"Real American Stories," which debuts Thursday at 10 p.m. EDT, is hosted by Palin, the former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate, who joined Fox News Channel as a regular contributor in January. The one-hour program is described by Fox News as "the first installment of a new series" that features "real-life tales of overcoming adversity throughout the American landscape."
Fox News says the episode, which was not available for preview, will feature a Marine Medal of Honor recipient "who gave his life to save his comrades" and a wealthy stockbroker who helps underprivileged students pay for college.
Also listed as part of the show are country singer Toby Keith and former General Electric boss Jack Welch, as well as LL Cool J, who appeared among a number of video clips on the "Real American Stories" Web site Wednesday morning before being removed.
"Contrary to what was reported, LL Cool J was never scheduled to be a guest on 'Real American Stories' with Sarah Palin this week," Rhett Usry, the artist's spokesman, said in a statement on Wednesday. "The show had planned to use an interview from 2008 that was being repurposed without LL's permission. […]
But in a statement released to other media outlets, the network said: "'Real American Stories' features uplifting tales about overcoming adversity and we believe Mr. Smith's interview fits that criteria. However, as it appears that Mr. Smith does not want to be associated with a program that could serve as an inspiration to others, we are cutting his interview from the special and wish him the best with his fledgling acting career."
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