The economic crisis hitting San Antonio’s media has claimed more victims: KTSA radio’s hour-long local noon news and a dozen employees at KENS-TV.

The lunchtime radio newscast, which was introduced less than a year ago, airs for the last time Friday.

The culprit: What else is new? Financial resources aren’t there to support the local news hour, said Mark Landis, programming chief for the BMP radio group.

Meanwhile, our CBS affiliate felt the sting of parent company Belo Corp.’s promise last week of 150 employee layoffs at its various TV stations.

The mood was understandably somber in the KENS newsroom today as a second wave of layoffs in recent weeks happened today. Station sources told me 12 employees were cut; three photographers, three computer graphic operators; several

salespeople and part-timers.

No on-air personalities were among the day’s casualties.

Back to KTSA, a little good news surfaced amidst the gloom of the noon news’ demise.

Jill Christie (seen at right), who’s received compliments on her lovely voice and who gives the news alongside anchor Brent Boller and veteran newswoman Liz Ruiz during the noon hour, said all three noon personalities would still have KTSA jobs.

But a whole lot of shuffling will happen, including time shifts for morning talk hosts.

Starting Monday, Trey Ware’s “Morning Edge” will air from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.; Jack Riccardi’s show will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Newscaster Christie will become a weekday reporter/fill-in anchor, presumably taking the place of former KTSA reporter Daniel Farias, who was let go earlier this week due to station cutbacks.

Boller will anchor a half-hour of morning news, from 5:30 to 6 a.m. on KTSA, and also remain sidekick to Ware on his show.

Ruiz will continue to anchor the afternoon drive news.

What a pity this nicely produced newscast couldn’t survive. This writer, along with many other listeners, found it to be a handy way to get the news while driving at lunchtime.

Jeanne Jakle’s newspaper column appears Wednesdays and Fridays in S.A. Life and Sundays in TV Now. jjakle@express-news.net

Chris Marrou’s successor is 44, handsome and from Kansas!

Jeff Vaughn, morning/midday anchor at KSHB-TV in Kansas City, will succeed “Eyewitness News” legend Marrou as KENS’ new 5, 6 and 10 p.m. anchor.

It will be Vaughn’s first main anchor post, and he’ll start work in San Antonio on Jan. 4, more than a month after Marrou retires.

Marrou, 62, will deliver his swan song newscast Tuesday, followed by a 10:35 p.m. live retrospective on the veteran anchor’s life and career.

“We can’t wait to get down there,” Vaughn said of his relocation to San Antonio with Jaime, his wife of 1 1/2 years. One big reason for the excitement is the weather, which is quite different from wintery Kansas City. “I understand there’s 300 sunshine days a year.”

“I am delighted that Jeff will be joining us at KENS Television,” KENS president and general manager Bob McGann commented in a press release. “He has the solid experience required for such a prominent role on our news team and will continue the legacy of journalistic excellence that Chris has maintained for more than three decades.”

“Jeff has what it takes to step into such an esteemed position with our team” added news director Kurt Davis. “We’re looking forward to a great future working together.”

Vaughn was born in Topeka, Kan., grew up in Arkansas City, south of Wichita, and graduated from Kansas State University. But he does have career roots in Texas. He started in Midland as a reporter for KMID-TV and also was a reporter/anchor for KCBD-TV in Lubbock.

Vaughn said he also worked eight years at WDIV-TV in Detroit, where he met his wife. He received an Emmy for best morning newscast while at WDIV.

Similar to Marrou, Vaughn has brown hair and blue eyes. However, at 5-foot-7, he’s not quite as tall. “I’m vertically challenged,” he joked, revealing a good nature and nice sense of humor.

The couple are real outdoors people, he added, and love to mountain bike and kayak.

They’re the proud owners of two pets: a shelter dog named Shiloh and a cat named Quincy.

“We’re hoping to settle down in San Antonio,” Vaughn said, “and start a family there.”

