Connie's MSNBC Swan Song

EXPRESS STAFFERS went into shock in the newsroom today at the sight of a video of MSNBC's Connie Chung singing "Thanks for the Memories." Chung, decked out in a ball gown, was sprawled out sexily on a grand piano for most of the number. But she hit a snag when she tried to slink off the piano, grunting audibly as she hoisted herself upright. The video of the thus-far unaired segment popped up on YouTube and was posted on TVNewser. The video's gone, but TVNewser still has a few screencaps. Chung's show with husband Maury Povich, "Weekends With Connie and Maury," is being cancelled. But the final show — scheduled to air Saturday and Sunday, at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. — might just be their most highly rated episode if this little number is promoted enough. So we're doing our part to make that happen. (If you want a taste of what you're in for, check out this video of Chung dancing on a news set back in 1982. A classic.)

» Update: Watch the video. Thanks to Gawker, we've found another You Tube video of the fabulous Ms. Chung singing her heart out. It's truly a thing of beauty. [Gawker, YouTube]
Photo of Maury and Connie from a 2001 ABC news special by Steve Fenn/ABC

» BRITNEY SPEARS' interview with Matt Lauer on NBC's "Dateline NBC" was last night. Yawn. Brit's burning us out, so we'll let these bloggers obsess over the exclusive chat/cryfest, which was also ever so slightly teased on the "Today" show.

» WELCOME HOME, ERIK: Washington City Paper editor Erik Wemple had barely gotten to know New York's Cooper Square before heading back to home to Champlain Street NW. Wemple, who was recently tapped to edit the Village Voice, decided to leave that job before his tenure even started. The City Paper has welcomed him back. [E&P]

» TONGUE-TWISTER: India has nominated one of its own, Shashi Tharoor (who is currently the United Nations under-secretary general for communications and public information), to become secretary general once Kofi Annan leaves the U.N.'s top position at the end of the year. It is expected that the next secretary general will be from Asia. And while Washington's proposed new strategic nuclear partnership with New Delhi might push the United States to support Tharoor, there might be another reason for the U.S. to back his candidacy: Easy pronunciation. Think of the trouble Western tongues could have wrapping themselves around the names of Jayantha Dhanapala of Sri Lanka, Surakiart Sathirathai of Thailand and Ban Ki-moon of South Korea. Westerners have enough trouble with easier terms. Pronouncing new words is hard. [Asia Times; WaPo; Guardian via Dawn]