E! execs hired Gold Medal-winning U.S. swimmer RYAN LOCHTE to cover N.Y. Fashion Week for the TV network, but the N.Y. POST notes they "worry he won't be winning any medals with his interviewing skills." E! execs "privately complain the gold medalist, who was famously flat in his Olympic interviews, is disappointing on camera." One E! exec said Lochte "is doing a great job. It would be unreasonable to expect him to suddenly morph into a seasoned journalist." Lochte said that he is "working on his own men's clothing line that will 'hopefully be up and running within the year'" (N.Y. POST, 9/7)....Meanwhile, Celtics G RAJON RONDO is interning at GQ magazine during Fashion Week, where “the fashion forward hoop honcho is blogging, interviewing and carrying bags” (BOSTONHERALD, 9/7).
THE SPIRIT OF GIVING: Saints and Hornets Owner TOM BENSON announced the teams will host two raffles to form a relief fund in the wake of Hurricane Isaac. The Saints package will include a suite for 20 people with catering provided by Centerplate for the Sept. 23 game against the Chiefs, along with 20 pre-game sideline passes. The Hornets package will feature two floor seats and a pre-game player meet-and-greet, as well as VIP parking and two courtside club passes that include food and beverage for the Nov. 7 game against the 76ers. The winner also will receive two tickets to the '13 NBA All-Star Weekend in Houston (Saints/Hornets).
VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR: Lakers C DWIGHT HOWARD appeared on-stage during MTV’s broadcast of the “MTV Video Music Awards” from Staples Center Thursday night and told the crowd, “I’m so happy to be here, man. I can’t wait to put on that Laker jersey and go to war. I want to thank you all for welcoming me to L.A. This is my new home.” Howard presented host KEVIN HART with a jersey that came down to his knees when he put it on. Hart said, "That’s funny to you? Let’s see if it’s funny when KOBE don’t pass you the damn ball.” Meanwhile, the U.S. women’s gymnastics team -- JORDYN WIEBER, GABBY DOUGLAS, MCKAYLA MARONEY, ALY RAISMAN and KYLA ROSS introduced singer ALICIA KEYS' performance (“MTV Video Music Awards,” MTV, 9/6).
JUST FOR KICKS: U.S women’s soccer MF CARLI LLOYD and F ALEX MORGAN appeared on “Live! With Kelly & Michael” Thursday, with co-host MICHAEL STRAHAN noting Morgan “has almost 1 million Twitter followers.” Strahan: “How did it feel to get tweeted from PRESIDENT OBAMA? I mean that’s big.” Morgan called it "pretty awesome.” Later in the interview, Strahan and co-host KELLY RIPA appeared wearing the red-and-white striped U.S. women’s soccer jerseys, with Ripa saying, “I now see we are only doing this so we can see ourselves in ridiculous costumes" (“Live! With Kelly & Michael,” 9/6).
NAMES: The Trail Blazers' original broadcaster, BILL SCHONELY, on Thursday accepted the Curt Gowdy Media Award at the Basketball HOF (OREGONLIVE.com, 9/6)....Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds Dir of Broadcasting & Graphic Design BRET LASKY has been named the '12 South Atlantic League Media Relations Dir of the Year (Shorebirds)....Mexican billionaire CARLOS SLIM has acquired a 30% stake in Grupo Pachuca, which owns Liga MX clubs Pachuca and León. The league on Thursday also announced a TV transmission rights deal for Slim’s UnoTV channel to broadcast León home games (ESPNDEPORTES.com, 9/6)....Seven Nationals players have plans to get married in the offseason, including 3B RYAN ZIMMERMAN, LF MICHAEL MORSE, CF COREY BROWN, and Ps ROSS DETWILER, CRAIG STAMMEN, JORDAN ZIMMERMANN and EDWIN JACKSON (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 9/6).
