And be sure to look for me next month when I host the North Korean Peoples Choice Awards.

[• Ellen DeGeneres , who was praised for her graceful performance as host of the Emmy Awards that followed the Sept. 11 attacks, will be back this year (8 p.m. Sept. 18, Channels 12, 7).] You know me, ... Any excuse to put on a dress.

No matter how popular you are as a stand-up - you can go out and fill a 10,000-seat arena and be smart and funny - it's delicate to host an awards show and know where your place is and know that it's not about you, that it's about the people who are nominated, and respect that, but at the same time have your moment to show them who you are.

The difference between this award and any other is that it's a reader's choice. People holler about other awards because they are committee-selected. This is not committee-selected. There are purists in literary circles who have a different sense of what is going on here, but we think anything you can do to get people reading is a good thing.

We are thrilled to be a part of this year's Nickelodeon's Kids Choice Awards. Music is a central component of the show and the 'Kids Choice' CD is a natural and perfect extension. We are thrilled to release the 2nd annual Kids' Choice CD this year.

I collect old portraits. They're all just interesting pictures of people, and you just kind of wonder who they were and what they were. There's a guy - I don't know who he is, but he's wearing a suit. He's got his arms folded, and he looks like he sold insurance or something. I'm just wondering why someone painted him.