Since this plea went nation-wide, though, Mutts and Moms has received death threats: "hate e-mails threatening them with lynchings, bombings of their home," according to attorney Keith Fink. DEATH THREATS? Jeez louise. These people rescue puppies for a living, guys. Let's just all calm down. Like Diane Sawyer (always a touchstone in irrational times) says, "There's got to be some sort of rational compromise."

This Digital Short actually reminds me a lot of the short films that Albert Brooks would make for Saturday Night Live during its early seasons -- but shorter, and more laced with video game references, and maybe not actually funny. But it's really cool to see a fresh comedic voice being spotlighted on national television. It's like Saturday Night Live is almost... cutting edge. Well. As cutting edge as one can be with a Bon Jovi cameo.

I had some initial skepticism about Drew Carey's ability to fill Bob Barker's shoes, and his whimpy "sorry, tell it to Roger" approach to Plinko enforcement doesn't do a lot to alter that. But Carey does score points from me when he briefly references the 1979 UK #1 "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick," by Ian Dury and the Blockheads. Just keep referencing the obscure BritPop, Drew. And maybe you'll be okay.

Apparently, the writers of Desperate Housewives (and let's be clear about this -- the ABC primetime soap is a DRAMA, written by WRITERS, not Teri Hatcher) underestimated the ire such an offhand comment would cause. The Filipino medical community is furious and a petition demanding an apology has nearly 72,000 signatures.

I would make an offhand comment about this might, just might, be a bit of an over-reaction. But, clearly, one offhand comment can get a gal into a lot of trouble. So I'll just say this -- those who think the days of political correctness are over? Hardly. YouTube just makes things a whole lot more interesting.

But the Kanye PR machine must be a mighty and fierce one, rivaling Truckosaurus with its cunning and ability to breathe fire. That's the best explanation I have as to how the hip-hop star got the chance to satirize his poor losing on the Saturday Night Live season premiere. It's a triumph of self-parody, simultaneously negating the bad press of his VMA hissyfit and promoting Kanye as a comedy threat. Because who knew Kanye was funny? Not me. But next time I have the opportunity, I'll definitely give "a black man -- um, a short black man -- a chance."

Ever the professional, Nazemson stepped off camera ever-so-briefly and then returned, not only explaining herself but finishing the call she had taken before the nausea hit. Unfortunately, the guy's answer was wrong, but at least he got to be part of Swedish television history.

This article gives Nazemson's plucky perspective on the whole affair. Something to keep in mind -- while the longest extended version of the video we found runs only about a minute and a half, the lovely-even-after-vomit Eva stayed on the air for two hours after the initial spewage.

If this had been American TV, they'd have cut to commercial and had Kelly Ripa halfway home in a limo by the time Mrs. Butterworth's syrup hit the plate. Those Swedes have a hell of a work ethic.

It is one thing to not believe that you and your loved ones spontaneously evolved from muck via some sort of wacky biochemical accident. It is a whole other thing to not only state, "I don't believe in evolution, period," but to not have a stance on whether the Earth is flat or round.

Presumably, Whoopi introduced the topic, thinking Shepherd's answer to, "is the Earth round or flat" would be a definitive "round," thereby leading to the question of where a person of faith draws the line as to what scientific "facts" to accept. Instead, Shepherd replies, "I don't know." Not because of her faith, though, it seems. Simply because she's never thought about it.

And not only has Shepherd never thought about it -- not once, in forty years of life -- but apparently should she ever decide the issue is important enough to resolve, she'll be going to the library for the answer. Since all those instances of sailing, flying, and, you know, ORBITING around the globe that have taken place over the last few centuries are not evidence enough for her to suss it out on her own.

Wow. Just... wow.

Given that she's responsible for the most quoted acceptance speech of all time, it seems more than a little strange to cut off Brothers and Sisters' Sally Field, mid-sentence. But that's what someone at Fox did, just as she was warming up to a statement about how mothers shouldn't support the war in Iraq. Behold the machinations of Rupert Murdoch's network, as the producers cut from Ms. Field, mid-"goddamn" to a dark empty stage. Subtle, guys. Real subtle.

But because the broadcast wasn't censored in Canada, we're able to feature the full version here. No official statement has been made by the producers, but speculation revolves around whether it was the clear political bent of her speech, or her use of the curse "goddamn" (which has been acceptible on air for several years now), that lead to her mike being shut down. All I know is that as fun as other moments of the Emmys, such as Rainn Wilson and Kanye West's rap battle and the Colbert/Carell/Stewart group hug, feel crass and tainted. Thanks, Fox. Thanks a bunch.

So, yeah, Jerry Lewis said the word "faggot" on television. He's also 81 years old, raises millions to help kids, has a famously dirty mouth, and cut himself short right after he said it. (And let's not forget that the French think he's positively Wellesian.) This is a major scandal? Apparently so. Here's what GLAAD president Neil Giuliano told TMZ: "We want to sit down with him, help him understand why these words are so hurtful, and give him an opportunity to raise public awareness about the destructive impact of these kinds of anti-gay slurs, even more so in attempted humor."

Will Jerry meet with Neil? Is a trip to rehab in order? Can he go to jail for this? Will he make an impassioned plea on Letterman, begging his fans for forgiveness? We get the feeling that the answers to all of these questions is an emphatic no. At least we hope so.

UPDATE: Jerry has since apologized. Also, the original video was pulled from Daily Motion. So here's CNN and their three-minute segment about this scandalous controversy. Lenny Bruce and Richard Pryor are have been spotted rolling in their respective graves.

How to keep a good thing going? Well, keep Danny Devito around for the third season, of course. But Danny Devito is a star. Danny Devito deserves the best treatment. You want Danny Devito on your dinky little cable sitcom, you better treat him right. That's what Rob McElhenney learns here, with the help of Rhea Perlman and Fred Savage. He also learns to read his contract better. All of thesse are important lessons.

A new season of The Office kicks off on September 27, and to whet our appetite, NBC has given us the latest glimpse into what our favorite characters did over the summer.

Look -- there's Michael! Hi, Michael! And Dwight! Hi, Dwight -- sorry about your infection! And Jim! And Kevin! And Creed! And Ange-- okay, I don't really like Angela, but she took a vacation with a "gentleman friend" and I'm intrigued despite myself. Plus, there's Pam, and she's letting her hair down. Whoo! You go, girl!

Ahem. Sorry. Got a little overexcited. You know why? 'Cause it's almost back! Yay! Yaaaaaay! boingyboingboingyboingy.

Upton has a simple and honest defense: she was overwhelmed, and she made a mistake. Given the opportunity to answer the fatal question again, she does so... well, not brilliantly, but coherently. She doesn't single-handedly come up with a pithy solution to the nation's educational pitfalls, but at least she makes sense.

Basically, Upton comes off as a sweet, composed girl who, okay, may not be a genius, but certainly isn't as completely brainless as folks might have thought. Sure, her interviewee style consists mostly of rewording the question and parroting it back. But I think anyone who doesn't sock Ann Curry in the head when Curry says condescending things like, "Good girl, you!" deserves some extra credit.

Incidentally, as the fickle finger of fate would have it, there is another teen pageant contestant from South Carolina named Lauren, and she's getting a lot of undeserved flack. Her name is Lauren Elizabeth Lytle. She's South Carolina's Miss Outstanding Teen, she's got a 4.6 GPA, and she's a completely different person in a completely different pageant. So leave her be.