Frank Rich talks in The New York Times about the recent scandals that have enveloped The New York Times. In particular, he discusses the media frenzy and makes some points that are more important than who edits The Old Gray Lady of Journalism. Here it is.

While you're over at Shelley Berman's website, read the story about the little soaps. It's better when you hear him perform it but it's still wonderful to read.

A lot of once-great comedians wind up running on fumes: You laugh, if you laugh at all, not because they are funny but because they were. An exception to this is Shelley Berman, who practically invented the modern stand-up comedy act…in part, by not standing-up. He'd sit on a stool, pretend his fist was a phone and draw you into hilarious, insightful little scenes.

The last few years, I've been fortunate enough to see him live about a half-dozen times and I was in the audience when he recorded his recent, sadly-underdistributed CD. Even doing material off his classic record albums — material I know by heart — he makes me laugh as hard as anyone. He also has an amazing repertory of new, non-recorded monologues…and you know what's really neat? He actually answers questions on the message board over at his website.

Joe Bevilacqua ("Joe Bev" to his friends) is a voice performer — one of the many who studied with the late, great Daws Butler. As mentioned here, Joe has recently co-assembled a book of scripts by Daws. Tomorrow morning (Father's Day) on National Public Radio, Weekend Edition is airing a ten-minute segment on Daws, Joe Bev and how the former inspired the latter in the creation of his series, "Willoughby and the Professor." For example, it'll be heard on KCRW radio in Los Angeles some time between 8 and 10 AM. You can find out more about Joe Bev and hear some of his work, including "Willoughby," over at his website.

Jeff Smith. Bone. Doesn't get much better than this.

Wendy Liebman is a very funny lady. If you haven't seen her live, there's a list of upcoming appearances over at her website. If she comes near you, go. You'll have a good time.

He writes novels and screenplays and plays…but at heart, Jules Feiffer will always be a comic artist. I hope. Here's his website.

About a dozen of you have written to me regarding my theory about those mysterious phone calls. Half of you thought I was right to believe that they're from a computer (or computers) fishing for phone numbers that are answered by humans so that those numbers can be sold to phone solicitors. The other half thought it was the opposite; that they're looking for phone numbers that are answered by fax machines in order to sell those numbers to companies that send out junk fax mail. And it dawns on me that both theories could be right: They — whoever "they" are — could be testing numbers, classifying them as fax or voice, and then selling the numbers in the appropriate categories.

I must admit that I'm mystified at the presumed success of junk mail faxes or e-mail spam ads. I've received a ton of both but never one that I would consider accepting. I mean, I doubt I will ever take a pill that promises to enlarge my genitalia but if I did, it would not be one that came to me via an unsolicited offer from a stranger in Uruguay. The promises of low-interest loans and guaranteed lotto numbers shouldn't fool a spaniel, let alone someone smart enough to operate a computer. But I guess you have to figure that if the offers keep coming, they can't have a 100% failure rate. Someone is responding to them. Here's an article about a lady who ran an escrow company who sent almost half a million dollars of her clients' money to one of those Nigerian scams — an amazing bit of gullibility, especially when you remember that escrow companies are supposed to ensure responsibility in financial transactions.

No wonder 41% of the country thinks we've already found those Weapons of Mass Destruction and/or that Saddam was behind 9/11.

Well, not really. Actually, he once delivered a commencement address at Harvard. But here's the text of Conan O'Brien's commencement speech

Here's what's happened to Paula Poundstone. Sounds like generally good news.

My pal Joe Brancatelli knows all about airlines and travel. Here's a column he wrote about those subjects and a few unrelated ones.

The paper bag we told you about — the one that Conan O'Brien had a few dozen of his guests sit on — wound up going for $5,350 on eBay.

Henry Waxman asks Condoleezza Rice to answer the question that the Bush administration will eventually have to answer. Here it is.

I was fortunate enough to be present for one of the last times Albert Brooks did stand-up comedy. When someone asks me, "What's the funniest thing you ever saw in your life?" that evening is a solid contender. It's quite a shame that he doesn't do that anymore but at least we have our memories. Mr. Brooks doesn't seem to have an official website but here's a link to a fan page that has some facts and articles and neat stuff all about the man who was once called "the funniest white man in America."

One day in 1972, I was poaching in the Marvel offices in New York and I somehow found myself unwrapping a package of artwork that one of their new freelancers had just sent in. It was a story of Morbius, a vampire who appeared for a time in a book called Adventures Into Fear. The artwork was still in pencil and it was the first assignment by a novice. I thought it was pretty good, especially for a new kid. A few days later, I was at the New York Comic Book Convention and I happened to meet the artist, a kid named Paul Gulacy. I complimented him on his work and he was stunned: He'd just sent it in. How had I seen it? I explained and he said, "Wow. I guess you're my first fan." Since then, he's picked up quite a few…with work like what you can see over on his website.