Photo courtesy of Jeff Vaughn

After 10 years with KENS-TV, executive news director Kurt Davis will leave the station for what he calls “a once-in-a-lifetime” position with CBS News in New York.

“It’s a tremendous opportunity and promotion for me,” Davis said in a phone chat from Atlanta Sunday as he rushed to catch a flight back to San Antonio. He spent last week in The Big Apple for the final phase of the job process at CBS News, he said.

In his new role of vice president of CBS’ news services, Davis said he’ll be overseeing the affiliates’ news-gathering arm — called Newspath — which provides content to 200-plus CBS affiliates. “I’ll be overseeing nearly 200 employees in offices throughout the country and in London and a couple of international desks as well,” he explained.

He said his last day at KENS will be sometime toward the end of June; then it’s on to New York. He’ll start at CBS News the second week in July. “I’ll be helping KENS with the transition in any way I can,” Davis said, adding that his time at San Antonio’s CBS affiliate has been “a great 10 years with a great staff and a great general manager (Bob McGann).”

“But sometimes you get these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities,” Davis noted. “David Rhodes, president of CBS News, called me about this position, and that really was flattering to be considered.”

It soon was obvious, he added, that “it was the right job, in the right city, at the right time,” explaining that he and his wife, Angela, are empty-nesters now. Their daughter already has graduated from college and works as a reporter for the CBS affiliate in Baton Rouge, La.; his son will be graduating from Tulane University in New Orleans next year.

Before coming to San Antonio, Davis worked at local TV stations in Atlanta, New Orleans and Dallas. “It won’t be easy leaving San Antonio, where “we’ve made tremendous friends,” he said. Davis described his time at KENS as  “a great run” through many ratings periods — some better than others. At last check, KENS ranked No. 2 in the 10 p.m. local news race, behind first-place KSAT.

Photo courtesy of Kurt Davis

That is a baby bump under her snazzy newscast attire on the 6 and 10 p.m. news. The buzz around the station is that Lucero, already the radiant mom of one daughter, Seve, 1½, and two sons, Satchel and Stetson, will be welcoming her next at November’s end.

That should make KENS’ bosses happy; it’s always helpful to have your main anchorwoman in place during the all-important November ratings sweeps.

Another fun fact: Lucero soon will be catching up with her co-anchor Jeff Goldblatt in total number of children. The prolific Goldblatt already is the proud dad of four.

Photo of Sarah and Jeff: KENS

It’s raining … babies!

Expectant anchorwoman Sarah Lucero may not be welcoming her fourth child –- a boy — until Thanksgiving Day, but another KENS-TV staple celebrated a similar blessed event this week.

Weekend weathercaster Jared Silverman and his wife are beaming after their beautiful daughter, Madison Reign (see the resemblance?), was born Thursday. More photos can be viewed here.

This post appeared on Silverman’s Facebook page:  “She weighs 7 pounds, 8 ounces. Mom and baby are doing great.”

Another weather girl

Meanwhile, belated congratulations go out to KSAT weatherman Justin Horne.

He and his wife Lauren recently celebrated the one-month birthday of their own new ultra-cute baby daughter, Hailey Claire.

As they say…something in those local TV water coolers!

Photos: Courtesy of KENS and Justin Horne

Instead, Sarah Lucero of the 6 and 10 p.m. news gave birth to her fourth child –a son – a week early and her expanded family can enjoy the upcoming turkey holiday together.

Lucero reported that she and husband, Dr. John Calhoon, welcomed James Hannon into the world late Thursday afternoon, and she and her adorable baby are doing well.

“He was 8 pounds, 10 ounces, 20 inches long,” the proud newscaster wrote in a text.

She said her daughter, Seve, who was born less than two years earlier, “is very curious about her baby brother.”

Sarah said husband John already has a catchy nickname for their new son (seen in photo): “Stretch.”

