Today on Morning Media Menu — our audio podcast based around the mediabistro.com Morning Newsfeed and mediabistro.com blog network — Nightline‘s Cynthia McFadden joins us fresh off yesterday’s interview with Rod Blagojevich to talk about using expletives, whether Blago is fully aware of what’s happening to him, and the Hair! Also up for discussion: has the media jumped the shark over Obama.

On the menu today: a tasty stew of media moguls and television titans with a dash of talking heads to spice things up. After making the rounds and checking in with some of our favorite regulars, we were thrilled to chat with our good pals Today’s Meredith Vieira and Al Roker. The always affable Ms. Vieira (who we’ve not seen at Michael’s before) and Mr. Roker told lunchtime chronicler Diane Clehane that plans are in the works for the show to travel to China this summer to do some segments as a walk up to next year’s blowout Olympic coverage in Beijing. “Meredith is going to be skateboarding on the Great Wall,” joked Al. Somehow, we wouldn’t put it past Today.

Here’s the rundown on the rest of the crowd:

1. The Early shift: Charlie Rose and Neal Shapiro; late shift: Cheri Kaufman of Kaufman Astoria Studios.

2. Nightline‘s Cynthia McFadden (sporting a great tan), Silda Wall Spitzer (wife of Governor Spitzer) and her director of Children for Children Margo Jones.

3. Mayor Joe Armstrong (who was happy to show us that Jimmy Buffett signed his “boot” — which doubles as a vase — on his last visit while Joe was away). Joe was dining with two lovely ladies: Dr. Sarah Simms Rosenthal and Jane Hartley. When we complimented Dr. Simms Rosenthal, an Ali McGraw lookalike, on her stunning summer ensemble, she told us she’s actually turned last year’s dress into a fabulous white embroidered skirt which she was wearing with a classic black T-shirt. Tres chic!

4. Time Inc.’s John Huey.

5. Gerald Schoenfeld, chairman of the Schubert Organization.

6. Fashion central: Cece Cord, Cameron Silver, owner of Decades, the haute Los Angeles boutique, Becca Cason Thrash and IMG’s The Daily Jim Shi. (Thanks for filling us in, Jim!)

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Magazine moguls kept things interesting today at 55th and Fifth. Without the usual intriguing mix of celebrities (who were, undoubtedly still recovering from Oscar overload) to observe, we spent the afternoon wondering what the editors and behind-the-scenes execs were plotting over their cobb salads. Our good friend, Men’s Health honcho Dave Zinczenko, told lunchtime chronicler Diane Clehane that he’s “close” to inking a television deal with Al Roker‘s production company. The program would be a showcase for the burgeoning Men’s Health brand and might even feature the always camera-ready Dave who has been refining his telegenic talents on Today‘s couch for some time now.

Here’s the rundown on the rest of the crowd who dined & dished:

1. Nightline’s Cynthia McFadden, Ruth Friendly and an unidentified gentleman. We caught Cynthia’s broadcast the other night where she reported on the on-going Anna Nicole Smith saga. Kudos for striking just the right tone of dispassionate distaste while filling us in (we want to, but we can’t look away) on the latest details of this train wreck that won’t go away.

2. Michael Lewittes and an unidentified blonde gal.

3. Wayne Tabach.

4. Today’s Al Roker and Jim Bell.

5. Gerry Byrne and guest.

6. Liz Finkel, with we hear, her fiancé. Congrats!

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It’s the calm after the storm. The biggest — and only — snow storm of the season couldn’t keep the movers and shakers away yesterday. On Valentine’s Day the bustling dining room was host to a “low-key” birthday celebration hosted by Sherry Westin for Mayor Bloomberg, who received kudos all around for the bang up job he’s doing. (The big question everyone was asking: is he running for president? Why not? Everyone else is!) We, not of the Town Car set, postponed our weekly visit a day so as not to slog it out with the elements. We’re pleased to report all is right with the world once again: regulars and boldface names mixed it up amicably over the hum of pleasant media conversation.

Here’s the rundown:

1. Blonde ambition: Liz Smith and Cynthia McFadden with a lovely looking lady we didn’t recognize. Note to Liz: we’re impressed by how neat your desk and office looks in the new Vanity Fair. Who knew orderliness was the secret to longevity!

2. A casually clad Henry Schlieff.

3. Five fashionable types (from Palm Beach, we’re told) including Iris Cantor and Larry Kaiser.

4. Hachette’s Jack Kliger with Jay Kriegel and Jim Abernathy.

5. Lou Cona and a bevy of female staffers.

6. Frederic DeNarp.

7. Author and radio host Lisa Birnbach and Alexandra Trower.

8. New York Social Diary’s David Patrick Columbia and a petite blonde pal who passed the time waiting for DPC (“I couldn’t get a cab!”) by chatting with Kathie Lee Gifford.

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