The Paris trip

Forget CIA misdeeds, veep-dark secrets, toothpaste made in China, the surge, evil-doers, amnesty for illegal immigrants and the Supreme Court, for the moment. Paris Hilton’s three weeks in the joint got the nosy media all out of joint. She may have done the crime and the time, but the prime-time fuss was criminal. The paparazzi harassed, the talk shows harangued, the editorial pages harrumphed and, yeah, we pencil-necked pencil-pushers added our too-incensed two cents’ worth. Hilton may have blown 0.08% on a Breathalyzer, but we pointlessly blew it all out of proportion. Mike Peters kept it real, though, and Nick Anderson’s take was thoughtful. Rob Rogers finally moved the conversation from the cooler to the next cool thing. I’m glad that’s over … now when will Anna Nicole’s kid be old enough to drive? — Joel Pett