TVSquad

Near the end of today's Live with Regis and Kelly, Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa offered their apologies to the Dominican community over remarks they made on the show last week. It seemed like a sincere apology, even if it was read from a teleprompter.

Anyway, since I don't watch the show every day, I had no idea what remark they were talking about. So I immediately fired up the ol' Google search machine and plugged in "regis kelly dominicans." Sure enough, a story (and accompanying video) came up from our cousins at TMZ about the Reege laughing at a joke where Kelly associates "donkeys" with "Dominicans," and the ensuing protest by Dominican organizations.

But then a click on the video clouds the issue a bit.

Don't tell Keith Olbermann -- he of the Countdown special commentaries -- but CNN's Anderson Cooper is the Edward R. Murrow of our era. That's according to Lisa DePaulo of Elle, but the popularity and proliferation of Cooper, from CNN to CBS's 60 Minutes to anchoring Times' Square on New Year's Eve and filling in for Regis Philbin on Live with Regis and Kelly, backs up her assertion.

"He is our generation's Edward R. Murrow; that is, if Murrow were this good-looking and had lived in a world with Gawker and TMZ," DePaulo writes. "This is not just because of Cooper's exacting standards of journalism-hard work, legwork, no-divaness. He's a purist, really-like Murrow."

One of the best things about moving your show to New York? New York guest stars. Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa have signed up to play themselves on the September 25th season premiere of Ugly Betty. Conveniently, Ugly Betty's star, America Ferrera, announced the casting news while she was a guest on ... Live With Regis & Kelly.

In addition to the morning duo, other guest stars lined up for the new East Coast version of Betty include Ripa's husband, former All My Children star Mark Consuelos and Long Island native Lindsay Lohan. Lohan is reprising her role as Betty's high school rival for five episodes.

I'm a sucker for shows that are filmed in New York, so I'm super-psyched about this season of Ugly Betty. Now that they've already snagged Regis & Kelly, what other New Yorkers should Ugly Betty try to get as a guest star? Personally, my fingers are crossed for Anderson Cooper. But then again, my fingers are always crossed for Anderson Cooper.

Those cruel Emmy bastards. Here Regis Philbin is today, recuperating from his heart bypass surgery (unless it's still going on, which is possible), and he doesn't even get a nomination for Best Talk Show or Host!

Ellen got a nod though, and she led all nominees with 12 nominations. Going up against her for Best Talk Show are Dr. Phil, The View, Tyra Banks, and Rachael Ray. If she's not the winner out of that group, something is wrong somewhere. She's also up for Best Talk Show Host, with the same nominees and also Lisa Rinna, who apparently hosts something called Soap Talk.

The shows up for Best Soap are Guiding Light, The Young and the Restless, One Life To Live, and The Bold and the Beautiful. Bob Barker got a nomination for The Price Is Right. His last day on that show is in June.

Oh, and that Today Show "It's a New Day" theme? It got a nom too.

Here is the full list of nominees.

Anna told you yesterday about Regis Philbin's surprise announcement that he will undergo a heart bypass procedure this week. Philbin's last day for at least five weeks was yesterday, and the show has announced who will fill in for him while he's recuperating.

Today and tomorrow, CNN's Anderson Cooper, who has guest-hosted the show before, will take over for Regis in the chair next to Kelly Ripa. Then on Thursday and Friday, MTV's Damien Fahey will fill in. Then there will be a rotating group of celebs who will take over, and that list includes Jeff Probst, Martin Short, Donald Trump, Neil Patrick Harris, Howie Mandel, and Pat Sajak.

Wait a sec...no women? I know they like to have that male/female dynamic on the show, but come, who wouldn't watch Kathie Lee Gifford sit next to Kelly Ripa for a few days?

There was a time ("the 80s") when Robin Williams was actually funny. Not just on TV show and movies, but on talk shows as well. He'd come on, and you just knew it was going to be a wild and fun time.

Boy, are those times past.

Williams has been making the talk show rounds the past week or so, plugging Man of the Year (does that movie look awful, or what?). And every single time he's on, he embarasses himself. Or maybe he doesn't, judging from the howls coming from the audience. He just doesn't shut up, and does the same voices over and over and over again, interrupting other guests.