(S05E11) There's a famous story about Jerry Seinfeld. Early in his career, when he was starting to feel the first warmth of "industry heat", he was offered a spot on the Tonight Show. This was the early eighties, remember, when a killer four minutes and a wave from Johnny pretty much guaranteed that you were headed for future glory.

He turned them down. His reasoning was simple. He had a great four minutes and would probably have killed; what he was worried about was that he didn't have the next four minutes for the second show. He wanted to kill every time he was called back. It was an audacious thing to do, turning down Johnny the Kingmaker, but we all know how it worked out for Jerry.

Tonight we got to see the final five's next four minutes. Some of them should have turned LCS down...

Albert Brooks turns 60 today.

Brooks is mostly known for his films (Defending Your Life, Modern Romance), but he was also a favorite guest of folks like Carson and Letterman back in the '80s. He never quite gained the notoriety of some of his contemporaries, but his reputation as a "comedian's comedian" and a little something called "actual talent" has kept him out of obscurity -- and deservedly so, because he's one of the smartest and funniest people working today, even if he is a few steps outside the limelight.

Younger folks know him best for his various guest roles on The Simpsons, one of which I've posted below along with an appearance on Late Night with David Letterman (in two parts).

Remember Danny, the quirky, guitar-playing guy with the glasses who got booted off The Apprentice? The Queer Eye guys are going to give him a head to toe makeover. His full name is Danny Kastner (yes, reality show contestants actually have last names). The episode airs on August 16.