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Ex-political insider steps into role as 'gossip-girl'

From politician to "Gossip Girl,'' former Upper Makefield township supervisor Coleen Christian is part of the rotating panel on the new entertainment/gossip show, "The Insiders,''

By LAURA NACHMAN
Courier Times
E-mail

From politician to "Gossip Girl,'' former Upper Makefield township supervisor Coleen Christian is part of the rotating panel on the new entertainment/gossip show, "The Insiders,'' on the Fox News Channel on Sundays at 10:30 p.m.

Christian, 32, is a columnist for "Steppin Out'' magazine and the "Tabloid Baby'' Web site. In 1991, while a political science major at Villanova University, Christian, whose father is former congressional candidate Dave Christian, became the township supervisor, making her the youngest female in state history to be elected to office. However, always having an interest in news, she left the post after two years when offered a job at "Inside Edition.'' Christian then spent most of the decade working the "Hard Copy'' / "Extra'' / "American Journal'' circuit.

Christian and her husband, Fox News Channel senior producer Jerry Burke moved back to the area two years ago to raise their children Maeve, 3, and Jerry, 11/2.

First in ratings, last in the sports highlights

Years after the other local broadcast channels have been doing a Sunday night sports highlights show following their late news, top-rated Channel 6 is finally getting into the game with "EaglesTotal Access with Gary Papa'' debuting after the Eagles opener Sunday. It joins WB17's "Sunday Sports Extra,'' Fox-Philadelphia's "Sports Sunday,'' NBC 10's "Sports Final'' and KYW-3's "SportsRap.''

Big green liar

Former Phillie Phanatic Dave Raymond went to bat on "To Tell The Truth,'' last night on WB17 at 10:30 a.m. Raymond, 45, the Phanatic from 1978-'93, runs the Raymond Entertainment Group, which helps companies and sports teams create their own mascots. On the installment, the celebrity (using the term lightly) panel of Paula Poundstone, Meshach Taylor, Fred Willard and Brooke Burns had to guess whether Raymond or two imposters ran a mascot school. The episode was taped a few months ago, before Poundstone was accused of child abuse and checked into alcohol rehab.

Philly girls make good

Philly's Patti LaBelle and Jill Scott were honored at the "Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards'' taped Aug. 28. It airs Saturday night on WB17 at 8. LaBelle was honored for outstanding career achievements and Scott was named "Entertainer of the Year." Most of the presenters and award-winners acknowledged Aaliyah, who died in a plane crash last week. She had been scheduled to perform.

New faces

John Clark hopes to make his mark as the new weekend sports anchor at NBC 10. The 27-year-old Strath Haven High and Temple University graduate arrives from West Palm Beach, Fla. Clark replaces Derek Castillo, who left the station in July. NBC10 evidently must employ somebody from the University of Texas at all times. As Texas alum Castillo leaves, fellow Longhorn Lisa Kelly has joined the station as a general assignment reporter.

One of the first official acts of new news director Susan Schiller was to ditch the "RealPeople/Real News'' theme at KYW. According to a newsroom insider, the station is going in a "harder news'' direction.

Janet Tegley, of the recently canceled "Philly After Midnight'' joins the production staff of "It's Your Call with Lynn Doyle'' on CN8 seen weeknights at 9. Tegley was a producer at 6ABC from 1994-2001.

Meanwhile, "Iyanla,'' the show that replaced "Philly After Midnight,'' is not getting as high ratings as its predecessor. In its first two weeks on the air, "Iyanla'' is averaging a 2.2 rating. In the May sweeps, "Philly After Midnight'' had a 3.0. Each rating point averages around 26,000 households.

Tales of many cities

Karen Jordan of WB17 and Christian Farr of Fox-Philadelphia were married Aug. 11 in Karen's hometown of Chicago where her father Robert Jordan is a longtime anchor on superstation WGN ... Former KYW-3 and NBC 10 consumer reporter Orien Reid, who is now chair of the board of directors of the National Alzheimer's Association, spoke at Maureen Reagan's memorial service that was televised on CSPAN. Reagan died at the age of 60 of cancer ... Larry Rosen, former sports anchor for PRISM, was spotted on HBO's "Hard Knocks with the Baltimore Ravens,'' Aug. 15. Rosen is the senior director of broadcasting and production for Baltimore ... A few episodes of "Arliss'' the last couple of seasons were directed by Northeast High and Temple University graduate Michael Grossman. Some of his other credits include the HBO miniseries "From the Earth to the Moon'' and "Earth 2'' ... Cassie of PBS' "Dragon Tales'' will appear at Sesame Place this weekend. "Dragon Tales'' is the top-rated PBS show among children 2-5.

 

 

Thursday, September 6, 2001