Matt Lauer is set to leave NBC’s Today in December when his contract is up and now sources close to the talk show host say he’s willing to stay…if NBC puts up a heap of cash.

Lauer is currently earning $17 million a year for his work on Today and sources say he is willing to stay on the show if they up that amount to $30 million a year.

If that source is to be believed Lauer decided he would make a big offer after hearing that NBC officials were looking to hire Ryan Seacrest as Matt Lauer’s replacement. Basically Lauer got jealous and didn’t want his relationship to NBC ending on a Seacreast note.

The other school of thought is that Matt Lauer has always wanted to keep his job but chose to use the “I’m leaving” card so he could ask for a massive $30 million payday.

It’s hard to tell if the network will bite however Today is by far the highest earning property for NBC, earning more than $450 million per year.

NBC hasn’t confirmed whether they have received a Matt Lauer offer for $30 million. At this time a poll on TMZ reveals that only 25% of respondents think Matt Lauer is worth keeping at the higher number, then again the TMZ crowd isn’t necessarily the Today Show crowd.

Do you think Matt Lauer is worth $30 million a year to NBC?

Matt Lauer Will Stay At ‘Today’ For Massive Sum of Cash is a post from: The Inquisitr

Megan Hilty recently spoke with the Wall Street Journal after the premier of NBC’s Smash, and the co-star had a lot to say about the goings-on back stage, from her experience working with producer Steven Spielberg to backstage drama.

In the interview, Hilty talks a bit about the show, but the big focus in the interview is on the actress behind the character. Among other things, Hilty explains what it’s like transitioning from theater to TV.

“It’s great because the subject matter is something that’s very close to what I know and what I’ve always grown up knowing and wanting to do, but I’m just kind of adjusting [to] my audience now,” she said. “My audience is a couple of inches away instead of filling a 2,000-seat auditorium. So it’s great. It’s like a little adventure every day.”

For more, including what she has to say about Spielberg, check out Wall Street Journal’s video interview with Megan Hilty below.

Going by all of NBC’s promotion leading up to the premier of Smash, it was easy to get the impression that Katherine McPhee was the star of the show, or at least one of the only singers vying for the role of Marilyn Monroe. If you caught the premier, you know that isn’t the case–Hilty’s character, Ivy Lynn, is just as determined to land the big part.

In another interview with Christian Science Monitor, Hilty gives us a rundown of her character, Lynn, and what could be in store for her in the coming episodes.

“Very quickly you’ll see her relationships, her family life and the emotional roller coaster that is in store for Ivy that explains a lot about her behavior. We actually reshot a scene a couple of times [from the pilot] because we didn’t know what to give away about my mother, but you’ll find out fairly quickly how my family feels about my career choice and all of that.”

Megan Hilty talks Smash, working with Spielberg is a post from: The Inquisitr

We were first introduced to Katharine McPhee and her stunning singing voice back in the fifth season of American Idol, and now we get to hear her all over again in her role in NBC’s Smash.

In the debut episode of Smash, which centers on the production of a Broadway show about Marilyn Monroe, we’re introduced to McPhee’s character as a country girl from Iowa with a whole lot of talent. McPhee’s character travels to the big city in hopes of following her dreams, and auditions for the role of Marilyn Monroe in the Broadway production.

There was a whole lot of hype-building from NBC leading up to the premier of Smash, so the network clearly was banking on the show being a success and, going by the first impressions, it looks like it may well be. Hank Stuever from the Washington Post had this to say:

“Smash,” the network’s easily engaging new Monday night drama about the making of a Broadway musical, turns out to be quite the little sunbeam. It has some endearing characters, an instinct for backstage meows and a firm grip on its own sense of camp control, which, if nothing else, sets it apart from Ryan Murphy’s now fully atrocious “Glee.”

In addition to being a critical success, at least initially, it looks like Smash was a hit with viewers as well. NY Daily News reports that upwards of 11.5 million viewers tuned in to watch McPhee in Smash‘s debut episode.

