• HBO has renewed “Real Time with Bill Maher” for two more years, bringing the show through 2014. “Bill Maher’s irreverent wit and fearless insights make him the perfect observer for these unpredictable times,” said programming chief Michael Lombardo. “I’m delighted that we can continue to offer an uncensored forum for his original and thoughtful humor.”

• Did you know that FBN correspondent Peter Barnes writes children’s books in his spare time? He talks to Capitol File about the side-job, including how he uses the books to teach kids about history and government. “We’re not going to do a book about a cute puppy or kitty,” says Barnes. “It’s going to be something that fills a need, is a good keepsake, or can be used in the classroom.”

• As we noted last week, Fox News anchor Shepard Smith MC’d an event honoring New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning. Smith sat down with Manning to talk about the Super Bowl and Ole Miss: