As a tribute to Dennis, let’s all share our favorite moments over the last few years. I’ll start.

Most of you are going to go with his late-night breakdown two summers back but the following is my personal fave– the time Charlie Gasparino asked Dennis if he used hookers, which DK did not appreciate.

This one was also enjoyable.

Dennis Kneale To Join Fox Business [TV Newser via BI]

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Earlier this morning it was reported that CNBC’s Dennis Kneale, he of digital dickweed fame, would be parting ways with the network after his current contract expires in the next few weeks (apparently CNBC is unwilling to increase is current salary of around $500,000/year). I don’t know if it’s because a building manager got wind of the rumors and started cleaning out his office while he was still in it or what but Kneale felt the need a short while ago to make one thing clear.

[via The Wire]

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As previously mentioned, I did a little interview with CNBC’s Trish Regan. We discussed, among other things, her time at DE Shaw and whether or noat Charlie Gasparino and Dennis Kneale are necrophiliacs.

What do you think of the financial reform bill?
I think considering the effect that the banks had on the entire system that it’s understandable people are truly outraged but I do worry that the politicians might take it too far. There’s been talk it might be watered down, though, so that’s a good thing.

You were Miss New Hampshire. Do you feel that any subsequent Miss New Hampshires have lived up to your standards?
I haven’t kept up with the pageant! I don’t know anyone who’s won so I really can’t say.

Was being a beauty queen good training for financial journalism?
Well I learned how to do my make-up which can come in pretty handy but other than that I don’t think there’s a huge connection.

As a former Goldman Sachs employee, do you think all the heat they’ve taken has been warranted? Do you want to rub Lloyd’s gleaming pate and tell him it’s all going to be okay?
I think Goldman is like the Yankees. They’ve been incredibly successful so it’s easy to take shots at them. People love to hate.

After Goldman, you did a stint at DE Shaw. A friend of mine was told by a rather intense representative of the firm that they only hire “geniuses”—are you a genius? The logic follows
[Laughs] Well I’ve never been tested so I couldn’t say. When I was there the culture was very much about being super smart. And you got to wear jeans to work—jeans with hole in them!

What’s next for you professionally? RenTec?
I definitely want to say in news and financial journalism. I love CNBC and I do a lot of other work for other brands within the company, like the Today Show and Nightly News. And I’m doing another documentary.

Part II to Pot?
Yes! This one’s not in California, it’s all over. I was just in Portugal, and we were out in Denver, which is really the emerging market of marijuana.

Have you been forced to partake a lot for research purposes?
You know I’ve actually never smoked pot in my life.
Ever think about changing that?
Probably not, I feel like I’ve made it this long without doing it. I’ve also never eaten ketchup. Maybe I’ll just have one crazy night where I do all the things I’ve never done.

David Shaw, Steve Cohen, George Soros: Who would you want to babysit your kids? Who would you want to father you kids (if Mr. Ben was out of the picture)? Who would you want to pay 2&20 (or 3&50)?
That’s a tough one. I think I’d go with David to baby-sit. For managing my money? Probably have to go with David—
You can’t do that, you picked him as the babysitter.
But he’s so good!
But nothing– these are the rules. You can only use one name per category. You know Steve’s not too shabby with money, why not take him?
Yeah but David’s a genius, remember?
Well actually I didn’t say that someone on his payroll did but okay, then put Steve on babysitting. I’m sure he’d do a good job. Great airplane noises while feeding them.
Okay Steve as babysitter—though he probably wouldn’t be a match for Larry’s skills—and David investing.
And the final category?
I’m very, very happy with my husband.
Don’t doubt that at all. But in our imaginary scenario, he’s out of the picture and you need a donor.
Really, no, very happy with husband.
Pretend I’m putting a gun to your head.
Can’t answer this question—impossible.
Fine– but I just want you to know that George Soros does have feelings.

Alright, let’s move on. I noticed that you didn’t graduate from college until 2000, after finishing high in ’91. What went on in those gap years?
I took some time off to pursue a career as an opera singer.
Why’d you give that up?
I didn’t love it enough. It was something that I wanted to do when I was 14.
What’s your favorite opera?
La Traviata.
Do you sing in the shower?
I have sung in the shower but I don’t anymore because one time our neighbor came over and asked us if we could “turn the volume down on the stereo.”
Wow. The cheek of some people.

Are your daughters going to call Larry Kudlow “Uncle Larry”?
Definitely. He hasn’t babysat yet but he promises and I’m going to be taking him up on that soon.

Pick for the World Cup?
USA, definitely.

The Dealbreaker readers came up with some questions for you. I’m just going to run down the list. Question number 1: How does it feel to be classified as a MILF?
What’s a MILF
It’s…it’s an acronym…it stands for Mother I’d Like to…synonym for word which means to have relations with. It’s a compliment.
Oh, then it feels good.

Question number 2: How do you feel you measured up next to Mandy and her assets?
I think I held my own.