Did you catch Smash last night? Let us know what you thought of it in the comments.

Katharine McPhee’s ‘Smash’ scores high ratings is a post from: The Inquisitr

M.I.A. decided giving an audience of more than 100 million people during the Super Bowl was a good idea and because of her action she could be stuck with a very hefty FCC fine.

According to sources close to the singers agreement the NFL had M.I.A. sign an agreement in which she would pay any FCC fines that arose from bad behavior. The contract was necessary after the halftime show became a shock & awe platform for singers looking to grab headlines.

In the meantime NBC has been indemnified by the NFL since the league handles the halftime show.

Under M.I.A.’s contract she will be responsible for 100 percent of all fines that are handed down to the NFL and NBC.

You may recall that CBS was forced to pay a $550,000 fine to the FCC after Janet Jackson’s nipple was exposed during a halftime performance however that fine was eventually thrown out in federal appeals court.

It’s likely however that M.I.A. will not be successful in an appeal since her actions were blatantly aimed at breaking FCC rules.

Sources close to the contract state that it wasn’t just about skirting a huge fine but also sending a message to performers that their actions have direct monetary repercussions.

Here’s the M.I.A. performance from the Super Bowl Halftime show:

Do you think it’s about time that singers at the NFL halftime show take responsibility for their own silly actions?

M.I.A. Will Be Forced To Pay All Super Bowl Halftime Fines For Middle Finger Incident [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Top Obama adviser David Axelrod is still no fan of Mitt Romney. The senior strategist admitted that he’s counting on Romney becoming the president’s opponent in the 2012 election, though one wouldn’t be tempted to call that a compliment given Axelrod’s assessment of him during a Sunday morning TV appearance.

“I’ve always thought that Governor Romney was a weak frontrunner. I still think he’s a weak frontrunner,” Axelrod said Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press, but “he’s overpowered Gingrich in Florida with a … spending advantage and a very negative campaign.”

“He’s been so mercurial in his position,” Axelrod said of Romney’s perceived flip-flopping, “He has his own version of state’s rights. He thinks he has the right to change his position in every state he campaigns in.”

It wouldn’t exactly be a Romney attack if dollar signs weren’t thrown in there somewhere. Regarding Romney’s gray-at-best business resume, Axelrod said that the candidate:

“has a great track record of creating wealth for himself and his partners” at Bain Capital, “he’s done it by closing 1,000 plants and stores and offices around the country, he’s done it by outsourcing jobs … byloading companies down with debt and then putting ‘em into bankruptcy — on which he and his partners made hundreds of millions of dollars.”

Axelrod went on to contrast Romney in-depth against his own bread an butter, President Obama, with a quick little run-down on economic theory:

“The rules allow you to have Swiss bank accounts, the rules allow you to put your money in the Cayman Islands and to set up businesses in Bermuda and so on. The rules allow all of that. [...] The question is, are the rules right? He [Romney] would continue those rules. They are not right.  It’s not right that someone like Governor Romney can make $20, $22 million and pay an effective tax rate lower than the average middle class person in this country.”

Axelrod is never one to mince words. He’s a bulldog. Like him or not, he does his job. Do you think he’s right about Mitt Romney?

Axelrod on Romney: “I still think he’s a weak frontrunner” is a post from: The Inquisitr

Jay Leno has used his platform as the host of The Tonight Show on NBC to poke fun at just about every religion, politician, celebrity and public figure known to man but apparently a joke regarding the Sikh religion of India has put him in hot water or more specifically court.

During a recent segment on his talk show Jay Leno was poking fun at members of the Republican party when he basically said that rich politicians such as Mitt Romney spend their summers in a solid gold palace. Following the jokes punchline a picture of India’s Harmandir Sahib (aka the Golden Temple of Amritar) was shown. The building is considered by the Sikh people to be one of the most holy spots in the world.

