ShepardSmith

Well, this is sad news. 'The Fox Report With Shepard Smith' (weeknights, 7PM ET on FNC) is reporting that cops say they've found a body believed to be that of Andrew Koenig, best known for playing "Boner" on 'Growing Pains.'

Vancouver police and the actor's father, Walter Koenig (best known for playing Lt. Chekov on the original 'Star Trek,' have confirmed the news. Later, during an emotional press conference, Walter Koenig acknowledged, "My son took his own life." For more on the story, visit Popeater.com.

Watch the video after the jump.

On the ninth day of Festivus, TV gave to me... nine on-air breakdowns.

Director Alfred Hitchcock once said, "Television has done much for psychiatry by spreading information about it, as well as contributing to the need for it."

Yes, having a camera stuck in your face for an hour or more a day must take a toll on your sanity. Your privacy is virtually limited. Your every move is scrutinized and criticized by faceless meanies. Your therapist is one session away from owning his own fishing trawler.

It's only a matter of time before the grasp of sanity is clipped away like a loose thread on a homemade snowman sweater and you turn into a blubbering, snotty, incoherent mess for all the world to enjoy. These are the personalities who lost it and may or may not have gained whatever "it" is back.

The other day, Fox News newsman Shepard Smith announced on his Facebook page that something "crazy" would be going down on his show. Just what kind of crazy are we talking about? A monkey wearing a Napoleon hat crazy? Putting two bananas in your ears and barking like a walrus crazy? TiVoing Brothers crazy?

He never officially confirmed just what the "crazy" thing would be, but I wonder if this is it. Smith, the Fox News Channel's equivalent of Edward R. Murrow, issued an official apology for his network's (and I'm actually quoting) "lack of balance."

The "lack of balance" in question referred to Fox correspondent Shannon Bream, who conducted an interview with Republican candidate for New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, but failed to nail down his Democratic opposition Jon Corzine. Smith said he didn't know the candidate wasn't interviewed and that "If I had control, it wouldn't have happened." Quick, someone check The Weather Channel for Hell's temperature and five-day forecast!

I used to dislike Shepard Smith. Not because he was on FOX News, but for the way he anchored the news. It was as if he was skipping whole words or something, making these short, declarative sentences, and it was hard to listen to him for a long period of time. But my view of him has softened the last couple of years (and will continue to if he keeps being this funny). He also doesn't seem to just automatically spew the network's line at the drop of a hat.

TV Guide's Stephen Battaglio has an interview with Smith about the new look and direction for his show. Among other topics, Smith talks about why CBS and Katie Couric quickly went back to a traditional newscast, why the news industry might be dying, and the possibility of hosting one of the presidential debates. He also says they're not going to do "more crap...we're not going to do more titillating [stories], Hollywood movie reviews and jokes."

[via TV Newser]