Amanda Starrantino is an Indianapolis TV News anchor headed to KPIX where she'll co-anchor in the morning along side Len Kiese; she begins Oct. 6 and I'm hearing the natives are royally TICKED OFF, Why?
Starrantino, a former (2010) Miss CALIF Teen, is viewed with skepticism and dismay because some staffers view her as a "blond nothing", as one senior PIXer told me.
"She doesn't look the part; she's just another pretty face," said the disgusted PIX contact.
To be fair, Starrantino deserves a chance. She's coming to a station here (CBS-SF) that is in need of a DIRE JOLT. This will hardly move the needle but it's a fresh face that might be just what PIX needs, heck, who knows, Starrantino could be the next Diane Sawyer for all I know. But she'll have to earn her keep here because there's already a great deal of dismay at Battery Street.
I'll give her a month and see what we're dealing with here.
You mean like when Weathergirl Barbie joined NBC Bay Area?
ReplyDeleteNews Director Mark Neerman's specialty is bringing in random "talent" from outside of the bay area. He did it with the chief meteorologist spot. The net effect is zero. KPIX will stay where they are which is nowhere near the top. They need a jolt alright but randos no one knows here is not going to do it. Then again maybe the jolt will be getting rid of Neerman. He was hired by the axis of evil that used to run CBS news so, ya never know. His time could be up soon. CBS has been slowly getting rid of those hires.
ReplyDeleteAgree completely. Maybe this new "hottie" will be the next Veronica Da La Disaster. Neerman seems to regard boobs over news acumen and experience.
DeleteRich, as soon as you knew about the hire, you should have reached out to Ms. Starvation and warned her about what she is about to get into. On a side note... I now have something to look forward to on the 6th!!!! THANKS!!!
ReplyDeleteWell, at least Starrantino is easy on the eyes. Time will tell if there is any substance there.
ReplyDeleteDisgust from staffers, is there? What, did they think they were in the business of brain surgery? Had KPIX hired a woman over fifty with tons of experience and sources and actual knowledge, would they have been more or less disgusted?
ReplyDeleteThere are attractive women in their 30s with tons of knowledge (both actual and unactual, whatever that is) and experience, but most NDs are afraid of them. They fear talent, worship tits and ass, usually because tits and ass are easy to push around. ("I made you; never forget that.")
DeleteNot every thinks they get fired because they’re old. Read your con law book again. And stop blaming ageism. Food for thought. Now go eat another corn dog!
DeleteI don't eat corn dogs. I've never eaten a corn dog, nor will I. My Title VII case had nothing to do with age. Read my book.
DeleteYou get what you pay for.
DeleteI love Jessica Aguirre because she is an experienced, smart anchor yet she is considered old.
DeleteI support you Christine and your factual response but not the lies. Everyone has eaten a corn dog and you look like you’ve had a few. After all , you are not a lady. Be well.
DeleteI'm not a lady. I have never eaten a corndog. Your assertion, not based on anything factual, that "everyone has eaten a corndog, where did you get that certainty? Did you pull it from your anus?
DeleteLove your style Christine. No holds bard! You’re a take no prisoners puta. You get results and that’s why your still around after all these years. Please don’t change. Keep it up!
DeleteIf your not a lady Christine what are you? Dude looks like a lady? Who doesnt like a corn dog? -Nick Gerz in the Castro
DeleteI am sure Frank will be watching!
ReplyDeleteStarrantino was good when she was at KSBY in SLO... that was a while ago, however.
ReplyDeleteRich, what about the Weather Girl on Telemondo ?
ReplyDeleteWhat does Mark Thompson on KGO
never take call, is it a huge ego show for Mr.T ?
Well I have to say that this does disgust me. I have become a quick fan of Gianna Franco as a co-anchor. She stepped in and completely surprised me, and I am sure, a lot of other people too, in how she reads flawlessly and actually "looks" like an anchor, whatever that may mean! But I still say, a few weeks ago, when that Kiese guy was off for a couple of days, they brought in some guy who I had not seen and haven't seen since, named Devin something, and he coanchored with Gianna, and man, they were completely RIGHT ON! A great pair, and I thought they should be the new morning team. I really feel bad for Gianna Franco on this one.
ReplyDelete(KPIX Bio: ) Devin Fehely is an Emmy award winning general assignment reporter/MMJ for KPIX 5.
