Andrea Rene for Mahalo Vlog Idol

We take a break from our regularly-scheduled seriousness to make a brief comment about the search that’s going on right now for a new host of Mahalo Daily, one of my favorite webshows.  Since the departure of the enormously popular Veronica Belmont, the Mahalo Daily crew has been looking for a dazzling female counterpart for Lon “The Bachelon” Harris.  A la American Idol, a group of 20 talented individuals has been pared down to six finalists over the course of the last few weeks, and it’s up to the viewers to help decide who the next co-host will be.

All six ladies had the opportunity to host their very own Mahalo Daily episode.  My personal favorite was the one by Andrea Rene, a talented model, actress, and host from North Dakota and California.  Watch the episode before I say any more:

Here’s why I think this episode, and Andrea, take the cake:

• she skillfully interviews a guy that doesn’t seem to be too easy to communicate with
• she provides a strong intro and outtro to the episode, providing a sense of closure previously unseen on Mahalo Dailies
• the topic is accessible to a wide audience, rather than the Silicon Valley bubble
• she has genuine fun during the episode and makes the viewer feel like he or she is there
• her energy and youth provide a counterbalance to Lon’s deadpan humor

The other potential co-hosts are all extremely skilled and each bring something to the table.  Sarah has the know-how and provides a great fit for the audience (and would also be a great choice), Leah is professional and informative, and Michelle provides a mature poise, for instance, but none of them seemed to have as much fun as Andrea.

Vote Andrea Rene for Mahalo Vlog Idol!

What do you think?  Who should win?  Let me know here, I’m curious.  If you’d like to watch all the videos, take a look here.

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Tagged as: andrea rene, mahalo, mahalo vlog idol, podcasts, seesmic, television