The Washington Post’s Howard Kurtz profiles Erin Burnett. Joe Scarborough was ribbing Burnett over the article this morning on Morning Joe…

The 31-year-old is razor sharp, works crazy hours, is comfortable discussing liquidity or collateralized debt obligations — and everyone keeps talking about her looks. Under the lights, in a smoky blue dress that matches her eyes as well as her shoes, her flowing dark hair perfectly teased, she is not exactly hard on the eyes.

“It’s television, so you can’t fully avoid that,” Burnett says. “Once you get by that veneer, people aren’t going to give you the time of day if you don’t deliver the goods.”

Yes, but . . .

“Do looks play a role in who gets what in television? I can’t deny it. But if that’s what you had to offer, you couldn’t stay in that position.”

The press has cast her as the new Money Honey, a kind of Maria Bartiromo 2.0, and even some of her colleagues seem mesmerized. During an MSNBC interview this month, Matthews egged her on: “Could you get a little closer to the camera? . . . Really close.” When Burnett expressed puzzlement, Matthews exclaimed: “You look great! . . . No, you’re beautiful. I’m just kidding. I’m just kidding. You’re a knockout.” Burnett now calls it “a strange moment.”