Question number 3: If you had to: Charlie Gasparino or Dennis Kneale? Killing yourself is not an acceptable answer.
I think I would have to kill myself. Or be on life-support.
And then? Who would it be?
You think it would still be appealing for them?
Dennis Kneale and Charlie Gasparino? Yes, one of them would definitely still go for it, if not both.

Question number 4: Just so we can be fair, in that same vein, if you had to get down and dirty with one of the anchorettes on CNBC, whom would you choose?
See this question is just as hard as the last but for the opposite reason. I’m not into women but if I were it would be really difficult. We have a lot of beautiful ladies at CNBC.

Question number 5: Don’t know if you’ve kept up with this story, but a woman named Debrahlee Lorenzana recently claimed she was fired from Citi for being “too hot.” If you have kept up, give us your perspective — is she too hot?
She certainly looks very hot. Though obviously that shouldn’t have had an effect on her job.

Amanda Drury has said she’s coming with us on a field trip to Beamer’s, an establishment in Stamford, CT – are you in?
If Mandy goes I’ll go.

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I don’t want anyone to get too upset but yes, Dennis Kneale is off of Power Lunch. And while he’ll remain employed by the network, as a reporter covering media and tech, and seems to be in okay spirits (Kneale told us, “I had a ball co-anchoring Power Lunch, and I’m excited about my new gig. I’ve followed tech and media for many years. They may be the only two industries we have left that still dominate the world.”) he will have a little extra free time to devote to other pursuits. Having no idea what his hobbies are but maybe, I don’t know, having felt like you got to know him these last few years, anyone want to throw some suggestions out there?

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Just putting it out there. A little taste. You want it? This guy thinks we can make it happen, if we appeal to Spitzer’s need to be heard.

First, though, we need a format. Ness likes to go after the bad guys so perhaps a Jerry Springer-esque show wherein he forces baby daddies to take responsibility for the seeds they hath planted. Something lighter? Some sort of variety show? Should he just take over for Larry King, about to turn 135, keeps the suspenders but drops the pants? American Gladiators, every week he takes the ring with someone he took down as AG. A hostile takeover of the Seacrest American Idol gig (one night, he just forces his way on set during a live show). Or hey! What about he takes over the second hour of Power Lunch (after the first goes to David Faber later this month) and hosts some sort of call-in LoveLine, dispensing advice to anyone on Wall Street wanting to know if they should be worried about a burning sensation when they pee? Dennis Kneale could screen calls and he could have a different celebrity from the world of finance each day helping field questions (Nouriel Roubini would be an incredibly easy sell, as would Lucas van Praag, and this kind of thing is totally in his wheelhouse). Anyway, the possibilities are endless and we’re open to suggestions.

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“…the person at CNBC Dennis respects most is Jim Cramer. This may surprise you but Kneale offers an explanation: “Jim is an encyclopedia of stocks. The guy is a genius.” While Cramer may be wrong at times when his opinion really counts (Bear Stearns, anyone?), he’s also right a lot of the time and deserves more credit than he gets.” [BI]

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AIG Is Said to Query Bonus Holdouts in Push for $45 Million of Concessions (Bloomberg)
The insurer mailed questionnaires this month to ex-workers at the Financial Products unit asking whether they’d earned income after leaving AIG, said the people, who declined to be identified because the negotiations are private. Under the program, compensation earned by former AIG staff in 2009 from another employer would lower payouts to be delivered next week from the New York-based company, the people said.

Big Majority Of Americans Wants Wall Street Regulation (Reuters)
Supposedly: “82 percent of Americans want the government to clamp down more strongly on Wall Street excesses, with a particular emphasis on bonus schemes that have rewarded employees at loss-making companies such as AIG.”

The U.K. Origins of Lehman’s Accounting Trick (Dealbook)
Repo 105.

UBS Lobbies for Swiss-U.S. Deal (WSJ)
The IRS has uncovered as many as 20 other Swiss private banks as part of a tax amnesty aimed at declaring funds to the authority, according to a UBS document seen by Dow Jones Newswires Friday. In the document, UBS argues that a parliamentary no-vote could also harm the other Swiss banks who offered services to wealthy Americans. “Switzerland’s refusal to honor its international obligations could send an escalating signal,” UBS writes in the seven-page document, which was sent to Swiss parliamentarians this week.

Obama to nominate Yellen as Fed vice chairman (MarketWatch)
Yellen “is one of the more dovish policy makers among the Fed’s 12 regional bank presidents and has been a strong supported of the policies of Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke.”

Dennis Kneale: Obama is Ahab, Strapped to Moby Dick (CNBC)
Oh, okay.

SEC Asks Congress to Regulate Credit Default Swaps (Reuters)
“If we continue to allow these risky financial products to operate in the dark we should not be surprised at the damage we find when the lights come on,” Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Mary Schapiro said in a statement, without commenting on Greece’s situation.

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