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On TV
With Lisa de Moraes
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, October 16, 2003; 1:00 p.m ET
New season. Let's talk.
Join Washington Post TV Columnist Lisa de Moraes on Thursday, Oct. 16 at 1 p.m. ET to discuss the latest on TV.
De Moraes has written "The TV Column" for The Post since 1998. She served as the TV editor for the entertainment industry trade publication the "Hollywood Reporter" for almost a decade.
A transcript follows.
Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control
over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.
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Washington, D.C.:
Okay, West Wing. Where was it? I'm all eager and ready for the new episode last night(despite the lack of Sorkin) and then... Law & Order. Talk about a letdown. NBC's Web site just had a hastily added note "Tonight's episode of West Wing will be shown 10/29". Two weeks? My husband's theory is that it has something to do with the North Korea content. What gives?
Lisa de Moraes: Hi. Many of you have written in about last night's "West Wing," or lack of "West Wing." I will post some of them. NBC decided yesterday to pull the original episode of "West Wing" that it had promised to air because they thought it would be killed by baseball. Since they only have about 22 originals coming this season they didn't want to waste one by putting it on against what was going to be a huge baseball game. Which is great, except they made no effort to let viewers know. They should have handled it like a school closing -- tell their stations so they can mention at end of local newscasts, put story about it on "Access Hollywood," run crawls during "Ed" etc....
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Columbia Heights, Washington, D.C.:
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE WEST WING LAST NIGHT? These are PEOPLE'S LIVES they're dealing with here! Please oh please tell me what happened!
Lisa de Moraes: Another of the many West Wing fans that NBC was thinking about when they decided to pull the episode without letting viewers know... Of course all the TV listings for last night were incorrect because until yesterday, NBC had been saying the WW episode would air last night....
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Washington, D.C.:
Hello Ms. de Moraes,
Do you have any idea what happened to the West Wing last night? It was advertised all week and then at 9:00 the showed something else? Any idea what happened?
Thanks!
Lisa de Moraes: Hello Mr/Ms Washington, D.C..... Sorry that you too were disappointed that West Wing was not on last night....
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Washington, DC:
What happened to West Wing last night? My minor coup last night to get my fiance to let me watch West Wing (and baseball at the commercials) was totally ruined when it wasn't on? Did we really need 2 Law and Orders?
Lisa de Moraes: No, we do not need 2 Law and Orders on Wednesday night. We needed West Wing. .... NBC just can't get its act together on this show. They say they were thinking of the loyal West Wing fans when they decided to pull last night's episode, but then did nothing to let those WW fans know that they were looking out for them -- not.
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Disgruntled Cubs Fan....:
Send a camera to follow Steve Bartman for a year and have him take us on a tour of Chicago sports bars. Lets see how long he lasts...I'd watch that!
Lisa de Moraes: He's a dead man......He needs to go on ABC's "Extreme Makeover" and get turned into a woman -- a very special November sweeps episode of that plastic surgery series -- then he needs to move to Florida....
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Wah!:
ER is going to reruns also tonight. Boo!
Lisa de Moraes: what's the difference. every episode is the same....
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Gaithersburg, Md.:
Is it just me, or does it seem like Tom Brokaw is slurring his speech more than normal. Is his health okay?
Lisa de Moraes: you mean Mr. Marbles-in-his-mouth? I find him increasingly hard to understand; I thought it was my hearing that was going. Relieved to learn that others are having more trouble too....I do not know about his health. I hope it's fine....
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Washington, D.C.:
Compare and contrast "Mister Sterling" and "Lyons' Den".
Lisa de Moraes: "Bad" and "worse"....
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Thursday:
BTW, it looks like NBC is showing all reruns tonight also, as is CBS (except Survivor).
Lisa de Moraes: Yes, NBC is getting out of the way of the games....nice way to start a TV season....
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Iowa City, Iowa:
I like Joan of Arcadia somewhat, but I really love Amber Tamblyn as Joan.
