It's not every obscure author who gets to promote his/her new book on national TV. But it's a very different story if they happen to be married to a national "news" anchor. Last year, when Megyn Kelly's husband, former big business biggie Douglas Brunt published his first book, his significant other threw him a Fox News book launch party in the form of an "interview" which devolved into a mutual admiration lovefest. Now that he has published his second book, he has returned to the loving embrace of Fox News where his loving wife is doing her wifely duty in promoting the second in Brunt's oeuvre. As the "Church Lady" would say, "isn't that special."
Tuesday night, Kelly opened with "it has been dubbed part primary colors, part House of Cards." No, this isn't from the NY Times book review but the unattributed book blurb on Amazon. As she did with the first book, she claimed, without being specific, that "it is getting rave reviews." She joked that she's not praising the book because Brunt is her husband. (Awww) After she greeted Brunt with "hi, babe," she asked him what he thought of her last interview. Brunt responded "intense." She asked him to talk about "The Means," which is "a great book" and a "super read" which is getting "great reviews." (Again, no sources identified.)
Brunt described his fascination of how the presentation of politics is different from the reality. After he mentioned the role of news in politics, she joked "how did you gain access to someone in news?" They then laughed uproariously. He talked about how because he is now friends with the Fox "team," he gets to sit in the control room during "breaking news events." (Fox News Alert: Pres. Obama Plays Golf While America Overrun By Marxist, Muslim Illegals, Sarah Palin Has A Hangnail...) Kelly lovingly gazed at Brunt as he spoke about her "great instincts" in news.
Kelly teased him about whether the book's blonde news reporter was "anyone we know." She coyly said that the "racy scenes" in the book aren't based on anyone we know." Laughter was heard across the set as he joked about presenting these scenes to his 78 year old mother's book club. Kelly and Brunt shared deep thought about those who are attracted to politics. After letting us know that Brunt gave up a lucrative CEO position for the literary world, she predicted his book would be a NY Times best seller. He provided some background on his "leap" from unhappy CEO to happy author. Kelly followed this with a moment of gag: "that leap is a testament to the power of changing your life."
Maybe Brunt's next book could feature an overweight former TV producer turned right wing propagandist who hires, for his "fair & balanced" news network, male pundits who like phone sex and female pundits with sexy legs. Nah, that just wouldn't be believable...
“..never really escapes the clichés.”
“Ghosts of Manhattan is a harmless enough read for a holiday vacation. But after at least three high profile Wall Street thriller/noir novels and more than one major feature film and cable movie within the past two years, a reader has to wonder whether this one would even have been published if the author had a less influential wife.”
From the New York Journal of Books. I did come across a superlative-laden gushfest in Forbes Magazine though… written by Dr Marc Siegal, in a rare moment when he could tear himself away from critiquing Obamacare for the 1300th time. Another glowing review was penned by one James Carville. Anyone know where he works?
