We can see the editorial meeting now: Graydon Carter tells his minions that Star Wars director and head guru George Lucas has opened the door to the palace, just a crack. Lucas' PR queen Ronda Scott will even let a reporter onto the vaunted set of the upcoming SW picture, Revenge of the Sith, and ole Annie L. will shoot the glossies. It's gonna be fabulous.

Fine. Just don't pretend it's remotely related to journalism.

In the February VF issue, you'll be treated to the most egregious example yet of advertorial encroachment. There's the fanboy writing: ("Once it's there, it's a complete work," Lucas is quoted as saying, "and I'm proud of that. I do see it, tonality-wise, as two trilogies. But they do, together, form one epic of fathers and sons.") And Fishbowl is about to get sick right now, excuse us. There are team photos of every production department, replete with children and scruffy clothing. And there's the hushed tone of being in the presence of royalty as the plot of the movie is laid out as if for a 14 year-old reading audience.

Okay, Graydon, just for the adults, where's the skinny on the real reason Lucas has always preferred to incorporate his production offices in Sunny England? Why not let your "reporter" tell us that it's because under UK law, he won't have to pay residuals to most of his actors? Fishbowl supposes Ms. Scott might not like that.

Daily suckup award goes to Graydon Carter, as surely as avid fanboys detest Jar Jar Binks, even as Lucas insists he's funny.