Birth Announcement: Elle Summer

I have big news to share!
My husband and I welcomed a brand new baby girl into the family this summer!

Since this is our second child, I've followed tradition and upheld every second child cliche out there. I haven't written anything in the baby book. I've taken more than a month to share this birth announcement. And I seem to be losing the baby weight much more slowly this time around. Awesome. I bet Kate Middleton has already lost all her baby weight. Kim Kardashian, too. Thanks, ladies.
But back to my sweet baby girl. Her name is Elle (we love the one-syllable names in our family: Jim... Jill... Shane... you get the picture). We might be biased, but we think she's as charming as Elle Woods, as captivating as Elle Macpherson and fascinating enough to land the cover of Elle magazine. But of course, her first cover will be either People or Vanity Fair...it's family tradition.

My Shorts Story

Above right, my inspiration, J.
Above left, her inspiration, J. Crew.

Ack! I've been photo-bombed by Baby Shane!

Nearly a year ago, I had a baby. Last spring, I finally lost all the baby weight (yay!), and I couldn't wait to spend the summer in my standard warm-weather uniform of sundresses, shirt dresses and shift dresses. Especially since I'd spent the previous summer in maternity wear. But I quickly found that dresses aren't practical for new moms. If you're nursing, you have to fully undress every time the baby gets hungry. Dresses aren't ideal for playdates, picnics and park outings either. If you're going to be running crawling around a playground with the under-one-year-old set, you need shorts.
And -- brace yourself -- aside from my running gear, I didn't own any shorts. How is that possible, you ask? Well, I always thought dresses were easier. I also felt like I looked all wrong every time I put on shorts. I end up in too-long cargo shorts that made me look like a 14-year-old boy on his way to the skate park. Terrible.
My beloved Vogue, Bazaar and Elle magazines didn't exactly give me guidance on how to dress for playdates. Sure, I knew exactly I'd wear to the Emmys, but I had no idea what to wear to the park!
Then, I found a website called J's Everyday Fashion. It had thousands of pictures of J. managing to look cute in shorts (and skirts, and jeans). She wore fun colors! Belts! Great shoes! And she did it all on a budget! Which is ironic, because she inspired me to do an obscene amount of online shopping for new shorts, as well as coordinating tops, belts and shoes. I honestly think the management at Zappos is planning to honor me with some sort of "Customer of the Year" award soon. Anyway, when I get that award, I plan to thank J. for inspiring my post-baby makeover, or Momover, if you will. And I'll thank my husband for not making too many comments about our skyrocketing credit card statements. And my baby boy, for napping in my arms while I balanced the iPad on my knees and shopped online. And the good people of Zappos, for honoring me with this award. And my fellow nominees... it's an honor just to be mentioned in the same breath as you!
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Host Chat: Half-Marathon Moments

I can't believe it! Six months after having a baby, I ran my first half-marathon today!* Scroll down for some highlights...

Shane Quincy watches the marathoners run by, while
Hollywood Super Agent Jim Ornstein and I pose for the paparazzi.

Funniest Motivational Sign: "You've trained longer than Kim Kardashian's marriage."
Cutest Motivational Sign: A "Good Job, Mom!" poster with a big photo of a cute baby who, coincidentally, looked a LOT like my 6-month-old, Shane. I actually did a triple-take to see if it was my little guy!
Worst Motivational Moment: Running past spectators who decided to pump us up with the soothing ballads of Train. The dude crooning "my heart is bound to beat right out my untrimmed chest" is just not helping me zip through Mile 9. I need some Eye of the Tiger! Or really, anything that doesn't mention manscaping!
Biggest Surprise: I felt strong enough to respond to each cheering spectator with both a thumbs up and a smile (read: grimace). I even laughed at the lady waving a "Need Beer?" sign at us. Beer? Now? You're so weird for offering. Not because it's 6:50am and we're running a race. Because I'm clearly under 21! Heh.
Least Surprising Moment: When this ham found the strength for a real smile and a friendly wave for the official race photographers. The pain of Mile 12 is fleeting, but a photo is forever!
Proudest Moments:
-Finishing the 13.1 mile race in a much better time that I expected (2:11)
-Finding out Super Agent Jim Ornstein totally rocked the race (1:38!)
-Walking (read: limping) home and immediately getting a big smile from baby Shane. (Which, unfortunately, you can't see in the photo above. Because Shane has asked Mommy not to post his picture on the web. Something about protecting his online reputation. That Shane! So forward-thinking!)
*Thank you, Fit Pregnancy magazine, for giving me this idea last summer, during my second trimester. One of your pieces quoted reader Becky Frost who said, "After I had each of my two babies, I signed up for a half-marathon, trained for it and ran it about six months after giving birth." Aside from the two babies thing, I did exactly that. Thanks for the inspiration!
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Host Chat: This Bib's For Me!