In responding to the joke a Sikh follower in Bakersfield, California filed a lawsuit against Jay Leno claiming libel. Apparently Dr. Randeep Dhillon believes that the joke has caused some unseen and deep hatred and ridicule of his religion.

In a funny moment in the court filing Dr. Dhillon says the Romney joke:

“Falsely portrays the holiest place in the Sikh religion as a vacation resort owned by a non-Sikh”

Randeep is suing for general and punitive damages. Ironically his lawsuit regarding the ridicule of his religion is probably going to do more damage to the Sikh faith and what people think of the religion then the joke told by Jay Leno.

Given that the punchline was an obvious joke the case is likely to stall before it ever reaches trial.

Do you think Jay Leno’s joke has led to deep hatred and ridicule geared towards the Sikh religion?

Jay Leno Sued For Telling Sikh Religion Joke, Lawsuit Likely To Be Thrown Out Of Court is a post from: The Inquisitr

Singer Lana Del Rey could have helped her career more if she had just decided to stay home rather than make an appearance on Saturday night Live this past weekend. That’s because critics have tore her performance apart, calling them everything from drab and boring. In face funnyman and NBC news anchor Brian Williams called her “one of the worst [performers] in ‘SNL’ history.”

This isn’t the first time Lana Del Rey has drawn controversy in her short lived career, back in October she signed to Interscope records and signed a deal with Next Model Management, a move that drew criticism from bloggers who found her lack of authenticity to be a turn-off.

In a private email published by Gawker Brian Williams said her performance was awful but also noticed that SNL’s producers booked her on the “strength” of a two-song online EP which left her without the experience required to handle such a show. To Williams I remind our readers that the once unknown Counting Crows launched their career on the strength of their Mr. Jones single which was featured on the show.

Defending the singer was Daniel Radcliffe who noted:

“People seemed to turn on her so quickly… making it about things other than the performance… it’s all about her past and her family, and stuff that’s nobody else’s business.”

What makes her SNL performance so odd is that she has actually had some very good nationally televised performances and an excellent outing on the British late-night show ”Later… with Jools Holland.”

In case you missed her performance on SNL here it is:

Now compare that performance from her stint on Live with Jools Holland and notice the vast difference:

Personally I feel like we already have an Adele, trying to replace her with a skinnier version just doesn’t cut it.

Landa Del Rey Ripped Apart By Critics Over Horrendous Saturday Night Live (SNL) Performance is a post from: The Inquisitr

Chelsea Handler has had a semi-autobiographical series in the works for quite some time now. It has seen a troubled development, but Are You There, Chelsea? is finally hitting the airwaves January 11th, 2012, which as of this posting is tomorrow. So what are we to expect from the famous comedienne?

Well, very little Chelsea Handler, for one.

The show stars That ’70s Show’s Laura Prepon as a young Handler around age 26, as a struggling writer and comedian. Handler herself, whose occupations include: standup comedian, author, actress, model, humorist, host and executive producer of both Chelsea Lately and After Lately, has just a little too much on her plate to be playing herself in a sitcom right now.

Kind of confusing, since this is sort of her show, sort of based on her life, with her name sort of in the title. But Handler isn’t out of the picture, you see. She will still have some involvement on Are You There, Chelsea?: a recurring role as her own older sister. Confusing? Said the comedienne herself:

“It’s a dream come true to have someone else portray me,” says Handler, “Because I’ve been living this life for a long time, and I’m over myself. It’s a pleasure to play my sister because everything I’ve accused her of my whole life, I can now re-enact before her eyes.”

Whoah… I like Chelsea Handler as much as the next guy, but that’s comedy tip-toed in a little too dark a direction for me. Like Freudian dark.

Anyway, Are You There, Chelsea? premieres Wednesday, Jan. 11 on NBC. Will you be tuning in?

Chelsea Handler Plays Sister Instead of Self on New TV Show is a post from: The Inquisitr

Is Chelsea Clinton leaving NBC? The daughter of Bill and Hillary only signed up with the network on a 90-day contract in November, and sources close to the New York Post say it’s not a sure thing that she’ll extend her deal. The rumor mill is heating up.

