Veteran TV hosts know when itís time to reboot and retool

AFTER a really long run, Tyra Banks is wrapping up her “America’s Next Top Model” TV franchise. To her credit, she knows how to realistically read the handwriting on the wall and waved goodbye before she was given the boot. In the dauntingly disposable and impermanent world of reality television, all good things never last, so it’s time to reboot and retool for Tyra.

For our part, we know that “ANTM” was in trouble when it began resorting to really weird gimmicks to keep viewers viewing—like contestants being made to walk, not down a fashion ramp, but up the side of a building!

But the real kiss of death was when the tilt included male models. Yes, they turned on the franchise’s predominantly female and gay viewership, but some of those supposed macho guys were wigglier and winkier than the female bets so—lemme outta here!

To fill in the blank left by her “signature” model search, Tyra whipped up a panel show on trendy lifestyle, show biz and gossip topics, “The Fab Life,” but it didn’t catch on.

Not to worry, though the “ANTM” franchise is still popular in many countries, in various regional modifications, so the royalties keep ringing its producer’s bells—and cash register. So, Tyra can afford to take some time off to figure out her next show biz moves.

For her part, Ellen Degeneres’ own talk show remains a hit after more than a decade on the tube, but she’s investigating other options, as well.

After all, if Oprah Winfrey could parlay her talk show into an entire TV network and multimedia empire, what’s to keep Ellen from doing the same?
For starters, she’s come up with a spinoff show, “Ellen’s Design Challenge,” and “Repeat After Me,” a hidden-camera show, is also in the works.

We’ve watched the design challenge program and can vouch that it’s a viewable TV tilt that has furniture designers working really hard and fast to come up with exceptional and creative designs to brighten people’s rooms—and lives.

The TV competition is so clearly presented that viewers pick up a lot of tips that will hopefully improve and enhance their own families’ lifestyles.

Other TV stars’ spinoff gambits include the Kardashians’ “Dash Dolls,” which features fashionable and ambitious young things vying for slots in the “K” siblings’ trendy line of boutiques.

The competition can get feistily bitchy and witchy—but, with Kim and Klan running the store, can you expect anything less?

For her part, the oldie but still gorgeously goodie Martha Stewart has successfully carved out her own multimedia empire, despite her having stumbled badly many years ago and even serving time after getting her fingers caught in the proverbial financial jar.

These days, she’s as good as new and definitely not showing her age, because she’s mastered the art of cleverly making-down instead of making-up, which all women past 50 and 60 should eagerly emulate!

More to the point of this particular piece, Stewart has come up with her own spinoff cooking, craft and lifestyle programs, the diversity of which keeps her from getting into a stultifying rut.

Recently, for instance, we were pleased as punch and learned a lot when we caught her TV tutorial on making innovative salads.

In just half an hour, we were taught how to create four new salads—no wonder Martha and her shows are such longrunning hits!