I think she's just awesome. She rocks as Joan -- in stereo. What do you
think of Joan of Arcadia? What do you think of Amber Tamblyn? Do you
know what the Hollywood Buzz is about Amber as Joan?
Lisa de Moraes: I do not like to have religion preached at me on TV. This show is, however, doing quite well for CBS in the ratings because it is a perfect CBS show. The next Touched by an Angel.....
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12th Floor Metro Center:
I just read that James Garner has signed on for 4 episodes of 8 Simple Rules as Katey Sagal's father. There may be hope for the relaunch of this after all.
Lisa de Moraes: It's a great bit of casting, for sure....
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College Park:
Did you see that episode of The Office in which Dave wanted to tell some jokes at the beginning of his speech to the new employees from the Swindon branch? So classic ...
Now I hear an American version is in the works. True? God, I hope not.
Lisa de Moraes: I am sorry to report that it is true and, even worse, it's being developed by NBC-owned Universal TV for NBC, which means it will a) suck and b)probably star David Spade....ick, ick, ick....
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Washington, D.C.:
Hello!
What do you think of Miss Match? I find it cute and lighthearted (there is enough doom and gloom in real life, so I don't think TV should be depressing). My husband however finds the fact that Alicia Silverstone only has one facial expression (mouth half-open, smiling) distracting.
Thanks.
Lisa de Moraes: Aren't you lucky to have a husband who focuses on Alicia Silverstone's mouth and doesn't like it to boot. I think it's a sweet show, not sure that's a good thing, but her clothes are to die for, so I watch...Yes, I am a shallow, shallow person...
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Washington, D.C. :
So, besides that the women are from Europe, what will be different this time for Joe Millionaire?
Lisa de Moraes: The new "Joe" is no Evan Marriott. This one has idiot boy written across his forehead...But we will enjoy mocking the women, because they have accents -- especially the French ones, right?
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Washington, D.C.:
Sorry to go on and on about the West Wing, but am I correct in seeing that next week's episode will be a rerun? Was this originally planned because of baseball? Thanks!
Lisa de Moraes: Yes....I think it's probably best to avoid NBC for the time being....
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Chicago, Ill.:
Now that the Cubs are eliminated, with the Red Sox soon to follow, what are executives going to blame for their lackluster ratings now?
Lisa de Moraes: Excellent question! Before the baseball games really got underway, they were saying that Nielsen sampling had been changed and was throwing all the numbers way off, particularly younger-viewers...
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Hey Now!:
Is Jeffrey Tambor the Christopher Walken of the small screen?
Lisa de Moraes: How so?
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Takoma Park, Md.:
The best TV event of the week (yes, even better than the baseball playoffs!) was Oprah's interview of BARBRA STREISAND on Tuesday.
The one and only Babs looked great, talked about her life with James Brolin, and SANG!
(She even hugged a few members of the audience!)
Lisa de Moraes: And, didn't she have a cute little white dog too? Very high on the Too-Cute-O-Meter....
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Washington, D.C.:
Are you saying the Evan Marriot didn't have idiot written on his forehead?! He was pretty stupid.
Lisa de Moraes: Ah yes, but he was HUNKY and ADORABLE STUPID. As opposed to this guy who is just stupid...subtle but very important distinction..
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Arlington, Va.:
How does the new "Joe Millionaire" having "idiot boy" written all over him make this edition any different than the last one? Evan was dumb as a box of rocks and just as articulate.
Lisa de Moraes: see previous answer...
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Chantilly VA:
Lisa: are you watching The Bachelor?
If I had a second-grader in Hodges, N.C., I would most definitely not want LeeAnn for a teacher. That woman is a loon.
Lisa de Moraes: You have to question the judgement of any teacher who thinks it's a good career move to appear on one of these shows.....
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Bob's Laugh:
How can any contestant on the Bachelor proclaim with a straight face, "I didn't know what I was getting into." I expect that from George Dubya, but a Bachelor contestant?!
