SOCK IT TO ME, OLD CHAP!

In just about every way, Tony Blair is Britain's Clinton (that's a big "just about", of course). He's hip, he was the former lead singer of a rock band (called Ugly Rumours), and worked as a bartender before heading off to Oxford. His wife is a professional and is pregnant, so obviously some things work in the Blair household.

But then there's the war/Bush's-poodle thing. Whatever happens over on Airstrip One, whether or not the parliament eventually goes no-confidence on him or more cabinet resignations pile up, hopefully the Labour Party can get out of this one without landing a neo-Thatcher in power. Blair was a fool for supporting the Iraq war, but I have this feeling -- or perhaps I'm being too optimistic -- that if Iraq turns out to the the beginning of a full-blown neocon crusade by Bush (Syria, Saudi Arabia, North Korea, Iran, France, etc), then Blair may have substantial second thoughts.

But in the meantime, Blair will be appearing on "The Simpsons"...

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Tony Blair put aside his concerns about Iraq for a few minutes to star as an animated version of himself in an episode of cult TV cartoon "The Simpsons," a Downing Street spokesman said on Saturday.

Blair, a longtime fan of the show, spent a short time on Friday recording a few lines of dialogue for a special edition of the hit series in which the dysfunctional yellow cartoon family come to Britain for a holiday.

"The Prime Minister takes every opportunity he can to promote Britain and the script enables him to bang the drum for the tourist industry to a worldwide audience," the spokesman said, adding that the long-planned episode had nothing to do with the war on Iraq.

The show will also feature British standouts du jour (haha) Sir Ian "Gandalf McNeto" McKellen and pre-teen hypnotist JK Rowling.

Obviously, TFM will watch this. The article says that Clinton made an appearance on the show, but honestly I can't remember him actually ever doing the voice. Nevertheless, this certainly blows Nixon's "Laugh In" appearance out of the water.