Today I picked up a different bib than the kind I usually buy. This one wasn't terry cloth. It didn't have the name "Shane" embroidered on the front. It wasn't even baby blue! Instead, it looked like this:

That, my friends, is my race bib for my first-ever HALF MARATHON this weekend. I vowed right here that I would do a 13.1 mile race when my son was six months old.
For the past 10 weeks, Hollywood Super Agent Jim Ornstein and I have been in serious training mode. My beloved high school cross-country coach, Mr. P., would be so proud! Jim aims to finish the race in a respectable time. I'm just aiming to finish it. And, really, let's be honest: This was really about losing the baby weight more than anything else! I've achieved one goal: I'm back in my pre-Mom jeans. Now, can I go the distance and complete tomorrow's 13.1 mile trek? Tune in Sunday night for the (hopefully not too) gory details!

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In Memoriam: Steve Ornstein

My husband lost his father on Saturday. My son lost a grandfather. And I lost a loving father-in-law and fellow TV talker.

Steve Ornstein

My father-in-law, Steve Ornstein, led a remarkable life. He was a model turned actor turned sportscaster. I loved bonding with him over the TV biz...and our mutual affection for Shane, my 3-month-old baby. 
I'll miss Oren Stevens, as he was known on-camera, more than I can express. I know many others are heartbroken, too, from his wife and four children to the hundreds of people who've shared their memories of him with us in the past few days.
Goodbye, Oren. We love you.

Stick with me, kid. You'll wear silk.

--Oren Stevens in the 1969 film Downhill Racer

An Open Letter to Regis Philbin

Mary Ann Dobson, Kelly Ripa, Steve Dobson and
Best Friends Forever Regis Philbin and Jill Dobson
August 2010

Dear Regis, 

I just watched Katie Couric's special, Regis Philbin: The Morning Maestro. The interview, and the fact that your final day on Live with Regis and Kelly is upon us, has me in tears.

Perhaps that's not saying much -- as a sleep-deprived new mom I'm always on the brink of an emotional breakdown. But I think this time the tears are because I don't yet know where I can see more of you. Until you announce your next project, viewers like me are left in a Regis-free limbo, and we're not happy about it. What's next -- will Oprah retire from her talk show?! 

Look, Reege, my newborn son is wonderful, but I need adult companionship, too. And who wants to go out in the rain and interact with actual people when I can laugh along with my TV friends from the comfort of my living room? That's why I need you to announce your next talk-show endeavor as soon as possible.

Also, please remember that, thanks to our mutual friend, Hollywood Super Agent Jim Ornstein, you and I have met several times. Once, when I was in the audience of Live, you even called me funny... in front of millions of TV viewers. It was one of my greatest moments ever. In case I haven't mentioned it, I think you're funny, too.

So, please, for the sake of all your fans, head on over to NBC or Nick at Nite or NFL Network or wherever you'd like, right now! And get a great sidekick. We viewers want to see you paired with a fun, blonde new mom who cracks you up. Got any ideas?

Until we meet again... Godspeed, Reege. Godspeed.