When Clinton signed up as a full-time special correspondent for NBC, news that her contract would expire after three months wasn’t mentioned. Straight after NBC announced its new recruitment last year, NBC News president Steve Capus told the New York Times:

“We both want to see how this goes [...] But I hope it’s the beginning of a nice, long-term relationship.”

Little did we know …

Anyway, the Post‘s source argues that NBC built “unrealistic expectations” around Clinton’s performance, and revealed that:

“Chelsea wanted a 90-day contract to see if she liked it. It’s possible she will do more for NBC in the future, [but] she doesn’t know if she’ll sign another contract.”

This prompted an NBC spokesperson to fire back, saying Clinton was much-loved at the network, honest:

“[These statements are] 100 percent false. You will see more pieces from Chelsea. She has been warmly welcomed into this news division, and we can’t be more pleased with her work. We hope she will be with us for a long time. There was no over-hyping of her role.”

Not everybody loved her, mind. One Washington Post columnist memorably called her “one of the most boring people of her era.”

[Via New York Post]

Chelsea Clinton Leaving NBC? [Rumor] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Lou Ferrigno, Adam Corolla, Penn Jillette, and Aubrey O’Day were amongst the names announced for this year’s Celebrity Apprentice earlier this week, in an unveiling that, in many cases, stretched the definition of ‘celebrity’ to breaking point. Said quartet gave an interview to Reality TV Magazine, in which they reflected (they’ve already shot some of it, y’see) on the season.

Mostly it’s a love-in (Ferrigno’s only contribution is talking about “a bunch of great talent, great people,” which suggests he may be talking up a different show), and Penn Jillette gushes for an almost awkward length of time about the merits of Paul Senior.

Aubrey O’Day modestly said she was way better at ‘real-life’ jobs than she expected (thanks for coming down to our level, Aubrey), and noted her strongest point was being able to manipulate the men. Adam Corolla came across as unnervingly similar to, err, me when he said:

“I found out that I was basically a puss who couldn’t handle 6-1/2 hours of sleep six days a week and needed a TiVo and/or DVR apparatus not more than 3 feet away from me no matter where I was.”

Penn Jillette admitted Celebrity Appearance, sorry, Apprentice was even beyond his magical powers, saying the only mind game he engaged in was “being in a tiger cage and numb,” which sounds dramatic. Disappointingly, none of them were pressed for their true views on His Wigginess and Future President of the United States of America Donald Trump.

Aside from that deflating omission, it’s a decent read that can be viewed in full here. And remember folks, the new season of Celebrity Apprentice premieres Sunday, February 12th. Who’s watching?

Lou Ferrigno, Adam Corolla, Penn Jillette, Aubrey O’Day Talk Celebrity Apprentice is a post from: The Inquisitr

Harry Potter megastar Daniel Radcliffe has announced plans to host Saturday Night Live on January 14, allowing him to start his new year with the type of acting fervor he ended 2011 with.

Aside from the final Harry Potter and the Death Hallows film Radcliffe also took the the Broadway stage in ”How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying.”

During his January 14 hosting gig Radcliffe will be joined by musical guest Lana Del Rey.

If you simply can’t get enough or Mr. Potter you’ll also be able to catch him in the 2012 film “The Woman in Black.”

As if that isn’t enough praise for Radcliffe he was also recently named Entertainer of the Year by Entertainment Weekly and over the last decade he has constantly topped the list of highest paid actors thanks to his massive payouts from the Harry Potter franchise.

If you’re more of the sports fan type you can also tune in one week earlier when former NBA star Charles Barkley will take on hosting duties with Kelly Clarkson in the guest musician spot.

Do you plan to watch SNL on Jan. 14 to see whether or notDaniel Radcliffe has what it takes to turn his Potter success into 90 minutes of laughter?

