The first three segments of Couric’s Disney chatfest were devoted almost entirely to guest Jessica Simpson’s post-partum weight loss — thanks to Weight Watchers. There were so many rhapsodic plugs, I kept waiting for the 800 number and my free ginzu knife.

Simpson gushed about her new role as a Weight Watchers poster girl. Then came a sneak preview of her Weight Watchers ad, followed by a full segment joined by her Weight Watchers coach. The capper was a free two-week Weight Watchers membership, via ‘Katie’s’ website.

To be kind, Jessica Simpson was no Sarah Palin, but Couric appeared to be thoroughly enjoying the absence of heavy lifting. After her hellish tenure as anchor of ‘CBS Evening News,’ ‘Katie’ must feel like a fabulous, all-expenses paid vacation. Hey, if Anderson Cooper did it, why not Couric?

Call it ‘Today Extra Lite.’

As has become the fashion, ‘Katie’ opened with a cutesy taped bit. More than a little derivative, given that she did the same thing for her guest-hosting stint on ‘Good Morning America’ in April.

She wakes up from a weird dream and proceeds to tell it to a mystery person in the other twin bed. (An homage to ‘I Love Lucy?’) “I dreamed I left ‘Today’ to anchor the evening news, and I did it for five years, and then I dreamed I was going to be hosting my own daytime talk show!”

Peeling back the covers, a jammies-clad Matt Lauer says: “That wasn’t a dream, and the talk show starts right now!” Cue hilarity.

After almost a full half-hour of Jessica Simpson and Weight Watchers, however, I was reeling from estrogen-induced boredom. Thankfully, the next guest, Sheryl Crow, who composed ‘Katie’s’ up-tempo theme song and is a good friend of the host, had some interesting things to say.

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• The first guests on Katie Couric‘s upcoming talk show will be singers Jessica Simpson and Sheryl Crow. The first month of “Katie” will have a theme of “women reinventing themselves,” and the guests represent that theme. Other guests include Jennifer Lopez, Susan Sarandon and 50 Shades of Grey author EL James.

• Investigation Discovery’s “On The Case With Paula Zahn” may be in its sixth season, but it isn’t slowing down in the ratings. Sunday’s episode drew a series best 1.11 household rating, and 1.088 million viewers. it has already been green-lit for a seventh season to debut later this year.

• CNN is adding to its Beirut bureau. Correspondent Mohammed Jamjoom and shooter/producer Raja Razek will be joining the bureau. “Given the daily demands of the news from the region, CNN will be even better poised to cover the stories that need to be told,” senior VP Parisa Khosravi wrote in a note to staff.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

And if you haven’t seen it, go here to find out how Glenn Beck got on his path to prosperity, in the mediabistroTV series “My First Big Break” including how he almost quit radio to become a chef.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

(Photo: ABC/Lou Rocco)

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.