Sincerely,

Jill Dobson

Birth Announcement: Shane Quincy

I have big news to share!
My husband and I welcomed a brand new baby boy into our family this week!
Suri Cruise says it's bad form to announce a baby's birth on the web... so please pretend you received this in the mail, printed on heavy cardstock and addressed to you in custom calligraphy:

We can't release any photos of Shane Quincy until the bidding war between People and Vanity Fair is resolved. However, a poll of his parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins was taken. His cuteness approval rating is a 99%, with a margin of error of +/- 1 percentage point. And really, if you can't trust extended family to give an honest answer regarding a baby's cuteness, who can you trust? 

Book Who's Talking: Dystopian Society Edition

Welcome to Book Who's Talking. If that phrase has you thinking about a certain 1989 Kirstie Alley flick, I must clarify that this portion of The Jill Dobson Show has absolutely no talking babies with the voice of Bruce Willis. Sorry if you feel misled.

Remember the time I auditioned for a reality show and I told the casting directors my hobbies included hair-raising adventures like playing Scrabble and reading? Yeah, I wasn't exactly the lightning rod for controversy they were looking for. And no, I did not become the Puck of my generation.
But, hey, what I said was true! And it still is. I've spent the entire summer reading like a mo-fo. I started with classics including George Orwell's 1984 and William Golding's Lord of the Flies. Those two led me to have a season-long obsession with dystopian societies. I jumped into Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake and then promptly devoured her The Year of the Flood. I also discovered the fascinating young adult series The Hunger Games. I strongly recommend all of the above, as well as the newest entrant in the genre: Glow. In Amy Kathleen Ryan's new novel, a group of pioneers are on a decades-long trip in outer space. Since Earth is nearly uninhabitable, they're on a mission toward a planet they'll colonize and call New Earth. But they aren't the only humans in deep space. The people aboard their so-call sister ship are planning a rendezvous, and their intentions appear to be anything but friendly.

The world isn't ending in Tom Perrotta's fictional The Leftovers, but it has changed profoundly in the wake of an event many believe was The Rapture. Early in the novel, Perrotta writes, "The biblical prophecy came true, or at least partly true. People disappeared, millions of them at the same time, all over the world." The rest of the book focuses on the people left behind. Some are confused and angry, including ultra-religious folks who expected they'd be first in line for The Rapture. Some are grief-stricken, like Nora, a woman whose husband and children all disappeared in an instant. Others call themselves the Guilty Remnant, and spend their days making sure no one ever forgets -- or moves on from -- that fateful day. 

Society isn't dystopian at all in Madeline Wickham's 40 Love. Perhaps dysfunctional is a better term. Under her pen name, Sophie Kinsella, Wickham wrote the beloved Shopaholic series. In this novel, her characters have just as many lovable foibles as Shopaholic's Becky Bloomwood, but the hijinks are packed into one unforgettable weekend of tennis, booze and one-upmanship. Four couples start the weekend as friends, but deceit, greed, jealousy and one too many Pimm's all threaten to strain relationships and stir up some seriously juicy drama.

Editor's note 1: 40 Love hits bookstores August 30th; The Leftovers comes out September 6th; pick up Glow September 13th.
Editor's note 2: If you think I'm neglecting my Scrabble-playing to do all this reading, get ready to stand corrected. I've not only been playing, I recently set what I'm sure is a new world record: I used all my letters three times in one game against Hollywood Super Agent Jim Ornstein. It was glorious. (But since then, I've been on a losing streak like you wouldn't believe. When Ornstein decides it's payback time, watch out!)

Talk Show Hopeful: Supporting the Dream

Guess who's visiting the set of one successful celebrity's upcoming talk show right now? No, not me. (Sigh.) The lucky winner of that all-access pass is my husband, Hollywood Super Agent Jim Ornstein. And I'm living vicariously through him today, imagining that I'm there, too. As a pregnant lady, I do a lot of things vicariously through him these days, from wine consumption to roller coaster riding to white water rafting.*
Mr. Super Agent just sent me an email from the set. He could've talked about how glamorous the celebrity is close-up, or described the behind-the-scenes craziness. But his email was actually about me, of all things. It stated, in full, "I was just thinking of you onstage with your own talk show." 
He supports the dream! How great is he?!  

