Apologies, but I can't think of any way to make this post relevant to the practice of book publishing (or 'librogenics', as I have just this second decided to call it). Nope. But that shouldn't stop me gushing with gratitude for Jon Stewart, which is what I want to do.

In case you don't know, he's a comedian and hosts The Daily Show (More4, 8:30pm weekdays) over there in America. He's not a 'real' journalist; he presents a fake news show, played for laughs. Except that somehow he does all the things you want real journalists to do. He asks the questions you wish 'real' journalists would ask. And that's where he gets a lot of his humour from, so you can imagine how liberating it feels. So look, just look at what kind of a rough ride he gives U.S. Sen. John McCain here. Wouldn't you pay ready money to see 'real' journalists challenge the P.M. or President Bush that way? And don't you wish that 'real' journalists were half so eloquent?