Sarah Palin’s media domination continues this week with the debut Thursday of “Real American Stories,” a new series on Fox News hosted by the former Alaska governor about people with “real-life tales of overcoming adversity.”
The first installment, which airs at 9 p.m. CDT in place of “On the Record with Greta Van Susteren,” will feature stories about a Marine who died to save his fellow troops and a stockbroker who helps underprivileged students pay for college. The series is part of the deal Palin struck in January to join the network as a contributor. The extent of her role on the program is unclear, but she interviewed people in studio for some of the segments.
The premiere episode also boasts an eclectic trio of celebrity guests. Country music star Toby Keith will discuss his song “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American),” while rapper LL Cool J and former General Electric Chief Executive Jack Welch will discuss their professional successes in a segment called “In Their Own Words.”
The Fox News series comes on the heels of Palin signing a deal with Discovery Communications to star in a documentary series about Alaska that will air later this year on TLC. “Sarah Palin’s Alaska,” the show’s working title, is being produced by A-list reality TV producer Mark Burnett.
Meanwhile, Levi Johnston, the former boyfriend of Palin’s daughter Bristol, is also hoping to get into the action. He’s pitching his own testosterone-charged reality show about his life in Alaska.
“If I could wave my magic wand, I would want it to premiere at the exact same hour, minute and second as Sarah Palin’s does,” Stuart Krasnow, the executive producer of Johnston’s series, told The Washington Post.
mgold@tribune.com
