Bethenny Frankel put a lot of time and effort into a daytime talk show pilot. The Real Housewives of New York City queen of self-promotion spent some time marketing herself as a daytime host. With better competition, including Katie Couric, Anderson Cooper, and Jeff Probst on the forefront, Frankel was put into the position last November where she needed to bow out gracefully. She’s sort of like Michelle Bachmann in that way.
However, unlike Congresswoman Bachmann, Frankel has seen some light at the end of her talk show tunnel. According to Deadline, Frankel’s show will be able to air, albeit under a rather unusual agreement. Fox has picked up the series on some of its stations, including anchor stations in New York and Los Angeles, for a six-week starting run over the summer. If “the test” does well, Frankel could be looking to set herself up for a more permanent gig sometime in the next TV cycle.
Frankel will not be a pioneer in these Fox test runs. Fox has been attempting summer tests ever since The Wendy Williams show did well in the summer of 2008. Other contenders in the lucrative summer test spot include a program spotlighting Craig Kilborn and Dish Nation, which also ended up getting picked up by Fox. Frankel sure has the sass, but I am unsure she has the credibility to garner large ratings as a talk show host. Which really only goes as far as to say she has a lot of work cut out for her if she wants to make an impression over the summer.
