Seth Meyers Still Leading “Kelly” Co-Host Candidate Despite Timid Brush Off

Seth Meyers is very much the leading candidate to succeed Regis Philbin on “Live with Kelly” despite his timid denials today. Meyers is on every day this week in the middle of July sweeps. He’s the only candidate to get a full Monday-Friday shot. He’s terrific, too. I’ve never seen someone so confident and poised–he’s also very funny. Ripa and Michael Gelman will be lucky to get him. And there’s no one else. Next week singer Josh Groban returns for three days, followed by Kristen Chenoweth and rock star Rob Thomas of matchbox twenty.

After that “Live!” goes on hiatus until Labor Day. There are no more co-hosts. Meyers was given the primo spot to show off in, and he’s doing an excellent job. Today’s report in the Florida Sun Sentinel doesn’t have him denying it, just sort of brushing off the question. My guess is he’ll continue to do the news at “Saturday Night Live” through the presidential election, but step down as head writer.

All of this will disappoint The Hollywood Reporter. They were very fast to reprint the Sentinel quotes, and quote this column as if to prove us wrong. It’s hilarious. They never give credit or a link for anything positive. But the Meyers story is pretty right on. And good for Seth. He can five years there, be 43, and ready for a spot on a nighttime talk show.