Daniel Radcliffe Hosting Saturday Night Live In January is a post from: The Inquisitr

“For most of my life I did deliberately lead a private life and inadvertently led a public life,”

These were the words Chelsea Clinton used to describe why she has been shying away from publicity for all these years on “Rock Center With Brian Williams”.  Sitting across a table from Mr. Williams she sat with her backed straight and her hands folded gently across her lap,  and talked about pride in her parents accomplishments and the inspiration she derived from her grandmother, Dorothy Rodham.  Dorothy Rodham died this year and always encouraged Chelsea to do more with her fame.

She chose NBC and NBC chose her.  She is using the fame her grandmother extolled her to do more with as a way to reach out to people, to make a difference and to promote the stories she finds need to be told.

She started her first broadcast with a story from her father’s home state of Arkansas, and spoke about an amazing woman, Annette Dove, who had devoted herself and all of her money to running an afterschool program for the kids of Pine Bluff.

Chelsea seemed very comfortable, and very likeable and prepared to jump into her new career with gusto.  Not only will she be able to promote the charities she cares so much about, among them AmFAR (devoted to the fight against AIDS)  and also her father’s Clinton Foundation but the real question every in asking themselves is…Where is this going?

Many people use the media as a stepping stone into a new life, most notably politics. It seems as if a third Clinton’s star is rising.

Do you think Chelsea Clinton has what it takes to make it on NBC?

Chelsea Clinton’s Star Is Rising As She Embraces Her Own Celebrity is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Hollywood Reporter claims Minna will make her comeback from March 8, but only as a contract player. The actress and former talk show host will pick up in her old role of Billie Reed, the part she played for thirteen years before her final appearance in 2005.

What’s the source for all of this? Well, it’s Rinna herself, so we can probably gamble on it being correct. She told The Hollywood Reporter:

“I am so thrilled to be back and excited to be acting again. I have done reality shows, talk shows and I thought, what a great way to come back and play a character that I love to play so much. It feels very full circle – like a new old chapter.”

And THR is promising that fans will get to see Rinna in some “explosive” scenes with her former love interest Bo, as played by Peter Reckell.

Days of Our Lives is one of the longest-running scripted TV programs in the world having aired almost every weekday in the United States since November 8, 1965. That means Rinna was just two when the first episode arrived on screens! Nowadays, it airs on weekdays on NBC.

Lisa Rinna Returning to ‘Days of Our Lives’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

Alec Baldwin on Saturday took to Saturday Night Live where he made fun of his recent American Airlines incident in which he flipped out on the flight crew when asked to turn off his Words With Friends game.

Playing the role of American Airlines captain Steve Rodgers he referred to himself (Alec Baldwin) as an “American Treasure.”

After the incident Baldwin tweeted:

“Flight attendant on American reamed me out 4 playing WORDS W FRIENDS while we sat at the gate, not moving. #nowonderamericaairisbankrupt”

In apologizing to himself during Weekend Update with Seth Meyers he said:

“It was awful, Seth, which is why it was very important for me to come here tonight and on behalf of everyone at American Airlines issue an apology to Mr. Alec Baldwin.”

Meyers then asked:

“Alec, are you sure this is the right way to handle this?”

Baldwin then answered (as pilot Rodgers):

“Mr. Baldwin is an American treasure and I am ashamed of the way he was treated.”

Baldwin then went on to explain why he slammed the lavatory door during his standoff with the crew, claiming ”Words with Friends” is “frustrating.”

Here’s the Saturday Night Live video from Alec Baldwin:

What did you think about the Weekend Update comedy sketch.

Alec Baldwin Makes Fun Of American Airlines Incident On Saturday Night Live [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

After Michele Bachmann walked out onto the Late Night with Jimmy Fallon stage to the Fishbone track “Lyin’ Ass Bitch” as performed by house band The Roots NBC has announced that they will now screen and sensor all musical tracks performed by the band.

In an interview regarding the issue Roots drummer ?uestlove revealed:

“It’s still a comedy show, so they promise not to step on my toes or that type of thing, but they definitely want to know the title of the song, the subject matter of the song, can it be seen as an insult?”

