Meredith Vieira Poses Next to Photoshopped Dog

(AP Photo/HO/Traditional Home)

Tacky yet sophisticated Meredith Vieira always was our favorite co-host from "The View." But where's she been during all the Star Jones Reynolds vs. Barbara Walters drama? Seems she was hiding out in her fabulously renovated crib, which is featured in next month's Traditional Home magazine, with an Aussiepoo named Jasper.

Take a closer look at that photo of Vieira and her pooch. The poor thing's been haphazardly Photoshopped next to her! We all know magazines use computer magic for digital liposuction and face lifts — but canine injections? Oh my Lassie. That's new to us. Is Jasper just a figment of her imagination? Or is it in Jasper's contract to not actually appear with Vieira? Does she — gasp! — not even own a dog named Jasper?

Always an animal lover, The Slug wanted to know. So we put in a call to a Traditional Home spokeswoman who said Jasper does indeed exist, but she's not sure why he was cut-and-pasted next to the future "Today" show co-host. Maybe Barbara Walters will employ this technology for that Debbie Matenopoulos appearance next week.

The Traditional Home caption of said photo reads:

Meredith bought her jogging companion, Jasper, purported to be an Aussiepoo (Australian shepherd-poodle mix), to please the boys. At his first grooming, she was told he had "'a lot of terrior in him,' which was more my style anyway. We've always had mutts from the pound."