Jill Dobson's Emmy Dream Dress
(As modeled by Emmy winner Claire Danes)

My dream, as fans of The Jill Dobson Show know, is to be a talk show host. I've worked toward it during my decade as a reporter, covering hard news, then entertainment. (My resume includes hosting a daily live talk show on the web, Strategy Room, and appearing on some shows you might've heard of... The Today Show, CBS Early Show, Vh1 All Access, E News!, Access Hollywood, Showbiz Tonight, etc.)

"Creative Visualization" author Shakti Gawain says that if you have a dream, you should "Imagine that it has already happened. Picture it as clearly as possible in your mind."  

On her advice, I can close my eyes and see my future talk show set, the audience, the different segments we'll do, the inevitable Emmy nominations, even my Emmy dress... which looks a lot like the dress Claire Danes wore to the 2010 awards. Except mine has spaghetti straps. Because you know who isn't brave enough to risk a wardrobe malfunction on Emmy night? Me! 
Sturdy strap support, along with the longterm support of my spouse (and the Jill Dobson Show audience)... it seems I've got everything I need to make it to the top, wouldn't you say? So, move over, Oprah! (Oh, right. She already stepped down from her talk show. Well, then, move over, Ellen!)

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*OK, he hasn't exactly been on any roller coasters this summer, and I don't think he's ever been white water rafting. But it sounds lame to say that I've just been watching, staring, dreaming, and, I admit, drooling a bit, every time he takes a sip of wine. Right? There should be other things I'm missing out on, due to pregnancy. I had other hobbies before becoming a Mom-to-Be, didn't I? Didn't I?!

Host Chat: Dating Advice from Actual Experts

Welcome to another edition of Host Chat.  Just as Regis shares exciting stories from his life each morning, I share my latest tales of hobnobbing, hijinks, and more often than not, humiliation! 

Always a Bridesmaid?  Read on...

Friends often ask me for dating advice, possibly because my dating years yielded the ultimate result: One wonderful husband (see previous post). The problem is, my friends very rarely heed my advice.  When I say, "Do NOT call him," or "Break up with him NOW," they usually nod, commend me on my sage wisdom, and then later inform me they did the exact opposite... with disastrous results.  
I almost always refrain from saying, "I told you so."  Instead, I'll say something like, "That's exactly what I predicted would happen, hence my advice to NOT CALL HIM.  Remember?!"  OK, I don't actually say that.  But I probably should.  
After all, Straight-Shooters usually get their own talk shows (right, Dr. Phil?), while Dance-Arounders like me just keep waiting for someone like CBS President Les Moonves to call with a talk show offer... and waiting... and waiting.

This week, while waiting for Mr. Moonves' call, I picked up The Little Black Book of Big Red Flags.  It's essentially the dating guide for the Sex and the City generation - ladies who know how to meet men, but might be struggling to meet the right men.  I always say, the best way to meet the right man is to stop wasting time on the wrong man.  Here are some the book's tips on how to determine if you're wasting time on wrong man:
Red Flag Rule #8: If he explicitly says, "I'm never going to be the boyfriend type," take his word for it.
Red Flag Rule #12: If a guy can pick up a phone and send a text, surely he can use the same phone and call you with it.
Red Flag Rule #44: A guy who has less-than-stellar friends is most likely less-than-stellar himself. 
Good tips, right?  It all probably sounds pretty familiar to a lot of my friends. So why haven't they been taking the above advice from me?
My dad introduced me to the very helpful expression: An expert is someone from 50 miles away.  Ergo, to my friends, I'm no expert, I'm just Jill.  But this book is written by 3 women in Los Angeles, which is almost 3,000 miles away -- making them experts 60 times over -- and it has the added caché of being published by an actual publisher.  So, dear friends, if you won't listen to me, please take the advice of the authors of The Little Black Book of Big Red Flags.  They could save you a lot of time and heartache.  Not that you're listening...

