Hiring Khloe Kardashian as host of “X Factor” would be a “colossal mistake,” one top Hollywood manager tells The Post.
“It is an absolute ‘set yourself up for failure,’ ” says Marki Costello, who reps 30 TV personalities and has provided on-camera coaching for “The Bachelor’s” Vienna Girardi, “The Insider’s” Debbie Matenopoulos and “The Voice’s” Cee Lo Green.
“[Kardashian] is relatable and likable, but I don’t think she could handle a live beast of a show like that without ever hosting anything.
“If I was managing her career, I would say, ‘It is such a tempting offer, but it is career suicide!’ ”
Kardashian, 28, is believed to be a frontrunner to replace Steve Jones, who was axed from the struggling singing competition last spring after just one season.
Creator Simon Cowell has said he hopes to secure two hosts — one male and one female — and make an announcement before the show premieres September 14 on Fox.
The show’s best option, Costello says, is to use Kardashian as eye candy and pair her up with a seasoned pro.
“Mario Lopez knows how to host. He would be an interesting choice,” she says. “Mario can do the heavy lifting.”
“For a show like this, you have to have the relationship with the judges — and the relationship with the audience,” Costello notes.
“The days of being a propped-up, pretty blonde, having no opinion whatsoever are really over. A viewer wants to bond. They want to connect. They want to relate. They want someone saucy and sassy.”
Costello, 46, is the grand-daughter of comedy legend Lou Costello. She began her career as a casting director on “The Dating Game” and “The Gong Show” before opening her own company in 1994.
She has hosted numerous cable series and will star in a new reality show for a major women’s network later this year.
“Almost every host you see on TV has probably come through my school in some way,” Costello says. “I do a hosting boot camp once a month.”
The mother of two — and author of “Become a Host” — says she plans to watch the re-tooled “X Factor” regardless of who Cowell picks just to check out new judge Britney Spears.
“The big question is does she become the Paula [Abdul] and feel for everybody because she has been judged? Or does she come out like the real honest, spitfire Britney — shavin’ her head and whackin’ the taxi with a bat?” Costello says.
“I don’t know what Britney we are going to get. But maybe that is part of the excitement.”
Costello’s take on some other hosts in the news
KANYE WEST
rumored to join “American Idol”
“I think Kanye West would be absolutely the worst possible choice they could make. Mariah will be interesting. She comes with a lot of substance and gravity. But when they try to go with this, ‘Let’s go with someone young and African American to go with Nikki Minaj. We’ll get Kanye the outspoken rapper . . .’ West — you either love him or hate him. But don’t forget who your audience is. If you don’t put your audience first, you are going to die!”
MICHAEL STRAHAN
joining Kelly Ripa on “Live”
“I thought it would be genius of them to keep playing this game of ‘who is it going to be?’ because they are saving billions of dollars. Regis was making millions, and they are paying these people AFTRA scale to sit in — which is like $700 or $800.
I knew if they were going to go with anyone on a permanent position, it was going to be Strahan. He and Ripa coexist well with each other. He is a completely different beast. They have 12 children between them. He brings a really great dynamic, and it is a really good dichotomy. He filled in the most, and I really felt like they had the most chemistry.”
HOWARD STERN
currently on “America’s Got Talent”
“I find ‘America’s Got Talent’ to be boring. It is really hard to captivate me for a long period of time with that show. I think Sharon Osbourne and Stern and Howie Mandel are OK. I have nothing against any one of them. I just can’t invest. I am a huge Stern fan. I listen to his radio show every single day. I think we are seeing a softer side of Stern. I think we expected to see the Stern we hear on the radio. He really has no filter. It is interesting to see that now that he is on prime time on NBC that he really is more filtered. It is sort of a more watered-down version of the Stern I know and love. So, it is very hard for me to watch, personally.”