Have you seen today's New York Daily News ? Our friend and cameraman Dave Dorsett was targeted by the Debbie Stock Phone Scam. Right there on the power page, Page 3, the first page you look at once you open the newspaper, is a huge photo of an outraged Dave Dorsett. Here's how the scam works. An innocent woman named Debbie "mistakenly" leaves a message on your answering machine regarding a hot stock tip she picked up from a broker on Wall Street. The idea is you'll react to the stock tip, invest heavily in the stock, and then Debbie will sell her shares at a big profit. The irate Mr. Dorsett didn't fall for it, explaining in the article, "Come on, we're New Yorkers. I knew it was a scam!" For the rest of the evening, Dave the Host reenacted the irked cameraman.

NBC has the Olympics . What does CBS have? Counter-Programming, that's what they got. What did they show earlier tonight while NBC was showing taped highlights as if it were live? We see a clip of two men land-surfing as they are pulled by a small pick-up truck

AWKWARD NEWS BANTER OF THE NIGHT : From New York's WB-11 News, we see highlights of the Gay Pride Parade. The participants in the Parade appear very proud of their bodies and quite proud of their flashy costumes. Back to the news desk, the anchorwoman can only say, "Nice day for a parade." The anchorman replies, "Beautiful day."

A MESSAGE FROM JOHN KERRY : "So here's what I do, I / meet secretly with polluters."

GEORGE W. BUSH RINGING ENDORSEMENT OF THE NIGHT : From the August 8th "This Week with George Stephanopoulos." General Tommy Franks says, "I support George W. Bush to remain President for the next four years." Franks then clears his throat again and again and again. "Excuse me."

It's something new at the Late Show, it's Late Show Instant Poll . We have it hooked up to your computer, we poll the viewers, and we find out what you are thinking. Some of the more interesting responses.

Reasons computer users are taking part in the Late Show Instant Poll:
-7% love instant polls.
-93% can't find the Paris Hilton website

If we capture Osama bin Laden, do you think we should execute him?
-99.9% Yes.
-00.1% Hey, I'm not such a bad guy once you get to know me.

What is the most terrifying aspect of the film "Open Water?"
-10% The shark
-90% The acting

NATALIE COUGHLIN (pronounced "cogglin"):
Gold Medal winner in the 100 meter backstroke.
Gold Medal winner in the 4 by 200 meter freestyle relay
Silver Medal winner in the 4 by 100 meter freestyle relay
Silver Medal winner in the 4 by 100 medley relay
Bronze Medal winner in the 100 meter freestyle.
Her winning of 5 medals equals the most by an American woman at one Olympic Games.
So what does she think about when she is up on the podium and the National Anthem is being played? Answers Natalie, "Is my hair OK?" She says actually the moment is so exciting that everything and nothing goes through her head.
And it was extremely exciting to have so many friends and family at the Games.
Boyfriend? Yes. Dave asks if she hopes to get married and one day open her own pool? Natalie says she is too young, yet, just turning 22 earlier this week.

Nice week of work for Natalie. 5 medals. What's next? There are the World Championships in October in Indianapolis, Indiana. She and the team are a bit tired and wiped out from the schedule this past year and how they'll do at the World Championships remains to be seen. I'm always surprised when the athletes have more competition in a few weeks following the Olympics. I tend to see the Olympics as an end to a long and arduous journey. Turns out it's just one stop, though a big stop, in their grueling athletic endeavor.
Congratulations, Natalie, on a very successful Olympics. Watching you compete and win while representing the United States as I lounge on the sofa with chips and pop makes me feel a little healthier for some reason.

CARLA GUGINO : (gooJeeno) She stars in the Broadway revival of "After the Fall" and will be appearing through September 12th at the American Airlines Theater on 42nd Street.
You may recognize Carla for her work on "Chicago Hope." She played a neurosurgeon for one season. In order to prepare for her part, the producers sent her to a hospital to observe brain surgery being performed. She was a bit surprised that when the surgeons were cutting open the gentleman's skull, they were listening to Eric Clapton and Sting on the stereo. At one point, one of the surgeons said he recently saw "Eyes Wide Shut." The doctors then carried on a long conversation about the movie. The nurses got involved in the conversation as well. Carla said she wanted to cry out, "HEY! You're doing brain surgery! Stop talking about 'Eyes Wide Shut' and concentrate on the operation!" Here they were talking about "Eyes Wide Shut" over a man's exposed brain.
What Carla didn't say was that after the surgery, the man on the operating table knew everything there was to know about "Eyes Wide Shut" even though he had never seen it. It must have seeped into his brain.

"After the Fall" is loosely an autobiographical play by Arthur Miller. He was married to Marilyn Monroe and Carla plays that character. Carla has many nice things to say about Miss Monroe. One part in the play her character has a first kiss with another character. Her character says, "Why, you couldn't even see me. Wait here and I'll come out naked." One night someone in the audience applauded that line. It received good laughs from the crowd.
So does she appear naked on stage? She does, but ever so briefly. Dave decides he needs to get out to the theater more often.

Before opening the top ten in the next ACT, Dave says to Paul regarding Carla Gugino, "I can tell you that's exactly the kind of woman you want to see naked."

TOP TEN: Ways New York City is Preparing for the Republican National Convention.
#3. At President Bush's request, the Empire State Building is on "King Kong Alert"
#2. While Cheney is in town, Waldorf-Astoria sign changed to read 'Undisclosed Location Hotel'
Without the urging from Paul to continue, Dave may have quit the Top Ten after #7.
To close the Top Ten, Paul and the band play "The Elephant Walk." Clever.

ACT 5 : Oh, I don't know. Something about a guy winning a contest because his state looks like a mitten.

GAVIN DEGRAW : From his CD, "Chariot," Gavin DeGraw performed "I Don't Want To Be." Hmmm, I liked it. Worth another listen.

And that was our show for Thursday, August 26, 2004. Wahoo EXTRA!

OK, I have a new theory as to why New York City Mayor Bloomburg will not allow the thousands of demonstrators to hold their protest in Central Park this weekend. It's to prevent the demonstration from picking up steam. Right now, most people know there's to be a demonstration but nobody knows where. Some organizers are thinking of calling the whole thing off. Some have agreed to hold the demonstration on the West Side Highway, where the city suggested. Others claim they will go to Central Park no matter what the Mayor says. Now here's what is going to happen. By not allowing the demonstration to take place in the Park will keep the protest disorganized. There is no central location. Those on the fence will feel it's not worth coming to the city if they don't know where to meet. But the city doesn't want thousands roaming the streets looking to create mayhem either. Late Friday night or early Saturday morning, the Mayor will have a change of heart and announce he'll allow the minions to congregate on the Great Lawn and have the pouty protest. By this time any momentum the demonstrators hope for will be gone, keeping the numbers down. And those who do decide to come to the city will be shuffled to the Park and out of sight of those on the city streets tending to business.
And that's my theory. The secret about making predictions is to make a lot of them. Eventually you'll get one right and hopefully that'll be the one everyone remembers. Oh, and instead of the Police Department preventing demonstrators from entering Central Park, they should allow them ALL in. Once they're all inside, the NYPD should then not let them out. Problem solved.

I'm really getting tired of giving all this great advice out for free.

Hey, here's some good news. The first season of "Sledgehammer " is now on DVD.

I guess Elisabeth Kubler-Ross can finally write the last chapter.

How can you tell a Met fan on a radio sports talk show? He's talking about the Jets.