Per LA Observed: Chuck Philips has reportedly asked for a buyout, Marla Cone, Paul Brownfield, Deborah Schoch (whom this Fishy once went up against as a competitor many moons ago) are all bailing out. We wish them, and all the others, much, much luck.

[UPDATE: A reliable tipster tells us staffers have been told to expect another round of layoffs in two months -- to the tune of 100 more jobs.]

Something’s Gotta Give: Former actress, Sen. Sheila Kuehl, wants to protect the “postmortem right of publicity” for dead celebrities, like underwear adorner Marilyn Monroe. Because celebrities should only be exploited while they’re living.

Boxers Or Briefs? The Internet town hall debate, a partnership between CNN and YouTube is being advertised as the ultimate in citizen journalism and truly democratic participation in the presidential election process. But, as Paul Brownfield points out, it’s all just a dumb stunt.

The Potato (Pancake) Famine: We know he covers television, but can a guy with a name like Scott Collins really get away with saying “tsoris” in a story?

Next Week, He’ll Learn How To Work Those Darn Rabbit Ears: TV writer Paul Brownfield learns what 13-year-olds everywhere already knew: how to use his TiVo remote.

Imus Suspended: CBS Radio and MSNBC hope shutting Don Imus up for two weeks will get everyone else to shut up, too.

Hollywood Takes On China: The U.S. launched a formal complaint about movie and music piracy against Beijing with the World Trade Organization. Expect nothing to change.

Doncha wish your writer was snark like me?
Paul Brownfield, of all people, takes a look at ANTM and the Pussycat Dolls. As this is the 8th season of Top Model, you’d think he’d figured out how it works.

Smokin’ in the boy’s room.
Teens who watch R-rated movies and/or have tvs in their bedrooms are more likely to smoke. Because they’re less likely to have a parental unit paying attention to what they do? Nope–they’re influenced by those smokin’ movie stars.

Joel Stein hates babies.
Joel Stein doesn’t want to see those emailed baby pictures. He’s really scraping the bottom of the “who can I offend next” barrel. He’s not one of the redacted columnists, in case you were wondering.

That’s baseball!
It’s he-said, he-said over at the Dodgers. Outfielder J.D. Drew says he left the team because he needed job security, and the team says that he never asked for a complete no-trade cause. So, he went to Boston, where he got an extra 2 years on his contract–and an extra $37 mil. But it’s not about money.

Latino Power!
La Cucaracha is back in the paper. And even better, Heathcliff is gone.