Her co-anchor Jeff Goldblatt, who’ll have to finish off the November ratings book without his news comrade, sent her this message via Facebook: “Congratulations to my work buddy and to her incredible family!”

Photos: KENS, Courtesy of Sarah Lucero

The lush-haired news vet with the dazzling smile has been missing from her host seat on the 9 a.m. lifestyle show for weeks (even during November sweeps).

Others have been filling in for Smith, including longtime featured regular Eileen Teves.

The biggest surprise? San Antonio’s own million-dollar “Survivor” winner Kim Spradlin has been pinch-hitting as well.

Yes! Pretty, fit, vivacious Kim is a regular “Great Day” contributor now — in the opening title sequence and on the show three times a week — said KENS general manager Bob McGann.

But back to Bridget … here’s what I’m hearing: She fell and injured her arm, co-workers say, and has been recovering off-air. She was spotted at the Lone Star Emmys last month wearing an arm sling.

As for when she’ll return to “Great Day,” McGann had good news for Smith fans: “The plan is for Bridget to return to the show Monday,” he said.

OK? Meanwhile, “Great Day” has a ratings victory to report. According to November Nielsens just in, the KENS show drew the highest audience numbers of any of the locally produced lifestyle shows, including No. 2 “Daytime@Nine” on KABB and No. 3 “San Antonio Living” on WOAI.

Photo: KENS

Bridget Smith returned to her hosting job on KENS-TV’s “Great Day S.A.” today after a month away.

She told show sidekick Eileen Teves and the audience that she spent those four weeks not away on an exotic vacation or on a reality show as some had thought, but recovering from “a bad fall.”

“I fractured my left wrist and elbow and completely broke my right elbow,” Smith explained.

She showed a photo of herself, sitting up in bed with her right arm covered in bandages and supported by a sling.

Today, however, you would never have known she was injured. Both arms looked to be sans bandages and Smith came through the door as bright-eyed, bushy-tailed and enormous-haired as usual.

After talking a bit about her therapy sessions, and thanking the Hand Center of San Antonio, Smith moved right into the regular flow of the show, as if she’d never been gone.

Welcome back, Bridget! Fans, judging by e-mails and Facebook comments, clearly missed the heck out of you.

Photo: Courtesy

I hear she looks great; how do these TV celebs get the baby weight off so fast? I’m also hoping we’ll see the Sarah in eyeglasses that looked so chic and fantastic on KENS 5′s Facebook page.

Check out her return at 6 and 10 p.m.

She told me how tough it was to pry herself away from her adorable newest addition, James (nicknamed “Stretch”) — as well as her three other kids, including her only little girl, Seve  – after spending so much quality mom time at home.

“It was bittersweet to leave  my home and my babies on my first day back,” Lucero wrote in a text. “But I’m so fortunate that my mother is watching them for me while I work. Grandmas are really the best!”

However, returning to KENS also feels good as “I really have missed my second family. . .and our viewers. (They) are the greatest,” she added.

I’m betting the two pinch-hitters in her absence — news partner Jeff Goldblatt and fellow anchorwoman Deborah Knapp — also are happy to have the help again.

Photo: Courtesy of Sarah Lucero

SAN ANTONIO — Medical students set to graduate from University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio soon will get matched to their residencies — an event they want Ellen DeGeneres to help celebrate.

The School of Medicine seniors fashioned their plea in a lively video on YouTube that seems tailor-made for the zippy “Ellen DeGeneres Show.”

It shows students singing and dancing in the library, in lecture halls and elsewhere on campus to a remix of the song, “Happy” by Pharrell Williams. Their version is “Happy Matching.”

Matching is the process that takes place across the country on March 21, which matches fourth-year medical students with medical residency programs.

The S.A. students hope DeGeneres will dig the video and come to their event at Floore’s Country Store.