Lisa de Moraes: funny!
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Hollywood, Calif.:
Lisa, for someone who has incessantly picked on the size of Paige Davis' forehead, do you not notice that Alicia Silverstone's teeth are exceptionally small and disproportionate?! It's downright ghastly.
Lisa de Moraes: ..sorry, I was focused on the shoes....I'll watch this Friday. Assuming, of course, it's even on.
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Arlington, Va.:
What's this about Kiefer asking the producers of "24" to kill off his character? Do you think giving him a protege this season is leading up to this outcome?
Lisa de Moraes: Yeah, right.....He's begging to be killed off so that he can stop drawing that big paycheck and get back to his non-existent film career. I read that interview too. It was too stupid.
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CBS::
I think CBS is showing all-new episodes tonight, not reruns (including CSI -- which is really all I care about)
Lisa de Moraes: Good for CBS....maybe that's why they have more viewers than NBC....
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K Street:
I don't really get it and I certainly don't like it but I keep watching it -- what is wrong with me?
Lisa de Moraes: No life?
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Fairfax, Va.:
My new quilty pleasure is the high school drama One Tree Hill on the WB. I have never watched a WB program before, but I like this one. Plus, it's got some great 80's actors in the "adult" roles. Great for a 30'ish person.
Lisa de Moraes: Unfortunately, this show is not doing so well in the ratings. WB usually shows more patience with a series than a major network but don't get too attached to this one....
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Alexandria, Va.:
Love two new shows this season -- Two and a Half Men with Charlie Sheen and All About the Andersons -- thoughts on them lasting?
Lisa de Moraes: 2.5 Men is doing well for CBS. In fact, when NBC sources talk about how mediocre the retention on "Coupling" is, they point to "2.5 Men." never publicly, but in private...
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Washington, D.C.:
Your column and chat confirm my suspicion that cool people do actually watch TV. I happen to watch quite a bit, however no other self-promoting single person (particularly in the uncertain online dating world) has the guts to say "I watch a lot of TV". Much more popular is the phrase "I am an active runner/mountain climber/dancer/biker/skier/horsebackrider/tennisplayer" with no mention of television habits. I wish they would just fess up and admit they all watch the Bachelor on a lonely night.
Is there a place out there that single TV-loving people can meet? (Besides my living room couch, where so far I've had no luck).
Lisa de Moraes: I watch a lot of TV. There, I said it. I feel much better. And the place where TV-loving people meet is here...
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Bawston:
Lisa,
Why doubt the Red Sox so??
What's with the smarmy Washingtonian confidence that they will lose?? Have you been watching at all?
Lisa de Moraes: who said I doubted the Red Sox? You want the sports chat -- I think that's later today....
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Re: The Next Joe M:
Who cares about how smart the guy is...what I want to know is if the captions will return. Those were by far the best thing to laugh at on the show.
Lisa de Moraes: I assume that anything that worked on the last show will be back for this edition....
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Derwood, Md.:
How can you not love this season's Survivor? Tribe makes a lawyer their leader, then repeatedly loses, becoming the worst tribe in Survivor history. Duh!
I see NBC's "Coupling" is being put out of its misery. Good riddance. Never dumb down a BBC show for American audiences!
Lisa de Moraes: Actually NBC has not buried "Coupling" yet. They've just pulled it so they can air that very special episode of "Whoopi" in which the president takes a leak at her hotel...too charming.
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Fairfax, Va.:
Does anyone else miss "Cupid," that show with the guy from Ellen, about a no-good, down-and-out Cupid who has to make a certain number of matches here on earth to return to his deity-type position? I know I sure do.
BTW, Lisa, you slay me! Keep up the great work.
Lisa de Moraes: Thanks! I liked "Cupid" too....
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Del Ray, Va.:
Lisa, it is both amusing and amazing to
me that you are able to so consistently
write about the "entertainment" industry in
a way that is much more entertaining than
their own feeble efforts! Thank you, thank
you very much.
