Eliot Spitzer Lands CNN Gig

Former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who in 2008 dragged his scowling wife before the cameras to resign in a prostitution scandal, has been hired to host a new primetime show on CNN.

CNN announced Wednesday that it had hired former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer and conservative columnist Kathleen Parker to helm a new point-counterpoint show in the key 8 p.m. ET hour, recruiting two headstrong political figures in a bid to revive its flagging viewership. The network described the new program as a "spirited, nightly roundtable discussion program" that will be focused on the biggest stories of the day. "Other cable news channels force-feed viewers one narrow, predictable point of view; in contrast, CNN will be offering a lively roundup of all the best ideas -- presented by two of the most intelligent and outspoken figures in the country," CNN/U.S. President Jon Klein said in a statement. "Eliot and Kathleen are beholden to no vested interest -- in fact, quite the opposite: They are renowned for taking on the most powerful targets and most important causes."

Spitzer's exposure as a patron of high-priced hookers came after he'd spearheaded an anti-prostitution campaign as state Attorney General. Reportedly Spitzer was "insatiable," sometimes requesting more than one girl in a night. He also liked to keep his socks on. Spitzer's most infamous call girl, Ashley Dupre, finagled her notoriety into a career as a pop singer and sex advice columnist for the New York Post.