Eileen Curry, 2014 class president — and the young woman seen dancing on a school table in the video — said they’ve yet to hear back from “Ellen,” but are keeping their fingers crossed. They’ve tweeted her account with #happy matching, posted it on her Facebook page and submitted it to her website.

“Ellen is really responsive to fans — and just fun,” Curry said. “When you think of dancing and catchy tunes, you think, ‘that’s so Ellen.’”

She said the students would be happy just to hear from Ellen; better still, see their video played on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” which airs here at 3 p.m. weekdays on KENS-TV.

So far, “Happy Matching,” which features med student and singer Matthew Mullane, has more than 6000 views, Curry said Monday.

It was put together Friday and debuted on the Internet Saturday.

Considering DeGeneres’ fondness for cute kids, the video’s secret weapon may be the adorable little boy who appears prominently at the end. Young Talon, son of UTHSCSA med student Jason Thompson, squeals repeatedly: “We need you, Ellen!”

Photo: KENS

The S.A. news vet is engaged. . .to a younger man.

Well, a little younger. Handsome Houston attorney Celso Gonzalez-Falla is four years her junior, the 50-something Knapp said.  ”I am marrying the Cuban I have been dating for six years,” the exuberant anchor of KENS’ 4 and 5 p.m. news, said. “We are getting married here in San Antonio in October.  It will be a small wedding, just family and closest friends.”

It’s Deborah’s second marriage. She and former U.S. Rep. Henry Bonilla divorced 10 years ago.

Knapp and her intended both have kids.

Hers are grown; daughter Alicia is 28 and son Austin is 25. Deborah also has a grandson — 2-year-old Cooper — and reports that Alicia is expecting another child, a girl, in April.

Celso has two sons, ages 15 and 17.

As for whether she’ll be changing her name on-air or — oh no! — moving to Houston, where her fiance enjoys a thriving law practice with a large firm, Knapp said “no” to both.

“We both love our careers almost as much as each other,” she said, “so we are going to continue our commuting romance.”

Photo: Courtesy

The little guy who has put her through her paces these past couple of months is Michael Thomas, the adorable new baby of Spradlin and her husband, Bryan Wolfe.

Check out this sweet little movie Kim’s sister made of of the reality star and her baby.

Spradlin said she’s loving motherhood, but also is excited to be heading back Wednesday (at 9 a.m.) to the KENS-TV lifestyle show, where she serves as contributor and sometimes co-host next to mainstay Bridget Smith. 

“It will be nice to get out of the house, wear shoes, and talk to adults for the first time in nine weeks,” Spradlin, who won the million-dollar prize on “Survivor: One World” two years ago, said.

She’s not bringing her cutie with her as “he’s a little like a drunk person (spits up. . .etc.) but maybe soon.”

However, Spradlin will share with viewers the interesting way he was brought into the world. “I did have a natural water birth at home with a midwife which was quite the adventure,” she said.

Photos: Courtesy of Spradlin

According to KENS, it’s a warm-weather answer to the “Ice Desk” that fellow Gannett-owned station, WKYC-TV of Cleveland, had carved out of ice in January.

Viewers can find the KENS 5 Fiesta Desk at various events over the 18-day run of Fiesta, station executive news director Triston Sanders said. Friday, morning co-anchor Sarah Forgany will join Taylor at the desk at the Fiesta Oyster Bake.  And Karen Grace, co-anchor of the station’s weekend news, will be out and about with the desk on Saturday.

The news, complete with video, already has gone “viral,” reports the designer of the desk, Sanders, who welcomes her first Fiesta since taking the San Antonio job last summer.

It’s been touted all over the Internet, showing up on a bunch of media websites across the country.

It even  has its own, well, Twitter account — @Kens5FiestaDesk — where followers can chat with it and ask questions. You also can find more photos, etc. here. 

According to a KENS story. . .

