promoting Nintendo Wii's JumpStart Family Fitness program and is hosting P&G's Wella Professionals hair color tour this summer. The show increased Olympian Shawn Johnson's appeal and made her relevant outside of the Olympics. She just inked a deal with Nintendo and has worked with Nestle, Oscar Mayer and Coca-Cola to among others. The pro dancers have also benefited from the show -Julianne Hough launched a singing career and inked endorsement deals with completed deals with Caress,  Juicy Fruit and ProActiv.

   And of course, American Idol has churned out marketable celebs year after year. E-Poll lists season eight winner Kris Allen on both their "up-and-comer" and "most appealing celebs to middle-aged Americans" lists. It's possible that he or another contestant could find themselves among the ranks of Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Jordin Sparks, all past winners who have reached super-stardom. Clarkson appeared in ProActiv ads and Underwood in Nintendo DS spots while All-State is sponsoring Sparks' summer tour. The show also launched Jennifer Hudson, who currently has a deal with Weight Watchers.

Check back here tomorrow for more E-poll analysis and our thoughts on trends in the growing culinary space.