Bartiromo Craves 'Live!'

By Stephen M. Silverman

10/07/1998 at 12:00 AM EDT

The game of "Who Will Replace Kathie Lee?" when Gifford leaves her "Live!" perch this summer has a new contestant. CNBC's "Market Week with Maria Bartiromo" hostess has told PEOPLE that she would consider abandoning Wall Street if the seat next to Regis Philbin becomes available on the syndicated morning show. "It would take a phenomenal position for me to consider leaving," Bartiromo, 32 and nicknamed "the Money Honey," told the magazine, "and that's how I feel about the Kathie Lee spot." Among those mentioned in the Replace Kathie Lee sweepstakes have been TV personalities Linda Dano, Joan Lunden, Leeza Gibbons and Reege's wife, Joy Philbin.