Next Up For Johnny Depp: Whiskey Robber? [FishbowlNY]
With Pirates snatching box office gold over the weekend, what's an actor who plays the lead pirate who may-or-may-not-be-gay to do next? Why, play a bank robber, naturally. We hear one of the possible upcoming projects for Johnny Depp is the role of Attila Ambrus in an adaptation of Julian Rubinstein's Ballad of the Whiskey Robber.

CONFIRMED: Matthews Leaving WJLA [FishbowlDC]
We've received confirmation that Kathleen Matthews — wife of Chris — is leaving WJLA to be VP of global marketing for Marriott. So, now the questions begin, starting with ... why?

Dan Rather's Media Tour: He's Booked On the Chris Matthews Show [TVNewser]
Tomorrow at the TCA Press Tour, HDNet will announce Dan Rather's new gig. Then another press tour will begin, beginning with Rather's appearance on Larry King Live Wednesday night. The former CBS anchor is also booked on the Chris Matthews Show for the next two Sundays, July 16 and 23, TVNewser has learned.

No, Trust Us, It's Over [FishbowlLA]
The Insider triumphantly aired a portion of the new Rocky trailer, with Sly Stallone re-donning the wrinkled trunks of the restless local boxing hero itching to pretend to almost-lose-just-one-more-time as he intones perhaps the lamest and most self-justifying catchphrase ever: "It ain't over 'til it's over."

VNU To Acquire Radio & Records [FishbowlNY]
VNU, the publisher of the music industry bible Billboard, is set to acquire the 33-year-old industry rag Radio & Records. The deal will be finalized August 1st. VNU president Mike Marchesano — he of the "overall growth strategy in meeting the needs of our audiences and marketers and building our portfolio of brands" talk — alerted staffers via this e-mail.

Cody's Goes Down, But Not Quietly [GalleyCat]
Maxine Hong Kingston was among those who gathered at Berkeley's famed independent bookstore, Cody's, to commemorate its 50th anniversary and closing. But the Bay Area bookblog Dibs! has a contrarian take on the shutdown, proposing that "Cody's killed Cody's" by overextending its reach in a competitive market.

Designers Are Important and Data Doesn't Lie [UnBeige]
By way of Icograda, we learned that The Design Council in the UK, a group that's committed to showing the important correlation between business and design, has just launched a big report/site to prove just that.

MB Q&A: Toby Young, The Sound of No Hands Clapping [MBToolbox]
Professional persona non grata Toby Young tells Rebecca Fox why some members of the media will call off their vendettas long before his wife does, and reveals which of his writings should really have his enemies running scared.