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Host Chat: Now We're Cooking

Welcome to another edition of Host Chat.  Just as Regis shares exciting stories from his life each morning, I share my latest tales of hobnobbing, hijinks, and more often than not, humiliation! 

Leave it to Beaver's Barbara Billingsley,
working it in an apron... and pearls!

Seven hours.  That's how long I've been waiting for some guys to come install new closet shelves.  As you can imagine, this seven-hour wait has pushed my whole day off-schedule. What was on my agenda for today, you ask?  OK, well, not that much. Basically just two things: Work Out; and Cook Dinner.  The latter is kind of a big deal, because I'm generally pretty useless (read: disinterested, unmotivated) in the kitchen.  But recently the Food Network's Marcela Valladolid inspired me with this mashed potato recipe.  I've since created a whole meal around it, replacing most of Marcela's Mexican Made Easy fare with some of my All-American favorites. What (besides Marcela) finally got me cooking, you ask?  Well, two things. One, my husband, Hollywood Super Agent Jim Ornstein, and I are expecting a baby later this year, so it seemed to be high time I put down the take-out menus and picked up some better eating habits.  Two, my beloved husband works long, long hours every day (weekends most definitely included).  Wouldn't it be great if (on the days I'm not busy at CNN or Vh1 or whatever) I welcomed him home, 1950s style, with a highball* in hand, an apron around my waist and a hot dinner on the table?  He does a lot for this little family of ours.  I should cook him a nice dinner in return!  But now, it's after 5pm and I haven't done anything on my to-do list!  Nothing!
Which led to this conversation:


Me: Do you know what time you'll be home from work tonight?  I'm trying to decide whether to take an evening yoga class.  I haven't worked out yet, because I've been sitting around all day waiting for these Closet Guys.
Hollywood Super Agent Jim Ornstein: Probably pretty early, for once. Maybe 8:00?

Me: Hmmm.  I know I said I wanted to cook dinner tonight, since we're booked the rest of the week and half the ingredients will be expired by next week...  

Hollywood Super Agent Jim Ornstein: What time is the yoga class?

Me: It's pretty late.  I wouldn't be home until 9:00.

Hollywood Super Agent Jim Ornstein: Want to tell me what to cook, and I'll cook it?


Is he a great guy or what?  The main reason I wanted to cook tonight was to do something nice for him, and here he is, offering to whip up dinner!   And suddenly my decision is easy: skip yoga today, and start cooking... ideally, while standing in tree pose.  
Now, if only I could nail down an ETA on those Closet Guys...

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*I honestly have no idea what a highball is!  Some sort of cocktail?  Or just the glass the cocktail is served in?  Can someone help me out here?  Oh, thanks so much, webtender.com, you're so generous.  What do I owe you? Oh, it's on the house?!  Why, thank you!

Host Chat: Wedding Dress Obsessed

Welcome to another edition of Host Chat.  Just as Regis shares exciting stories from his life each morning, I share my latest tales of hobnobbing, hijinks, and more often than not, humiliation!

Maybe it's the beautiful photos from Niecy Nash's recent wedding (above), or Sherri Shepherd's frequent tweets about her upcoming wedding, or leftover royal wedding fever, or nostalgia for the pre-pregnancy days when I had a waist... but lately I'm obsessed with wedding dresses.  Obsessed!  I stop and linger outside wedding stores, peruse wedding magazines at the newsstand, and find myself dismayed that, unlike every other summer of my life, I don't even have one upcoming wedding to look forward to!  How'd that happen?

Another possible reason why I'm dress obsessed: I recently celebrated five years of marriage to my husband, Hollywood Super Agent Jim Ornstein.  I'd always planned to slip back into my wedding dress for one of my major anniversaries.  (My mom wore her wedding dress to her 25th anniversary party, which was fabulous.)  Since Jim and I are expecting a baby later this year (and, let's be honest, I've spent the past 5 years eating way too much pizza), there was no way I'd fit into my dress for this anniversary.  