The desk-piñata is 70 inches wide, 38 inches tall and 20 inches deep and was made by Becky’s Piñatas. Created in just two days, Simon Gonzales and his wife worked around the clock to construct the KENS  desk. Even their 8-year-old daughter helped meet the deadline by cutting the papier-mâché strips.

The TV desk joins a cavalcade of unusual piñatas made by the couple, which include life-sized elephants and piñatas of celebrities like Michael Jackson, Tim Duncan and  Justin Bieber.

Photos: KENS, Courtesy

In the story,  Alexander — a longtime correspondent for “Edition,” who is usually the one  asking the questions —  and her husband Brian Cournoyer open up to host Deborah Norville (photo) about dating, marriage and sex.

It’s a follow-up to Alexander’s recent article in WHOAWomen Magazine, ”Marriage Still Matters.” For a taste, click here.  Then go to Page 8.

In a message, Alexander — previously a traffic reporter and “Great Day SA” co-host/correspondent on KENS-TV — said: “I think there is too much pressure on kids today to jump into having sex. If my story encourages anyone to take their time and find the right person, then that was my goal.”

Making the article all the more readable is Megan’s candor throughout. She said waiting doesn’t necessarily lead to a blissful, fairytale honeymoon.

“Our honeymoon was romantic and special and fun, but it was also stressful and awkward,” she wrote. “We put way too much pressure on ourselves to have the sexual aspect of our marriage all figured out. . .This intimate part of your relationship takes time.”

She followed up the magazine article with the TV interview, which airs during “Inside Edition” today (locally at 4:30 p.m. on KSAT).

A snippet from the interview, courtesy of “Edition”:

Megan: “I was a virgin until my wedding night. We were really good friends first before we started dating, so Brian knew where I stood. He knew my faith was important to me.”

Brian: “I was not a virgin, and I made that decision coming out of high school, my faith, I was kind of finding myself a little bit, redefining who I was, and I made that decision. ‘I’m going to stop now and I’m going to wait now until marriage.’

“It took 10 years to get her to go on a date with me! But that’s because I wasn’t in the right place.”

Megan: “I realized this is the guy for me when I realized Brian’s heart and what he believed in and what he was all about. And that was really important because it couldn’t just be my decision to wait until our wedding night. It needed to be our decision.”

Today, Megan and Brian are the parents of an adorable 3-year-old son, Chace. “We are total teammates,” she tells Norville. “We’re normal, we realize that life’s not perfect, but we have a lot of fun.”

Megan also explains why she chose to write the WHOA Women piece. “To empower young men and women.

“I was open and honest in the hopes that I can encourage other girls and guys to value themselves,” she elaborates, “and that it’s OK to wait. It’s not for everyone, but it’s possible!”

She also wanted to share her story, she told me,  because “people are always curious how I maintain my values and faith in the entertainment industry. . .you can!”

Photos: Inside Edition

They may be on rival San Antonio TV stations, but they’re as close as can be off the air.

KSAT’s 10 p.m. co-anchor Isis Romero and KENS’ weekend co-anchor Phil Anaya not only are a very attractive item, but they’re expecting a blessed addition . . . and soon!

Romero is pregnant and the couple’s baby is due Aug. 24. Both she and Anaya posted an ultrasound pic on Facebook: It’s a boy!

“I didn’t show for the longest time,” the excited anchorwoman said in a phone chat. “I just popped two weeks ago.”

This blogger’s first hint? Queries started arriving from viewers asking if Isis got  ”a boob job.”

She said she was hit with that question as well. “It was the first noticeable change,” Romero said, laughing. She added that she is 21 weeks along.

How do her KSAT bosses feel about her consorting with the enemy, so to speak? “My managers are very supportive,” she said, explaining that their only wish for her is that it is “a healthy, stable, committed relationship.” And this one, which began a little less than two years ago, is certainly that, Romero said.

She and Anaya, who’s also a heck of a hard news reporter,  have a lot in common aside from work. What’s also nice is “we both understand the unique challenges of this industry.”

