Gail Collins apparently bites... buying Vanity Fair and reading the cover story on 19-year-old Levi Johnston*. But will she pony up the newsstand price for the nekkid pictures he's said to be negotiating with Playgirl?? Inquiring minds want to know...

Congratulations to Diane Sawyer who will be anchoring the ABC national news come January. I've caught her recently on GMA, and she did seem a cut above her three other hosts -- ripe for promoting to the heavier evening news.

Speaking of...
days before the announcement of his resignation, and catching a bit of the ABC coverage of the Kennedy funeral, I wondered if something was physically wrong with Mr. Gibson. He seems to have a bit of a shake, perhaps Parkinson's related? Unlike Peter Jennings' lung cancer, perhaps Mr. Gibson is preferring to stay private and not disclose anything at this time?

Finally, here's a column on perspective, worth reading on another glorious September day mellowing into the evening hours... Try to remember indeed.

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* Now let's give the lady a break for playing "catch up" on old news. Afterall, when we heard the baby's birth announcement and his given name months ago, how could you expect New York media to put two-and-two together: Hockey Dad ... middle name of Easton... Pop had some input on naming the boy! So it is news today, once they've got this family all figured out.

Just still trying to figure out ... why, with all the other issues to cover, is this news fit to print? (Got a feeling young Mr. Johnston just might bring out the cougar in otherwise respectable women media, who might not even recognize their baser instincts. Let's see how well that Playgirl issue sells... )