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The Best & Worst TV Newscasters - by Paul Semel
Erica Hill/CNN The Worst:
Erica Hill

Channel: Headline News
Shows: "Prime News" and regular news broadcasts
Took Over the Desk: January 2003
Previous Gigs: Co-anchor and correspondent, "Tech Live" on Tech TV
This Just In: Ranked as No. 35 on People magazine's list of the "100 Most Beautiful People" this year
Why We Don't Like Her: Because it just doesn't seem right to hear the phrase "11 killed by a car bomb in Iraq today" coming out of someone who's cuter than a chipmunk.
The Fox Report/Fox News Shepard Smith
Channel: Fox News
Shows: "The Fox Report" and "Studio B with Shepard Smith"
Took Over the Desk: 1996
Previous Gigs: Reported at TV stations in Florida,
including WCPX-TV (now WKMG-TV) in Orlando and WCJB-TV in
Gainesville, as well as for "A Current Affair"
This Just In: In a 2002 segment about Jennifer Lopez, accidentally said the neighbors were "more likely to give her a curb job than a b*#^ job, er, block party." A gaffe he's never lived down. Though we think "curb job" sounds kind of dirty, too.
Why We Don't Like Him: Because although we have no problem with his anchoring skills per se, his perfectly sculpted eyebrows and overly made-up look just freaks us out. Plus, he owes us money.
The Simpsons/FOX Kent Brockman
Channel: KBBL-TV
Shows: "Springfield Action News," "Smartline" and "Eye on Springfield"
Took Over The Desk: April 29, 1990 (in the episode "Krusty Gets Busted")
Previous Gigs: Evening anchor for Los Angeles stations such as KABC, KCBS, KCAL, KTLA and KCOP
This Just In: Once hosted the "Krusty the Klown" show as "Kent Brockman the Clown" when Krusty "didn't come in today. He is presumed dead or on vacation."
Why We Don't Like Him: Because whether he's pledging his allegiance to what he thinks are invading alien ants ("I'd like to remind them that as a trusted TV personality, I can be helpful in rounding up others to toil in their underground sugar caves."), or just changing his name to hide his Jewish heritage (he was born Kenny Brocklestein), Kent Brockman is a total sell out.
Paul Semel writes about music, movies, TV and video games for magazines such as Stuff, Emmy, Giant, Electronic Gaming Monthly, Spin as well as Movies.com. He is also available for weddings and bar mitzvahs.



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