By Serge Colonblow

(ABP)–Don’t feel bad for Louis Rukeyser.

As it turns out, when Rukeyser was told to step out on his long-running television show, “Wall Street Week With Louis Rukeyser,” he stepped onto a veritable money truck.

CNBC knew a good thing when they saw it–the cable network immediately snapped up the popular finance guru for a show of his own, on cable, with a few rules of its own. The show will not be commercially supported but will be underwritten, as was Rukeyser’s PBS program.

“I insisted on this,” said Rukeyser. “These days many, if not most, of my viewers do have access to cable, but many do not. They have been…extremely loyal to the program, and I wanted to make sure it was available to them.”

Rukeyser denied inside rumors that the show was originally to have been titled “Rukeyser’s Bitchin’ Budweiser Financial Hour”; nor would he acknowledge the rumor that producers had been negotiating with former “Happy Days” star Erin Moran to appear on the show, possibly actually wearing money.

He was jubilant, however, about the Louis Rukeyser action figures.

“Check this out!” said Rukeyser. “He’s got a cape!”

Expect also a Saturday morning cartoon series, merchandising tie-ins with Burger King, and a hot dog fryer bearing the Rukeyser name.