Lisa de Moraes: No, thank YOU!
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West Wing:
Is boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooring. You should thank God that's one hour of your life you have back.
NBC is run by a bunch of morons too. Watch them ruin the best show on television, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. Now that's interesting.
Lisa de Moraes: What's there to ruin on "Queer Eye"?
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The Office -- Amercian Style:
I hear that the creator, Ricky Gervais, is highly involved in the creation of the series as is a former Simpsons and King of the Hill writer/producer. Perhaps there's hope? Especially if Bob Odenkirk is cast as David Brent.
Nobody has ever bombed as bad as David Brent did during his "greet the new employees speech". Cringingly funny.
Lisa de Moraes: Sometimes a show is so very good it simply should not be remade. Like "Gone with the Wind." The British original on "The Office" is practically perfect. But it would never play on a broadcast network, so they're going to have to sitcom-ize it to give it a broader appeal -- laugh track here we come....The producers say they're working on an American version to make it "Fresh." Apparently the British version was stale?
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Forest Glen, Md.:
Don't tell Dick Wolf but I'm sorta getting sick of "Law & Order".
I'm so bummed. I used to be able to watch every rerun even if I knew exactly what the "surprise twist" at the end was going to be.
Has NBC/A&E/TNT just oversaturated so much that I've been overloaded?
Lisa de Moraes: Yes, you are an addict, and you need to join Rush in rehab....
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Re: "I Watch TV!":
I agree with the above postee about listing TV as a hobby -- without looking like a couch potato!
Any suggestions for a comeback when someone says "Oh, I don't really watch TV."
Lisa de Moraes: I usually just turn and walk away. I have nothing to say to that person....
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Chantilly, Va.:
Alicia Silverstone is one of those "whole is greater than the sum of the parts" people.
She definitely has Chicklets teeth, and her figure is far from great, but there is just something about her.
Lisa de Moraes: I'm telling you, people, It's The Clothes! Will no one listen?
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Repetitious Reality Shows:
I'm thinking of boycotting the new Joe Millionnaire, not because of premise but because Fox keeps using attractive (externally) men. They should/would be better with a balding, paunchy, George Costanza type, no?
Lisa de Moraes: Ah, but then all those teener girls would not watch and where would Fox be then?
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Chicago, Ill.:
Did we ever figure out what the point of Paradise Hotel was? Also if NBC was running reruns of WW and L&O, why the new episode of ED?
Lisa de Moraes: Apparently NBC doesn't mind burning off those episodes of Ed. Can you blame them, that show has so jumped the shark. And no, we did not ever figure out what was the point of Paradise Hotel...it will remain one of those Great Mysteries...They can do a docu on it for A&E or The History Channel, or Discovery.
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Fairfax, VA:
Did you ever see the BBC version of Coupling? Did you like it?
Lisa de Moraes: I have seen the Beeb version. I like it okay, not may fave. It's no "Office." I think a couple of the actors cast on the American version are actually better than the British version, but there are also a couple of actors on the American version who are just awful -- like the two leads...And, let's face it, sex jokes just sound funnier then they are delivered in a proper British accent...so the BBC version wins...
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Slough, U.K.:
David Spade as David Brent?
Nooooooooooooooooooooo!
I don't know if you were joking or not, but that would be horrific. Truly horrific.
But exactly what one would expect from the U.S. TV (broadcast network) industry.
Oh God say it isn't so.
Lisa de Moraes: I have nightmares about it. He's just the kind of person they would cast in the lead role on the American version of "The Office."
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Reston, Va.:
Has there ever been an Americanized show that's been better than its British counterpart?
Lisa de Moraes: I don't know about "better" but there have certainly been adaptations of British shows that have been very successful on U.S. television. "All in the Family" being one of the best known examples....
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Re: Sox:
Well, you pointed out that the Cubs are out, and that the Sox were soon to follow...
Lisa de Moraes: Did I. My bad....of course I love All the teams like they were my children...