After the Nov. 22 show aired apologizes were made by ?uestlove, Jimmy Fallon and NBC vice president of late night programming Doug Vaughan.

As ?uestlove stated:

“It was kind of wrong for me to throw (NBC) under the bus without telling them what it was, so I understand from a business standpoint.”

As for Fishbone, it turns out that the cover of Lyin’ Ass Bitch couldn’t have come at a better time with a new DVD documentary dropping on Feb. 7 titled Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone.

The song has also become the bands most popular listened to song on music streaming service Spotify.

As for the Roots their CD Undun released last week to excellent reviews and fan approval. As PasteMagazine note:

Undun is a brilliant reminder of the power of the emcee as storyteller, the possibility of 40 minutes of music lending itself to a thoughtful character and plot. And this album will last a whole lot longer than a viral video of The Roots covering “Lyin’ Ass Bitch” on Fallon for Michele Bachmann.

Do you think this entire Bachmann issue has been blown out of proportion?

NBC To Jimmy Fallon: We’re Screening All ‘Roots’ Songs Following Bachman Incident is a post from: The Inquisitr

NBC mid-season musical drama pickup Smash is getting a big lift after signing movie star Uma Thurman to a multi-episode arc on the show.

Smash follows a group of writers, directors, actresses and actors who are attempting to create a Broadway musical surrounding the life of Marilyn Monroe. In

In her five episode role Uma will play “a famous and somewhat difficult movie star who flirts with the idea of starring in ‘Marilyn.’”

While Uma typically avoids the small-screen her role in the TV movie Hysterical Blindness earned her a Golden Globe aware in 2002.

With a cast that includes Debra Messing, Christian Borle, Katharine McPhee and others it will be interesting to see if Smash words over the long-run.

Smash debuts on Monday, Feb. 6.

Will you be tuning into the premiere episode on NBC?

Uma Thurman Agrees To Join ‘Smash’ Cast On NBC is a post from: The Inquisitr

When Charla Nash appeared on The Today Show this week for an interview with Meredith Vieira she nearly left the morning show host speechless.

Staring at the women who at one point had her face completely ripped off by a friend’s chimpanzee she stared in amazement as she told Nash:

“Wow. You really look fantastic,” and “I’m just—I— I apologize. I’m looking at your face and I am in awe.”

For a long time Nash rarely ventured out into public, fearing that her disfigurement would bring her unwanted stares and talk behind her back, however on Monday she revealed her new face to TODAY.

The donor face is still molding to Nash’s bone structure but the results are stunning, revealing cheek bone structuring, eyes where she is completely blind and other features that were indistinguishable just months earlier.

Speaking to Meredith the face transplant patient recalls one incident recently when a little girl said hello to her, while that might not seem like much of an accomplishment for Nash she says:

“That didn’t happen before … It was nice. The little girl was saying hi to me.  I looked like I’ve got eyes and everything. …I’m not scaring anybody.”

While Nash can’t see her new face or even feel it because her hands were also taken in the attack she says other people have given her the positive encouragement she was hoping for.

“I’ve had people tell me I’m beautiful,” Nash told Vieira. “And they were not telling me I was beautiful before.”

The journey towards a new face was not an easy one for Nash who had to undergo a 20-hour triple transplant surgery in which her face was transplanted and doctors also gave her two new hands, unfortunately there were problems with the hands because she had developed pneumonia shortly after completing the transplant and they had to be removed.

Even after finding out that she had hands that had to be removed she told Vieira:

“And it didn’t really bother me because I was too sick to worry about that, you know? … And then later on, I was disappointed that, you know, I had them and they’re gone again. But I’m hoping, you know, for in the future, that it can be done again.”

Doctors in the meantime plan to attempt another hand transplant for Nash within the next 12 months.

As for Nash’s face, doctors say it will mold to her own bone structure and within the coming months people walking by won’t even realize that she has had a transplant.

