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Notes from Around the Dial

Here's a crossover even Allen Iverson would admire. MSNBC's Lester Holt, who co-hosts NBC's Weekend Today and cut his chops in hard news, will co-host USA Network's coverage of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. The show airs in prime time on Feb. 14 and 15 and Holt will be in the booth alongside veteran canine commentator David Frei. "I am a huge dog person," said Holt. "I own two dogs, one of which is a purebred Old English sheep dog. It's the third Old English sheep dog I've owned. When they broached the idea to me, I said, 'You mean me? I would love to.'"

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Holt said he snared the assignment after hosting some of the Olympic coverage in Athens. "I come from a hard news background, but Weekend Today is a show where you can interview an Israeli ambassador one moment and 20 minutes later you're cooking salmon -- or doing something on dog shows," he said. "The hard part of this for me is instinctively as a newsman, I say, 'Okay, I'm doing dogs?' I want to sit there with 15 briefing books and research every breed there is. And while I've done a little of that, [Frei] has cautioned me the value I bring to the table is to not ask questions as if I'm an expert, but ask questions for what the viewers want to know."

Ahmad Rashad, who specializes in throwing softballs to NBA players, may have found his new Michael Jordan. The NBA TV anchor recently interviewed Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James. The piece will air Sunday during halftime of ABC's coverage of the Lakers at Cavaliers, and the following is part of the transcript that ABC sent over:

Rashad: Best part about being LeBron James?
James: Every night I go out, the whole world is watching -- That's the best part. I don't take things for granted because things could end tomorrow. I am just going out, keeping a smile on my face and trying to get better at things every day.

Not exactly Edward R. Murrow meeting Winston Churchill. Or is it? "Well, there are some similarities," says SI senior editor and former TV Guide editor Dick Friedman upon reading the transcript. "When Murrow interviewed Churchill at Chequers on May 13, 1943, he concluded by asking, 'Best part about being Winston Churchill?' Said Churchill: 'Unlimited Havana stogies.'" Yes, he's kidding.

Finally, Pardon The Interruption co-hosts Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon will make their Late Show with David Letterman debut Feb. 23. John Travolta is also scheduled to appear. No word yet on who will be Letterman's first guest.