O.J. Simpson

Bill Maher on Friday proudly equated the Casey Anthony verdict with Republican thinking.

Unfortunately for him, conservative author Ann Coulter was present, and when she got the chance to respond during the internet-only Overtime segment of HBO's "Real Time," she nicely exposed some of the host's most delicious hypocrisies (video follows with transcript and commentary):

In recent times, Al Gore has been in the winner's circle. From the Oscar to the Nobel to NBC's adoring Green Week, Al has known nothing but triumph.

Imagine his chagrin, then, to learn that in one important category he has lost out to none other than . . . O.J. Simpson.

Video (2:26): Real (4.00 MB) and Windows (4.58 MB)

On Wednesday, all three cable networks broke from their regular coverage to feature a press conference with O.J. Simpson’s lawyers. Standing to the left of attorneys Yale Galanter and David Cook was a man wearing a hat reading "I [Heart] Famous People" and a shirt with Simpson’s picture and the words "O.J. ‘07." This unidentified individual created several "must-be-seen-to-be believed" moments. He constantly interrupted, offered high fives to the bewildered lawyers and generally seemed to be enjoying himself.

Update 13:35 | Matthew Sheffield. The man in the video seems to be one Tony Barbieri, a comedian with a character named Jake Byrd who loves to insert himself into live events such as his earlier attempt to free Paris Hilton.

Today's Chicago Tribune includes the editorial, "Protect us from Sally Field?" The Tribune is displeased that Ms. Field, who pretty much exhausted her acting ability 40 years ago with "The Flying Nun," was censored by the Fox Network.

In an acceptance speech on Sunday's Emmy Awards program, Sally shared her wisdom: "If the mothers ruled the world, there would be no god-damned wars in the first place." Fox cut out the last half of her sentence. Concluded the editorial:

Some would have been offended by Field's choice of words. Some would have been offended by her political sentiment. But everyone ought to feel a chill over the fact that they didn't get to hear the end of her sentence at all.

So, OK, the Chicago Tribune opposes that chilling effect. Hurrah.

The Trib's outrage might be more persuasive if it didn't selectively edit a story in the same day's paper.