Just like he and CNN did for the Haiti diaster, Larry King hosted a two-hour, star-studded telethon last night that raised $1.3 million for three Gulf Coast charities.

Using Twitter as a vehicle, but mainly the power of celebs from Justin Bieber to NBA champ Ron Artest to Ryan Seacrest, King can count Monday night as a victory as questions about his future remain.

As my colleague Steve Krakauer pointed out earlier today, Larry King and his 9 pm hour on CNN have been the subject of speculation lately, amid that network’s ratings woes and staffing shakeups. But aside from all that, what he should be getting attention for right now is his great fundraising initiatives, not the least [...]

Larry King‘s CNN ratings have fallen significantly, especially recently.

But the media-covering media have taken some serious and surprising shots at the TV news icon, writing the TV show obituary on King. That continues today with a New York Times column by David Carr – looking to put the nail in the coffin. But it is CNN that needs to step up.

Could Piers Morgan, judge on America’s Got Talent and Britain’s Got Talent and winner of Celebrity Apprentice Season 1, really be slated to replace Larry King on CNN?

That’s the news out of several U.K. papers over the weekend. And CNN is not denying it.

When director Oliver Stone made his film South of the Border to try to convince Americans that Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez is more than a goofball variety TV show host with blood-lust, one of the last people he was probably hoping to get as an advocate for his cause is Jesse Ventura. The former wrestler-governor sprung to Chavez’s defense on Larry King Live last night, calling for Stone’s film to be a staple of American school systems.

It’s been a huge week all around on Larry King Live, but no interview has been bigger during this birthday week than sitting down President Barack Obama to talk about the barrage of problems that have hit his administration in the past few months. And, predictably, the pressure is bringing out a side to the President we had yet to see: his angry side.

Poor CNN can’t catch a break. Their birthday presents included a slam from Keith Olbermann and a retraction request from ACORN slayer James O’Keefe. They were falsely accused of looking for “the good side” of the BP oil disaster story. And now Chris Matthews uncharacteristically attacked the one thing that seemed to be going well for them this week: the fact that President Obama sat down with Larry King.

In one of the most anticipated interviews on Larry King Live since Snoop Dogg took Larry King to Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles, it was finally Lady Gaga‘s turn to sit down, like so many hundreds of stars, with King tonight. Most of her points weren’t shocking– or, at least, not shocking in the context of Lady Gaga– but there were echoes of other prominent American women in the way she hinted at her love/hate relationship with the media.

As a native Louisianan, James Carville has been affected more than most TV pundits by the seemingly interminable Gulf of Mexico oil leak, and he has been appearing regularly on CNN pleading with President Barack Obama to become more involved in the efforts to stop it. Tonight on Larry King Live, Carville didn’t seem as upset with the Obama administration as before, but, rather, concerned for the President, who he says has been misled and, having the power to make a signficant difference, has not done so.

Super Tuesday be damned! Between the hours of 9pm and 10pm last night CNN was all about Mick Jagger who can perhaps relate to Sarah Palin‘s we’re all Arizonans now remark in ways she did not intend. According to Jagger he still has problems entering the United States due to a 40 year old drug bust.

CNN’s Larry King spent his full hour last night conducting the first post-jail interview with rapper T.I.. I know what you’re thinking – wasn’t King chillin exclusively with Snoop Dogg?

No, King expanded his rap horizons with a wide-ranging chat with T.I. – here are the highlights:

One of the best things about marriage (whoever it is between) is that the two partners are allowed to disagree sometimes. First Lady Laura Bush gave a perfect example last night while she was on Larry King Live to promote her new book. King began asking the former first lady about her views on gay marriage and abortion laws and it turns out that, on both topics, she disagrees with her husband as well as the majority of social conservatives in the country.

The latest confusing booking choice at CNN’s Larry King Live related to the Arizona immigration bill.

In a showdown no one saw coming, comedian Carlos Mencia (formerly of the Comedy Central “comedy” show Mind of Mencia) squared off against Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Arizona’s Maricopa County. Why? Who knows, but this is what happened.

Following the political debut of daughter Ivanka earlier this week on Hannity, Donald Trump dropped by Larry King Live to talk the topic du jour, Arizona’s immigration law, and give it his seal of approval. While he admitted that “there are a lot of great people coming in,” he called a boycott on the state “ridiculous” and made the astute observation that, well, “Mexico doesn’t have a lot of blonds.”

CNN’s Larry King devoted a large portion of his 9pmET cable news show last night to interview comedian Sarah Silverman – because, you know, CNN is in a “category of one.”

Besides talking about her new book, The Bedwetter, King closed the interview with a question about Sarah Palin. This wasn’t going to end well.

The Associated Press’ David Bauder wrote a lengthy and biting article about the various ways Larry King‘s CNN show is “troubled” as the program approaches its 25th anniversary.

But since it has come out, a defense of King and his legacy has come from an unlikely source – Fox News host Greta Van Susteren.

Tavis Smiley filled in for Larry King last night (more on that below), and one segment featured a somewhat heated interview with Ann Coulter and Aisha Tyler about the language of tea parties.

But it shifted later into a discussion of the health care bill protests and whether Rep. John Lewis‘ claim of being called the n-word was accurate.

After getting unsolicited advice on how not to collapse from almost every media source out there, CNN took Larry King‘s absence last night as an opportunity to bring out the big guns, and it made for some great TV. Come step into the alternate universe where Jesse Ventura, Ron Paul and Rod Blagojevich have a TV show where they engage in civil, intelligent discussion on the tough issues facing America today.

Larry King‘s current contract with CNN runs through next June, but his news/interview format has been a mainstay with the network for 25 years.

As another star at the network, Anderson Cooper, begins a run of “specials,” could it be a chance for the 10pmET host to explore a format similar to King’s?

Actor, author and political activist Stephen Baldwin was part of a panel on Larry King Live last night, discussing health care reform and the Obama administration. When host Larry King came to Baldwin, he proclaimed “it’s official today, Barack Obama is the greatest gangster to ever come out of Chicago,” then followed with “Mr. Obama’s a liar.” The contentious video, after the jump.

The Betty White publicity train continues Larry King Live appearance. Thirteen minutes of filler where Larry tries to think of the most provocative questions to ask the 88-year-old upcoming SNL host. Right off the bat? “What’s your thoughts on health care?” And then “Do you Twitter?” Totally relevant!

Jimmy Fallon‘s version of a late night show involved viral video hits, SNL-like sketches and more that are the result of his personal history at Saturday Night Live as well as his executive producer, Michael Shoemaker.

Which last night meant his nightly Late Night show got the first crack at a sketch involving tickle fight enthusiast Eric Massa.

After this morning’s tragic announcement that 80s teen star Corey Haim had died of a possible drug overdose, Corey Feldman – the other half of the two Coreys – spoke to Larry King about his longtime friend and their tumultuous relationship.

The guy who got Kanye’d at Sunday night’s Oscars was a guest on CNN last night.

And after a short interview, Larry King gave Roger Ross Williams his shot to give his full speech – before interrupting him again.

The Best Documentary Short Oscars category has never been this exciting!

After Elinor Burkett Kanye’d Roger Ross Williams last night, each get their chance to explain what the hell happened in dueling cable news exclusives.