With Mary Ann Dobson,
Mother of the Bride, on my wedding day.

The upside, of course, is that we'll soon have a new little family member... and I'll have an even better shot at getting my dream gig as a talk show host!  After all, viewers love hearing about Sherri Shepherd's and Elisabeth Hasselbeck's kids on The View.  (Right, Bill Geddie?) And if The Talk ever needs another mom on the panel, maybe now I'll have a shot at it!  (Right, Sara Gilbert?)

So, Mr. Geddie and Ms. Gilbert, please add me to your roster of potential fill-in hosts right away!  I promise I'll come armed with hilarious stories about celebrity encounters at my prenatal classes, the ridiculous lengths my husband and I went to to hide the pregnancy during the early months, and how we just might one-up all the celebrities in Hollywood with the craziest of baby names.  (Kal-Mowgli, anyone?)

Host Chat: Pulling a Lohan

Welcome to another edition of Host Chat.  Just as Regis shares stories from his exciting life each morning on his talk show, I share my latest tales of hobnobbing, hinjinks, and more often than not, humiliation!

The necklace, via Socialitelife.com

As you may known, Lindsay Lohan often shops at high-end jewelry stores-- sometimes with unfortunate consequences.  Well, I'm starting to understand what might've gone wrong for Ms. Lohan.  Here's the story: The other day, I needed a really special necklace for my 5-year wedding anniversary celebration.  So I was shopping at my favorite high-end jewelry store, Banana Republic.
Wait- why's everyone laughing?
Anyway, just like Lohan was shopping with a friend the day of her alleged necklace theft, I was shopping with my husband, Hollywood Super Agent Jim Ornstein.  And you know how Lohan and her friend were accused of distracting the sales staff by chatting with them while simultaneously trying on several necklaces?  Well... yours truly was trying on every necklace in the store, while also fielding questions about the baby bump (clearly the clerk should have been tuning in to The Jill Dobson Show) and the planned anniversary celebration.  Eventually, I picked a short turquoise necklace, headed to the checkout, and was about to leave the store when something caught my eye.  A very long gold chain was still hanging from my neck!  A long gold chain I hadn't paid for!  And the only reason I saw it was because it was so long that.... it was resting on my baby bump!  What if it had been shorter, like the tiny little chain in the Lohan case?!  I'd be under house arrest right now!  And worse, so would my future baby.  Can you imagine the life of mayhem in store for someone who gets arrested before even being born?  Shudder.
So the good news is, I spotted the necklace in time, and returned it to the clerk well before the police were called.  Then I left with the other, paid-for necklace, along with a fresh sense of empathy for Ms. Lohan.
Later that night, I put on my new necklace, and made a toast (with milk!) to our marriage, upcoming baby, and my continued lack of a police record. A cause for celebration, if there ever was one! 

A (milk!) toast for our anniversary,
upcoming baby and lack of jail time!

Host Chat: Jill's Big News

Welcome to another edition of Host Chat.  Just as Regis shares stories from his exciting life each morning on his talk show, I share my latest tales of hobnobbing, hijinks, and more often than not, humiliation!

6/3/11: Special Red Eye edition of "Baby Bump Show & Tell"

I had an exciting weekend!  I made a big announcement in the early hours of Friday morning.  I was a guest on Red Eye, and at the end of the show, I took a quick moment to tell my fellow panelists and viewers everywhere some news: "With a little help from my husband, I have the hot new Hollywood accessory-- a baby bump!"
I expect the news to end up on the cover of Us Weekly and all the industry blogs immediately!  In the meantime, I'm getting tons of funny and encouraging reactions from people on Twitter, including these comments:
@KevTracy: Just please don't name him or her Kal-El* or Bronx Mowgli**
@FrankR_08: Hope he or she is a healthy future red carpet reporter
@TheKennedySmith [paraphrasing Red Eye host Greg Gutfeld]: Congratulations on gettin' fat!  (I kid. Congratulations, really.)
@NickiLaLa13: Tonight's RedEye was hysterical. And congrats to Jill Dobson!!
@bubbacrzy: When we said we want 'more Dobson' we didn't mean more belly. You take things too literally!


