A small assortment of over-fried appetizers for your enjoyment:

-Tribune Co. president Scott Smith tells the Chicago Sun-Times that reports of LAT-Tribune Co. tensions are overstated and that the paper is "absolutely not for sale." He describes the paper as "very special"-- just like Corky in 'Life Goes On.' (link via Romenesko)

-Virginia Heffernan applies her genius-level critical eye to SoCal quasi-reality show 'Laguna Beach.'

-Independent Sources notes a fishy-seeming KCBS newscast about the Santa Monica Pier as a potential terror target.