Just for laughs: Variety.com offers its state of the punchline address

Take a few minutes and check out Variety.com's Comedy Impact Report, a fascinating annual look at the top bananas making audiences laugh, in movies and on TV and stages. The lead story is about the new wave of woman making movies as dirty as dudes do, a tribe calling itself "The Fempire," led by screenwriter Diablo Cody (Juno, Jennifer's Body) and Lynn Shelton (the upcoming Humpday).

There are also profiles of 2009's biggest comedy stars, so far, ranging from Paul Rudd and Adam Sandler to scene-stealing Betty White (The Proposal). TV jokers profiled include Andy Samberg, Wanda Sykes and Stephen Colbert.

And, in a double-take backward, Variety assesses how 2008's comedy star picks (Tina Fey, Robert Downey, Jr. and others) are staying on top. A good read all around.

The (Kathy) Fountain of Youth

Let me say right off the bat that WTVT talk show host Kathy Fountain is a brave woman for inviting me to appear for a half-hour on her show today, talking about summer movies and the box office sailing through recessionary times. (Ch. 13, 12:25 p.m. or so, for a shameless plug.)

We still joke about her former afternoon show, in front of a live studio audience, and my first time on it that also turned out to be my last. About 10 years ago, I joined former Tampa Tribune movie critic Bob Ross and freelancer George Meyer to discuss the upcoming Academy Awards with Kathy. Turned out to be a good show, informative and fun.

It also turned out to be Kathy's final show in that format. She got the word soon after taping that WTVT was canceling her program.

Of course she rebounded and thrived in her later slot under the banner Your Turn with Kathy Fountain, daily during the noon news report. But it has become a kind of mock threat: Do what I want or else I'll come on your show. I've done a half-dozen or so shows with Kathy since then -- my favorite was a tribute to the late comedy genius George Carlin -- without anyone losing their gig.

Of course, when you figure that the 4 p.m. newscast on WTSP where I appeared weekly for more than seven years just got axed, Kathy's invitation could be tempting fate.

Your Turn invites viewers to chime in with questions and comments. E-mail them at yourturn@wtvt.com or call (813) 875-8255 or (800) 826-4434. If you can't make it to a TV, Kathy's show is streamed live online at MyFoxTampaBay.com. I'll be the one with the red rose behind my ear.