As it’s the first child for her and Anaya, Romero said she plans to take the full 12 weeks of maternity leave. That may interfere a bit with November sweeps, but hey, KSAT has many a lovely anchorwoman to fill in if necessary.

So, on the count of three: Congratulations Phil and Isis!

Photos: KSAT, KENS

Spurs forward Tim Duncan, a little more than a week after nabbing his fifth NBA championship ring, will be featured on “The Late Show with David Letterman.”

CBS confirmed the guest shot would be Tuesday.

Locally, Letterman airs on KENS-TV at 10:35 p.m.

As far as I can recall, it’s only Duncan’s second major late-night show appearance. The first was on Jay Leno’s “Tonight” back in 1997.

Although Tim isn’t exactly known as a big talker, Leno managed to squeeze quite a bit of laughter out of his guest shot.

A recap: After a slow start, Leno injected — what else? — sex into the proceedings.

He played off the fact that Duncan hailed from the Virgin Islands and quipped: “So,  how does that work? When you’re no longer a virgin,  do you have to leave?”

That got a big smile from big Tim. But what really clinched it was a story about Duncan’s boxer shorts – which had appeared in the Express-News a few weeks before.

Leno asked the Spur whether he had any superstitions,  and the player responded “yes” before explaining he wears his shorts backward during basketball practice.

He said he wore them that way by accident at first,  but his practice session was so good that day that he began wearing them backward on purpose.

“And have you ever tried that during a game?” Jay wondered. “Once,  but it was real uncomfortable.”

“Yeah, ” Leno responded,  “especially when you have that cup on backward,  too.”

That one brought an even larger laugh from Tim — and both guffaws and applause from the audience.

Let’s hope Letterman has as much luck bringing out the entertaining side of San Antonio’s beloved — but short-on-words — basketball star.

Photo: Getty

SAN ANTONIO — The Spurs sure are in demand these days when it comes to late-night TV talk shows. 

Following the team’s fifth NBA championship, Tony Parker and Tim Duncan have guest gigs on two of the network biggies.

Parker will be the lead guest on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” Thursday (tonight), the show’s publicist confirmed.  Kimmel’s show airs locally at 11 p.m. on KSAT-TV.

Duncan’s guest shot will happen Tuesday on CBS’ “Late Show with David Letterman.” That airs at 10:35 p.m. on KENS-TV.

It’s Duncan’s first time on Letterman; however, he did do “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”  back when he was a Spurs newcomer in 1997, and the visit sparked some big laughs. Click here for a recap of the grins.

As for Parker, he has had experience with Dave.

That was back in 2007. Fresh off his MVP win and the Spurs’ fourth NBA title, Parker chatted and joked about the team’s sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers, taking on LeBron James and his relationship with Coach Pop.

Letterman wanted to know whether Parker got along with Pop. “I love my coach, ” Parker said with a laugh. “No,  I have to be honest,  there were some growing pains. I arrived in San Antonio,  I was 19 years old so I was very young,  and it was tough at the beginning because he’s like the military — you know,  he’s from the (Air Force) and so he’s always in search of perfection.

“And,  so it was tough for me because he was always on me. But at the end of the day,  he was trying to make me better and so I appreciate that. But it was tough.”

“Have you reached the point where if he starts getting on you,  you can say,  ‘Just go away,  grandpa’?” Letterman said, netting a big laugh from the audience.

Something tells me Kimmel, who featured quite a few gags starring the Spurs and Heat during the Finals, will be even more adept at drawing the grins from Tony and the audience.

Photos: Getty, CBS

The MacArthur grad, former cheerleader and crack network news reporter recently scored a sit-down at the White House with President Obama that is slated to run in full on “This Morning” Monday.

Excerpts of what promises to be a rich discussion on the current situation in Iraq and other pressing topics ran Friday on “CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley” and Sunday on “Face the Nation.”

