As Mediaite readers are well aware, last Friday marked the departure of Greg Gutfeld from his signature show, Red Eye.

The late-night comedic talk show became well-known for its irreverent, sarcastic, and occasionally controversial take on the cable news format. Despite losing its long-time original host (since its first airing on Feb. 6, 2007), the network remains committed to the brand and is actively seeking a replacement.

For most of the past eight years, the show has featured three main personalities: Gutfeld, his foil and sidekick Bill Schulz (who departed the program in 2013 and was replaced by former Miss NY Joanne Nosuchinsky), and ombudsman-turned-regular-panelist TV’s Andy Levy.

But they’ve also cultivated a guest list in the hundreds — from comedians, to actors, to musicians, to regular ol’ pundits — and have developed a tightly-knit group of regulars who also sub in and out for the show’s big three.

Among who we think are the main possibilities to succeed Gutfeld are some of the show’s biggest regulars, fill-in hosts, and even some surprises. Our sources at Fox tell us the decision is still very much up in the air — there’s no clear frontrunner and it might be a while before we find out an answer.

See below and then vote in our poll or offer your suggestions in the comments:

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Andy Levy

This one seems rather obvious. Levy was the show’s deadpan “ombudsman” for the first six years of its life, often calling out bullshit in a way that instantly makes you root for him. The question is: Does his wry humor work for this over-the-top hosting gig, or is he better served as the show’s main voice of reason? Or can he just be both at the same time?

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Sherrod Small

He’s an off-the-beaten-path comedian who has appeared on the show as guest-host, “ombudsman,” and “sidekick,” and as he will often boast, he would bring some diversity to the Fox hosting roster. He’s also clearly unafraid to say what’s on his mind — generally a plus in the comedy world.

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Jedediah Bila

As we wrote last year, it’s clear Fox has been giving Bila a larger role on the network in the past year — in addition to her usual appearances on Red Eye, she often hosts Outnumbered and fills in for The Five as well.

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Tom Shillue

Between frequently guest-hosting Red Eye and guesting on The Five and Outnumbered, Fox News seems to be grooming the former Daily Show correspondent and stand-up comedian for something. (BTW: You may also recognize him from the barbershop quartet performances on Fallon on The Tonight Show.)

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John Phillips

Perhaps out of left-field, yes, given that he doesn’t appear on Red Eye as frequently as others here. But he’s an experienced host (KABC’s Mid-Day LA with Jillian Barberie) and has a similarly conservatarian bent that Gutfeld brought to the show. If executives want to shake things up, Phillips could be a good choice.

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Joanne Nosuchinsky

She’s a relative newcomer to the show’s roster, but has already filled in for Gutfeld a number of times (and Fox viewers may have noticed she was on Outnumbered this week. Hmmm…). As the most frequent panelist (along with Levy) on the show since its revamp in late 2013, she’s obviously being considered.

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Lauren Sivan

This hilarious ex-Fox News reporter is now a KTTV reporter in Los Angeles. Her Red Eye appearances have dwindled in frequency since her coastal move, but she was well-liked by viewers and is perhaps best known for her “Yoga News” segments. And by the frequency with which her reporting clips appear on The Soup, it’s clear she’s more than willing to put herself in ridiculously funny scenarios.

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Jim Norton

He’s the highest-profile comedian to regularly appear on Red Eye as a guest host (HBO showcases, film roles, Tonight Show gigs, etc.). The question here would be: Is he too big a name for the role? And as a comedian who frequently tours, would he even want it?

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Gavin McInnes

Loyal readers alerted us to this glaring omission from the likely replacements: Gavin McInnes. He won “Most Popular Guest” honors two years in a row and has become well-known for his multiple alter-egos, including stereotypical Scottish madman Jimmy Mcinnes, and Miles McInnes, a stereotypical crunchy liberal. Like Sherrod Small, McInnes has served in all the roles of the show at least once: Guest-host, panelist, ombudsman, and sidekick.

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Vote in our poll here:



Who Should Host Red Eye?

[All photos via Fox News/the so-thorough-it’s-borderline-creepy fan site The Bonus Room]

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