Thanks to the all the cyber comments, we've already decided to name the baby Kal-Mowgli.  And yes, we'll get little K-M working the red carpet and the Hollywood junket scene by age 4.  (That's how prodigies are made, you know!)  Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go wait by my mailbox for all my weekly celebrity magazines to arrive... gotta see how many covers feature me rather than boring old Angelina Jolie this month!


*As in Nick Cage's son
*As in Ashlee Simpson's son
Photo credit: www.highdefnewscaps.blogspot.com 

Special Thanks to: Hollywood Super Agent Jim Ornstein (also known as the father-to-be)!

Casting Call: Ben Bowman

Welcome to another edition of Casting Call: Jill's Search for the Perfect Co-Host!  With each Casting Call, I advocate for someone I'd love as my future talk show co-host.  Eventually, the viewers (and the network executives) will make the final call.

Ben Bowman (red tie, 2nd from right) on the improv stage

Today's Casting Call features... Ben Bowman!  Years ago, when I was a reporter at WWMT News 3 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, producer Ben Bowman was one of my favorite co-workers.  To this day, he remains one of the all-time funniest people I've ever met. At News 3, not only did Ben brighten my day with his wisecracks, he also encouraged me to make the nearly 3-hour drive to Chicago to take improv comedy classes at Second City (proving grounds for Stephen Colbert, Tina Fey, Mike Myers, Joan Rivers, Fred Willard... the list goes on and on and on).  I followed his advice and drove to Chicago every Saturday for months.  I absolutely loved the improv world, and continued studying and performing when I moved to New York.  I recently raved about Ben when I was interviewed for this article... though, sadly, my glowing quote was cut and there was merely a fleeting mention of "a co-worker" instead.  Well, I say, now's the time for Ben Bowman to get his due!  
These days, Ben lives in Chicago, where he performs improv comedy at night, and works as a TV producer by day.  In fact, he once used his TV connections to get both of us tickets for Letterman, Ben's favorite 11:30pm funnyman.  (Although you wouldn't know it, from the title of Ben's recent YouTube clip, "Jay Leno is a Comedy God."  Click here to watch!)
Many of you commented that my previous Casting Call choice, Courtney Friel, might be too similar to me.*  The good news with Ben is that we're very different.  Different gender, different worldviews (one of us doesn't drink, the other strongly believes it's always "5 o'clock somewhere"), and different approaches to comedy.  I try to never really insult anyone.  Ben, meanwhile, recently wrote on Twitter, "Moments ago, I thought of former MTV VJ Jesse Camp.  Then I wanted to kill myself because I remember former MTV VJ Jesse Camp."  Another difference?  I'm married to Hollywood Super Agent Jim Ornstein.  Ben is single, despite great dating advice he has received through the years, like this gem he recently Tweeted:
Actual dating advice from my grandfather: "Say, 'You are even prettier than your sister.' Don't say, 'Your sister is even uglier than you!'"
(Ben is @BowmanInc, for those of you on Twitter.)
We're also different because Ben is funnier than me.  Fact: When I was doing improv comedy shows, my audience was always composed of friends and family members who were strong-armed into attending, while people (strangers!) actually pay money to see Ben's amazing performances.  Next time you're in Chicago, you must see one here!
And next time you encounter a high-level TV executive, please let her know that she really needs to greenlight The Jill Dobson Show... and that Ben Bowman deserves a shot at the co-host chair.  Gracias.

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*OK, not one person said Courtney and I are too similar.  Instead, I received several comments, via Twitter, of the "how many lingerie pillow fights will you have" variety.  I did not dignify such questions with a response.  The Jill Dobson Show is a family show, people!  (And, since you asked, we'll have four.)