DeleteBefore joining KPIX 5 Devin was at WXIA in Atlanta where spent four years reporting. During that time, he won numerous awards, including three Murrow Awards and the Gannett Foundation Award for Innovation in Investigative Journalism from the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) for a series of stories that helped free a wrongfully convicted man.
Wow, who needs facial recognition when you've got the "disgusted PIX contact" you can tell everything about anyone just by looking at a picture. Lame...totally lame.
ReplyDeleteI'll bet I can tell what TV news departments across the country have male news directors (and balding male news directors over 45 who drive a sportscar to boot) just by looking at their hires. And I'll bet Neerman's one of these.
ReplyDeleteCome on, Rich! What are her measurements?
ReplyDeleteWhat's with all the haters? Amanda looks hot (at least in photos), certainly a notch (or two) better looking than any current KPIX staffers. Maybe Neerman is onto something, for once??
ReplyDeletenice teeth...I'll give her a chance
ReplyDeleteYou go Christine...love Your style
ReplyDeleteI used to watch her on KSBY down in SLO. Didn't stand out in anyway, usually reported on second tier stories.
ReplyDeleteNeerman is still Neenerman, eh? A past Big Brother management member hired him, and said member is gone. Sounds like PIX can ill afford more Neener Neener Neener.
ReplyDeleteWeekday mornings means she’s going up against Dave Clark and Reggie Aqui, arguable two of the most unqualified anchors in tv history. The bar couldn’t be any lower, especially in the case of Dave Clark who can barely read the teleprompter resulting in no fewer than two dozen gaffes per newscast.
ReplyDeletelast week I had Mornings on 2 on in the background and heard Dave clark refer to Madison Bumgarner as 'former Giants quarterback' THREE times. I'll blame the show writer for the first gaffe but then Dave read that in two subsequent reads. does anyone there even pay attention???
DeleteThe kids don't like that the new girl in school is prettier than they are. Maybe they can TP her locker or something.
ReplyDeleteGood job KPIX. More proof...The Women Are The News.
ReplyDeleteJust for kicks I decided to see what she has posted on Youtube. I ran across this one when she was at KSBY 6 in San Luis Obispo.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAwPCkhvlME
At 1:17 listen to how she pronounces the name of the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.
Oy vey!
Starrantino, eh? I wonder if the carpet matches the drapes.
ReplyDeleteProbably not because I am 99% sure she has hardwood floors...
DeleteBetter than watching a man acting like a girl and a girl resemble a male on rival station with some unattractive reporters resemble a horse and a bull dog. Adding on, a reporter with a chicken voice on weekends.
ReplyDeleteLets give Amanda a chance to shine. I must say tho just by noticing that “smile” from her sure looks like she got a “positive” and “energetic attitude far better than Griego...
ReplyDeleteI saw Amanda this morning, her first day on air at KPIX, and she did a pretty good job, but my wife said that although she looks good, she looks "too classy" for KPIX. The wife said she would be better suited for something like CNN. I still say that Gianna Franco was doing an excellent job. On the other hand, KPIX's hiring of this Amanda lady completely surprises me because I didn't think tv stations in the bay area hired white women anymore! Wow!
ReplyDeleteI’ll also reserve judgement until she’s been here for at least a month, but I checked out her social media and she is already constantly posting ‘look at me’ type of Instagram Stories. I’m talking about an excessive amount throughout the day. Certainly starved for attention. Doesn’t help to counter the narrative that she was hired simply for her looks.
ReplyDeletelooks like she's already taking a page out of the Maria Medina and Rose Mary Orozco social media playbook
DeleteI too checked out her profile, but more than just Instagram.
DeleteShe has quite a resume. She is a a Southern California girl, 29 yo. She interned at KABC, and KTLA in LA, and then became an anchor in Indianapolis, Indiana. She is also a professional figure skater. She was once Miss Teen California.
Sne is a graduate from Chapman University where she studied Television & Broadcast Journalism and Political Science. She freelanced at the OC Register.
Michelle Griego was great on the morning show and she was very easy on the eyes.
ReplyDeleteAmanda Starrantino is absolutely the worst news anchor I have ever seen. She has zero personality, frequently messes up, has no connection with the audience, looks like a wooden mannequin, and appears to be bored and/or tortured to be in front of the camera. It is painful to even watch her. Worse there is no chemistry between her and Len Keise, who I think is one of the best anchors I have seen. I'm not sure that poor Amanda has chemistry with anyone. Channel 5 needs to get rid of this poor woman. Whoever thought she would bring life to Channel 5 had a serious lapse in judgment.
ReplyDelete