In her new novel, Washingtonienne Jessica Cutler famously describes Washington as "Hollywood for the Ugly." It's become something of a tag line for her and the book.

But now, in the forthcoming issue of the September Atlantic, Mark Steyn quotes British sage Christopher Hitchens as saying "Politics is show business for ugly people."

So which came first, the chick(en) or the egg? Hmmm. Whom to trust: An infamous Hill aide fired from her entry-level job for blogging about her sexual partners who cashes in for a trashy novel deal or a hugely-talented and storied writer for Vanity Fair?

We're guessing we know that answer.

> The Googling Monkeys, perhaps on loan from the Note, are busy at work: An emailer writes, "Who came up with the description 'Politics is show business for ugly people,' Jessica Cutler or Christopher Hitchens? ... How about neither? A quick Google search turns up a Detroit Free Press article that quotes Paul Begala -- in October 1999." Can we trace the genesis further back than that?