The results are in for ABCs Live! with Regis and Kelly co-host for a day contest. Viewers voted for their favorite local broadcasters, and the top ten have won the chance to fill in for one of the Live! hosts during the first two weeks of August. Five men will host with Kelly Ripa the week of August 3rd, and five women will share the stage with Regis Philbin the week of August 17th. The winners were announced during the live taping of the show in New York City Wednesday morning as follows:
August 3rd- Louis Aguirre (WSVN Miami)
August 4th- Pat Tomasulo (WGN Chicago)
August 5th- Chris Parente (KWGN Denver)
August 6th- Jason Colthorp (WILX Lansing)
August 7th- Jeff Varner (WWMT Kalamazoo)
August 17th- Lucy Bustamante (WWL New Orleans)
August 18th- Tram Mai (KPNX Phoenix)
August 19th- Sandra Shaw (WBAL Baltimore)
August 20th- Tamara Taggart (CTV Vancouver)
August 21st- Janelle Wang (KGO San Francisco)
Before joining WWMT in 2007, the final male co-host, Jeff Varner, formerly worked as an entertainment reporter for KCBS in Los Angeles and E! News Live. He was also a field correspondent and host for the TV Guide channel, so he should feel right at home with his guests, Susan Lucci, of daytime soap opera fame, and “American Idol” winner David Cook.
Lucy Bustamante, WWL-Channel 4s evening anchor knows shell have to stay on her toes when she hosts with Regis, one of TV’s most unique characters. “As far as the humor goes, you have to follow his lead. I’m really trying to keep as level-headed as possible.”