Talk-show hosts are like snowflakes -- they appear in a sudden flurry and often evaporate soon after hitting the ground. Which doesn't mean they don't keep on coming. Telepictures, the company that brought us Rosie O'Donnell and replaced her with Caroline Rhea, is currently developing syndicated daytime chatfests for Ellen DeGeneres and Sharon Osbourne. Meanwhile, MSNBC is talking to Jesse Ventura about his own nighttime yakker. What could these three possibly have in common that would qualify them for the same job? A lot, as it turns out.
ELLEN DEGENERES
KNOWN AS Flighty comedian with heart of gold-turned-feisty poster girl. KNOWN FOR Loopy riffs. PERSONALITY ANGLE Everywoman with very famous friends. SURVIVED
''Hollywood Squares''; coming out in public; Anne Heche. QUALIFIED TO DISCUSS Women who love women who pretend to love women too. Coming out to 10 million parents. Coping with chronic
cancellation. FAMOUS LAST WORDS ''I think I'd be good at [a
talker]. I like meeting new people and listening and talking.''
SHARON OSBOURNE
KNOWN AS Plucky Svengali with core of steel-turned-clucky mother hen. KNOWN FOR Domestic tiffs. PERSONALITY ANGLE Exceptional woman with momentarily famous family. SURVIVED Teenage kids; cancer; Ozzy Osbourne. QUALIFIED TO DISCUSS Scrape that spouse off the floor and into the limelight. Husband trying to strangle you? How to pry yourself loose and single-handedly revive his career. FAMOUS LAST WORDS ''You know, you can't believe everything I say.''
JESSE VENTURA
KNOWN AS Corpulent pro wrestler with brain of rock-turned-ham-handed governor. KNOWN FOR Public gaffes. PERSONALITY ANGLE Early man with feather boas. SURVIVED The electoral system; back pain; Garrison Keillor. QUALIFIED TO
DISCUSS Why it's not sexual harassment if you're drunk. Fat people: lazy, weak, or both? Caddyshack matters. Special guest: the Dalai Lama. FAMOUS LAST WORDS ''I am not used to dealing with the fact that Jesse Ventura today can say words that will cause thunder throughout the world.''
