Don't you think it's a slap in the face to Conan O'Brien to air Jay Leno's new show right before The Tonight Show? If Leno wanted to be on TV so badly, why didn't he stay on The Tonight Show?

— Norma, e-mail

Where have you been? Leno did not leave The Tonight Show voluntarily. He was pushed out by NBC. Five years ago the network feared Conan O'Brien was going to jump to ABC or Fox. Instead of wishing him luck, it promised him The Tonight Show no later than 2009. The transition has been the disaster everyone outside NBC expected. Conan is now beaten regularly by David Letterman, reversing the pecking order when Jay was the Tonight host. Leno was given the 10 p.m. slot to keep him from moving to ABC and crushing Conan, which he would have done, embarrassing the NBC brass.

I turned on the TV to watch Merv Griffin's Crosswords and it wasn't there. There was no explanation. Is it canceled or is this a temporary thing? — M.F., Boca Raton

It's temporarily permanent. Crosswords is no longer in production but game shows have a history of being resuscitated years down the road. Even Jeopardy disappeared for many years. However, I wouldn't look for Crosswords any time soon.

Whatever happened to Emeril's cooking show? — H.F., Boca Raton

Emeril Lagasse has taken his act to the Fine Living Network, which has less circulation than the Food Network. His show airs weeknights at 7 with encores scattered throughout the schedule.

We are fans of Kristin Chenoweth from Pushing Daisies. We thought she was set to be in another series called Legally Mad but we cannot find the series on the schedule. Will it be a mid-season replacement? — Neil, Pompano

Legally Mad did not make the cut. While she is waiting for something else, new Emmy winner Chenoweth will make a guest appearance on Wednesday's episode of the Fox series Glee.

I recently purchased a sports package on my TV service that includes the YES network, which carries Yankees games. However, it always says they are blacked out. Do you know why this is the case? — Mo, e-mail

You purchased the wrong package. You bought the out-of-town sports stations package (which I also have). Only the two Florida teams, the Marlins and Rays, are allowed to bring their games into the state. The reason is to protect what you should have bought, the Major League Baseball package, which carries just about every game of every team, including the Yankees. It costs about $200 for the entire season. As Brooklyn Dodgers fans used to say, "Wait till next year."

I enjoyed the summer series Mental very much and hope it returns next year. Actually, I'd like to see it return as a show during the regular season, so that more episodes would be offered. Any word on that? — M.T.K., Lake Worth

America wasn't as crazy about Mental as you were. I would say the chances of more original episodes are somewhere between highly unlikely and Fox would have to be nuts.

I saw the most terrific movie, The Holiday, with Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet. However, I do not know the leading man. I never saw him before or since. This is the most gorgeous male and the only one I would put in the same category as Paul Newman. Who is he?

— S.S., Delray Beach

There are lots of candidates, although I doubt you are referring to Eli Wallach or Jack Black. That leaves Jude Law, Edward Burns or Rufus Sewell.

I was shocked to read that Samantha Brown of the Travel Channel lives in Brooklyn, especially since she has traveled all over the world and visited beautiful cities in the United States.

— R.M., Weston

It wouldn't be my first choice but last I looked, Brooklyn is still part of New York City, which many consider the greatest city in the world. Also, there are beautiful, upscale sections of Brooklyn. I haven't been there in years but I hear even Coney Island is no longer a slum with an amusement park. Anyone from Brooklyn care to weigh in?


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