What do you think of Charla Nach’s new face?

Chimp Attack Victim Charla Nash’s New Face Revealed During Meredith Vieira Interview is a post from: The Inquisitr

Singer Katy Perry has signed on to host Saturday Night Live on December 10. Katy has appeared on NBC’s sketch comedy in the past, including a guest appearance in September 2010 when Amy Poehler was hosting the sketch comedy show.

The last time Perry appeared on the show she had just been dropped from an episode of Sesame Street after wearing a “revealing low-cut” shirt while taping a segment for the children’s show. In her SNL sketch she poked fun at her appearance and the spot earned her plenty of praise for her ability to poke fun at herself.

Perry won’t be the first musician to host the sketch show, Justin Timberlake (several times), Britney Spears and even Sting have taken turns hosting the show along with various other musicians who have been lucky enough to make the cut.

Announcing her shot at hosting SNL Katy Perry tweeted:

“I’m SO excited 2 announce I’ll be HOSTING Saturday Night Live Dec. 10! This is the cherry on top and @robynkonichiwa is part of it!”

In case you missed it the first time around here’s her Sesame Street SNL spoof:

She already acts like a screwball in her music videos and her Sesame Street appearance shows that she doesn’t mind giving it her all, I for one will be interested to see how she does.

Will you be tuning in to watch the Fireworks singer put her best comedic foot forward?

Katy Perry To Host Saturday Night Live On Dec. 10 is a post from: The Inquisitr

Apparently, it’s been NBC’s mission of late to recruit as many high-profile contributors as possible, preferably those who happen to be sons or daughters of notable politicians.

The latest to join MSNBC’s roster of contributors is Meghan McCain, the company announced on Monday. McCain was a frequent guest on the network for the past two years, but now she’ll be a paid, regular contributor on MSNBC.

“It’s a unique opportunity to share my perspective as a Republican on a network I respect and have built a relationship with over the past two years,” McCain said in a statement.

McCain is the second daughter of a politico to join the network in under a month. Just last week, NBC announced that Chelsea Clinton, daughter of Bill and Hillary Clinton, signed on with the network. Clinton will be working on “NBC Nightly News” and will be acting as a correspondent on Brian Williams’ newsmagazine, “Rock Center with Brian Williams“.

Back in 2009, it was announced that then-27-year-old Jenna Bush Hager, daughter to George W. Bush and Laura Bush, signed on with TODAY as a correspondent.

McCain is a frequent contributor at The Daily Beast. She also has a memoir out, “Dirty Sexy Politics“, and a children’s book, “My Dad, John McCain“.

Do you welcome McCain as an MSNBC contributor, or do you think her hiring smells of nepotism?

[Image credit: Reuters/Lucas Jackson]

Meghan McCain signs on as MSNBC contributor is a post from: The Inquisitr

Jerry Sandusky, a former Penn State assistant coach for the men’s football program is finally speaking out about sexual abuse charges raised against him, claiming his innocence during an interview with NBC’s Bob Costas.

According to Sandusky:

“I say that I am innocent of those charges.”

When asked if he’s a pedophile he then responded with a prompt, ”No.”

Under current charges Sandusky has been released on $100,000 bond although he faces 40 counts of molesting eight boys since 1994.

Further into the interview Sandusky says:

“I could say that I have done some of those things. I have horsed around with kids I have showered after workouts. I have hugged them and I have touched their legs without intent of sexual contact.”

The former coach did admit during his interview that he erred in judgment when choosing to shower with the boys he was supervising.

The interview was conducted over the air and will be broadcast on Monday at 10pm East Coast time.

It should be noted that at least one coach reported Sandusky for engaging in inappropriate activities with young boys, including one incident in the men’s locker room at Penn State.

Do you believe that Jerry Sandusky is guilty of sex abuse? Apparently some people have already made up their minds, going so far as to vandalize Sandusky’s home.

Jerry Sandusky Says He’s Innocent During NBC Interview is a post from: The Inquisitr