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SE D.C.:
Did you know "The Restaurant" is coming back? They're looking for cast members on the NBC Web site.
Wasn't it bad enough the first time?
Lisa de Moraes: Apparently not.
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A Dark Place:
What one of the networks needs to do is combine
two formats: A reality show like that Russian Roulette
thing in England with the Queer Eye team. The first
half is the death-defying stunt; in the second half,
the Fab Five arrange the funeral and then critique it.
They could call it "Queer Eye for the Dead Guy."
Lisa de Moraes: I love it. And the companion show: "Celebrities You Thought Were Dead but Aren't." Hosted by Harry Smith.
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Greenwich, Conn.:
It's a bit annoying how all these women are throwing themselves at a guy just for his money! Where do people come up with these reality TV show ideas?
Lisa de Moraes: I know what you mean, because there is absolutely NO reality to the idea that women throw themselves at a guy just because he's loaded...that never happens.
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Bawlmer, hon:
Hi Lisa. Are you as funny in person as your writing? Also, do you know when the next season of Curb Your Enthusiasm begins? I rewatched its entire run over the summer and am jonesing for more. Thanks!
Lisa de Moraes: Yeah, I'm a real laugh riot. I'm sorry but I have lost track of when Curb returns and if I try to check the web site right now I will probably end out logging myself out of this chat because I am a techno moron. Can someone provide answer here for this Curb fan?
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George Costanza Millionaire!!:
I think the poster has got something here ... With the current system, the women can at least pretend to be attracted to the good looks of the guy and not his money, but if the guy looks like Costanza, it would be hilarious to see these golddiggers pretend to be attracted to him when all they really want is his money.
Lisa de Moraes: you are clearly not a teener girl. For teener girls, these shows are like Harlequin novels on TV -- and in Harlequin novels, the hero is tall, broad shouldered, has longer flowing wavy dark hair (which is why the new Joe is all wrong), penetrating blue eyes and throbbing loins....
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Reston, Va.:
They could cancel West Wing and I wouldn't care. 24 is returning after baseball, now that is a show worth watching on Fox.
Lisa de Moraes: ...so we can watch idiot daughter try to break her record of getting kidnapped three times in 24 hours? Can't wait!
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New York, N.Y.:
Re: Greenwich, Conn. -- A funny thing coming from someone from Greenwich, where they invented women throwing themselves at rich Wall Street types.
Lisa de Moraes: I think they have a monument to all the women who have thrown themselves at rich Wall Street types in the park in Greenwich, Conn. I remember it from when I lived there, briefly.
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Washington, D.C.:
Isn't "Six Feet Under" already "Queer Eye for the Dead Guy?"
That title was also on K Street last week, not that anyone's watching . . .
Lisa de Moraes: funny you should mention that because, turns out, nobody is watching K Street...
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Washington, D.C.:
You're my favorite columnist (next to Mr. Tony). Keep up the great work! I love it when you just trash stuff in a funny way
Lisa de Moraes: thanks.....
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Queer Eye can be ruined by ... :
All the product placements they have been doing. They can't do it well either, i.e., from Carson, "the great people at Old Navy supplied," and Thom, "Benjamin Moore paint color XYZ is fabulous." Completely ruins it when I know money is at hand.
Lisa de Moraes: it's way too heavy handed on this show....
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Re: The Office:
After all the hype I finally saw an episode of The Office, and I have to say, I didn't find it all that funny. And this is coming from a person who loves more British comedies than he can enumerate here.
Lisa de Moraes: have a couple of drinks and watch it again. you'll love it....
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Speaking of Guilty Pleasures:
I miss the O.C.
Lisa de Moraes: don't worry, pookie, it will be back... soon. I promise...
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Fairfax, Va.:
Any scoop on That 70's Show for this season? Can't wait for it to return!
Lisa de Moraes: It will be the same as ever, which you can interpret however you want.....I've run out of time. Thanks for joining me.
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© 2003 The Washington Post Company
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