Talk Show Hopeful: Jill Dobson

Welcome to another edition of Talk Show Hopeful: Jill Dobson.  With each Talk Show Hopeful, I share the latest ups and downs in my lifelong quest to become a Talk Show Host.

Jill Dobson plays "Madison Daly" on Onion News Network

As you know, Sherri Shepherd was best known as a comedic actress, before landing her job as a host on The View.  I'm hoping my recurring role as "Madison Daly" on the always-hilarious Onion News Network will likewise help me make the transition into the world of talk.  This week on the ONN, my character shares Harry Potter scoop you certainly won't hear anywhere else!  Watch the brand-new video here!

Anyway, I'm sure hoping the Sherri Shepherd Method works for me.  If not, I'm left with these options:  

--Elisabeth Hasselbeck Method: Compete on Survivor, then eventually host a talk show.  For me, the reality ship has sailed. True story: I once worked for a company where some of the employees were going to be featured on a reality show.  My boss asked me to meet with the reality casting directors.  When I told this to my husband, Hollywood Super Agent Jim Ornstein, he pointed out to me that nearly every couple on reality TV has split up.  Think about it: Nick & Jessica; Carmen & Dave; Liza & David; Ronnie & Sammi... the list goes on and on.  [Update: Adrienne Curry & Christopher Knight recently separated, too.]  Since my marriage is infinitely more important to me than a shot at reality stardom, I decided I didn't want to participate. But my boss insisted I meet with the casting directors.  So, I had no choice but to purposely bomb the audition.  The casting directors were looking for a dynamic New Yorker who knew how to work hard, play hard. Here's how our conversation went:

CASTING TEAM: What do you like to do in your spare time?

JILL: (in a monotone) Read.

CASTING TEAM: What else?

JILL: Play Scrabble.

CASTING TEAM: What's your average workday like?  Hectic? Lots of celebrity encounters?

JILL: I spend a lot of time at my computer.

CASTING TEAM: I'm sure you have some interesting interactions with people here in the office.

JILL: Um, I'm on the phone a lot, so I'm not really involved in the office gossip or anything.

CASTING TEAM: Are you single? Dating?  Hitting the club scene?

JILL: I'm married.  And in case it impacts your shoot, you should know, my husband refuses to be on camera.

CASTING TEAM: Well, thanks for coming in.

--Oprah Winfrey Method: Work as a local news reporter, then land a talk show gig.  I loved this idea, so I tried this idea.  I've worked for more than a decade as a reporter.  I've covered hard news at the local level and entertainment news at the national level.  And where am I today?  Blogging about my hopes of becoming a talk show host.  Hmph.

--Kelly Ripa Method: Become a soap star, then host a talk show.  One of my few talents is my ability to cry on command. With said talent, I'm seriously considering this route.  I actually once had one line on As The World Turns, and I clearly nailed it. (It's a mystery why the producers never gave Flight Attendant #2 a 5-episode arc.)

--Whoopi Goldberg Method: Win an Oscar, then host a talk show.  I think my chances of this are similar to Jim Carrey's odds of getting the girl in one of my all-time favorite non-Oscar-winning films, Dumb & Dumber.  Here's a discussion between Jim Carrey's character, Lloyd, and Lauren Holly's character, Mary:

Lloyd: What do you think the chances are of a guy like you and a girl like me... ending up together? 

Mary: Well, Lloyd, that's difficult to say. I mean, we don't really... 

Lloyd: Hit me with it! Just give it to me straight! I came a long way just to see you, Mary. The least you can do is level with me. What are my chances? 

Mary: Not good. 

Lloyd: You mean, not good like one out of a hundred? 

Mary: I'd say more like one out of a million.
[pause] 

Lloyd: So you're telling me there's a chance.

Here's hoping I have a better chance at my dream than poor Lloyd Christmas did in Dumb & Dumber!