Here’s a brief respite for us who bow down before the altar of prop betting: entertainment.
It may not compare to the Super Bowl or the World Series of Poker in terms of stature, but there’s no better thrill than putting some money down for sheer entertainment. This time, the focus is on Kelly Ripa’s next “Live” co-host.
A bit of recap for those who’ve just emerged from under a rock: Michael Strahan left the show last May 13, giving the “Live” the summer to find someone in time for the November sweeps. Now, it’s no secret that Strahan is a tough man to replace—in terms of likeability, at least—and his successor will have to fill some big shoes because we’ve seen how perfectly matched Ripa and Strahan were with their brother-and-sister chemistry.
With the summer fast coming to an end, several names have already started popping up with one very popular man leading the list: Anderson Cooper.
At Bodog, Cooper is the favorite to become Ripa’s next “Live” partner in crime at 3/1. It’s obvious how capable Cooper is of doing it, but would the CNN anchor, “60 Minutes” correspondent, and really, the guy who’s done a million other things a good fit for the show? The answer lies in the network’s hands.
Both Andy Cohen and Fred Savage have 7/2 odds of replacing Strahan. Cohen is a natural choice, of course. He knows live television more than anyone, thanks to his reality and talk TV experience. And if we’re going to discuss chemistry, well, the man is long-time friends with Ripa. Savage, on the other hand, had just booked to co-host the “Live” show for three days in a row. The former “Wonder Years” star reportedly wants the gig, but according to reports, Savage is reluctant to move his family to New York City.
Seth Meyers, Josh Groban, and Alec Baldwin each have 4/1 odds, according to the online sportsbook. The three are both show and fan favorites, especially Baldwin who co-hosted the show in June.
Jeff Gordon, who also expressed interest in joining the morning television show, has 13/2 odds, while Mario Lopez has 8/1 and Erin Andrews has 15/1.