Watch O’Donnell’s complete one-on-one with the President on  ”CBS This Morning” today. It airs from 7 to 9 a.m. on KENS.

Hmm. I wonder if they talked Spurs and their fifth title win during breaks.

Photo: CBS News

Many have noticed the striking new ring on Romero’s finger during the 10 p.m. newscast, and have asked: “Has the couple made it official?”

Yes! The attractive TV pair quietly got engaged recently.

“I asked Isis to marry me on my birthday in May,” Anaya, who co-anchors the weekend news on KENS, confirmed in an e-mail. “She was quite surprised that I asked her on my birthday, but I can easily say that it’s the best birthday gift I have ever received.  We are both very excited.”

Anaya added that, for now, he and Romero are focusing on the August 24th birth of their child, and haven’t made wedding plans yet.

“We have not set a date or destination yet,” he wrote, “because we are both focused on the birth of our son.”

As for the proposal, Anaya said: “I proposed at home — just the two of us.”

Reached late Tuesday, Romero, who’s looking radiant and quite pregnant on the air, said the proposal was a surprise — as she didn’t expect it on Phil’s birthday. However, the idea of them getting married wasn’t.

“For quite some time, we’ve been talking about our lives together, and making plans for the future, and I knew within a few weeks of dating that this was the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with,” Romero wrote in an e-mail.

“I feel so happy and blessed!” she added. “As for the ring . . . it’s perfect.  It’s so beautiful, but I would have been happy with a rubber band — it’s the love, respect, and devotion we share that matters.”

How, in week 31 of her pregnancy, is she feeling? “Great, and getting bigger with each day!  Our son is still due in late August, and I’m having a healthy pregnancy thus far.  Our son will enter this world surrounded by parents and a family that love, adore, and cherish him.” 

As it’s the first child for her and Anaya, Romero said she plans to take the full 12 weeks of maternity leave. That may interfere a bit with November sweeps, but hey, KSAT has many a lovely anchorwoman to fill in if necessary.

Finally, the couple wants to give a heartfelt thank-you to viewers, Anaya said,  ”for their warm wishes and prayers, as it means so much to both of us.”

Photo: Courtesy of Anaya
Archive: Nothing small about newscaster Romero’s ratings

For the first time in the CBS reality show’s history, the Alamo City’s contestant is a guy — Devin Shepherd — a big, brawny hunk with a killer smile who gets compared at every turn to Dwayne Johnson, a.k.a. The Rock.

Judging by the first two shows this week, Devin also is really sweet. . .to everyone — from the flamboyant, pink-haired Frankie to the groundskeeper who looks and sounds like he stepped out of “Duck Dynasty.

A single dad of a young daughter, Devin, an athletic former player for the St. Louis Cardinals, did well in “Brother’s” first head-of-household competition Wednesday night; however, he and everyone else was beaten by Frankie, a New York stage performer whose biggest claim to fame is being Ariana Grande’s brother.

Which brings me to Season 16′s biggest twist: Two, not one, HOHs (heads of household) will be chosen every week and will be charged with nominating two houseguests for eviction. Those four houseguests will compete against each other and the two winners will be safe, while the HOH who nominated them will be demoted to regular status.

So far, Frankie and his competitor, a Texan named Caleb Reynolds, a hunting guide and Iraq vet from Dallas, haven’t nominated anyone yet. We won’t see who’s on the block until next week (7 p.m. Wednesday and 8 p.m. Thursday on CBS).

But back to Devin, who currently works as a sales manager for Harley Davidson in San Antonio. . .

What piqued my interest about him right off the bat was his refreshingly unpredictable choice in women.

Although a gorgeous model in the house, Amber, immediately took a shine to Devin, he didn’t seem interested.

Instead he  proclaimed his “type” was Joey from Seattle (in photo right) — dubbed the alternative female in this year’s  house, a makeup artist with short blue hair and a tomboyish attitude.

Photos: CBS