JEFF PEARLMAN

JEFF PEARLMAN

Say it ain’t so, Alan!

I am shocked. Beyond shocked. Devastated. No, beyond devastated. How can Fox News allow liberalism’s great defender, the mighty Alan Colmes, to simply walk away? Who will stand up for all I believe in? Who will fight the good fight? Who will … aw, hell. Just read the release. My thoughts follow …

Fox News announced that after 12 years, Alan Colmes will be leaving the top-rated “Hannity & Colmes” at the end of the year.

“I approached Bill Shine (FNC’s Senior Vice President of Programming) earlier this year about wanting to move on after 12 years to develop new and challenging ways to contribute to the growth of the network,” Colmes said in a statement. “Although it’s bittersweet to leave one of the longest marriages on cable news, I’m proud that both Sean (Hannity) and I remained unharmed after sitting side by side, night after night for so many years.”

Sean Hannity said Colmes was “a remarkable co-host,” “great friend,” and “skillful debate partner.”

I actually appeared on Hannity & Colmes about three years ago, during late promotion for my Bonds book. I really, really didn’t want to do it, because I loathe Sean Hannity with every ounce of fire in my stomach. But, alas, a book whore is a book whore. So I went, sat there, listened to their questions … and came away respecting Hannity a helluva lot more than his doofus partner. Yeah, Hannity is Satan. But at least the dude has some spunk and brainwaves. Colmes was just a friggin’ moron.

Who knows? Maybe Fox will shock us all and pick a replacement who actually knows what it is to debate …