HLN is ramping up its early-fringe lineup with “Evening Express,” a new weekday show (5-7 p.m.) premiering June 4 with hosts Ryan Smith, Clark Howard and Isha Sesay. It will replace “Special Report” (5-6 p.m.) and “Prime News” (6-7 p.m.), both hosted by Vinnie Politan — who will start a new dayside show on HLN in the coming weeks (details not yet forthcoming).
Smith, a sports and entertainment lawyer who hosted “InSession” on HLN sister network truTV, has been an HLN staple since last year, when he reported on the Casey Anthony and Conrad Murray trials. Howard is HLN’s finance expert, while Sesay has been an anchor for CNN International and was the nightly “360 Bulletin” correspondent for CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360.”
Angie Massie will executive-produce “Evening Express” (a play on HLN’s “Morning Express,” hosted by Robin Meade).
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Maybe it’s karmic payback time, in a nicer sort of way, for former “Biggest Loser” coach Jillian Michaels.
Michaels, who’s adopted a daughter from Haiti (2-year-old Lukensia) and has a newborn son (Phoenix) with her partner, Heidi Rhoades, is getting a taste of how tough it is to keep in shape — both mentally and physically — while caring for a child (or, two, in this case).
“I have yet to figure out how to take care of myself right now,” Michaels tells the June 4 issue of People magazine, out on newsstands today in New York and LA.
“Telling moms [on ‘The Biggest Loser’], ‘You need to take care of yourself first?’ It’s impossible to put yourself first when you’re a mom.
“Parenting is not for sissies,” she says. “You have to sacrifice and grow up.”
Michaels also says she’s back to drinking coffee and hasn’t been to the gym in two weeks.
Welcome to actual reality, young lady.
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If getting some big names to lend their voices to a project means TK, then “Captain Daddy” is off to a good start.
The new animated series, which is thisclose to finding an network home, boasts the vocal talents of Ed Asner, F
red Willard, Traci Lords, Roger Bart and others — and has quite the pedigree when it comes to the world of animation.
The series, which is expected to air in early 2013, revolves around an American family living in a World War II-era submarine who consider themselves “normal” — despite the fact they swim to work, have a pet mermaid and live with the ghost of a German captain (oh, and their kids are “launched” to school via the sub’s torpedo tube).
In addition to Asner, Bart et al., the show was created and written by Huston Huddleston, the son of Oscar-nominated songwriter Floyd Huddleston (“The Aristocats”) and singer Nancy Adams. Its music was written by Ron Jones (“Family Guy,” “American Dad”), with the characters’ look and style designed by Skip Jones (“An American Tail,” “The Land Before Time”).
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Say what you want about “Dr. Phil,” but the dude’s cleaning up in the daytime viewership race.
For the week ending May 13, “Dr. Phil” (Phil McGraw) averaged 4.2 million viewers to open up its biggest lead of the season, besting second-place “Dr. Oz” (Mehmet Oz) by nearly 800,000 viewers per episode (“Oz” averaged 3.4 million viewers for the week).
“Phil” was up 10 percent in households and a whopping 25 percent in women 18-34 — the same demo in which the fledgling “Anderson” (Anderson Cooper) did particularly well (up 33 percent from the week before). “Anderson” was also the top-rated newbie daytime talk show for the 35th straight week.
Meanwhile, today’s “Dr. Oz” (4 p.m./Ch. 5) features the conclusion of its “Transformation Nation” contest, including the unveiling of the contest winner.
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Last, but not least:
* Starr Report favorite Antenna TV airs a “Movie Hero Marathon” this Monday to celebrate Memorial Day. It kicks off at 5 a.m. with “Hellcats of the Navy” and continues past midnight with movies including “Mission Over Korea,” “King Rat” and “Anzio” . . . Industry vet Rod Perth has been named president/CEO of NATPE||Content First . . . truTV has renewed “South Beach Tow” for a second season of 13 episodes. The first-season finale airs tonight at 9:30 . . . Monica Neal is TV One’s new senior VP/public relations. She spent the past 12 years at Turner Broadcasting.