Rosie O'Donnell could be heading back to television. Or Broadway. Or both! This is so confusing!

Straight off Michael Ausiello's scoop in Entertainment Weekly that Rosie and NBC are talking about her returning to TV comes Roger Friedman's exclusive details that the scenario might involve Rosie hosting a Sunday night variety show from a Broadway theatre — an idea she's been throwing around since '02.

And though Rosie has definitely proven herself to be ratings magic (see: The View), keep in mind NBC might be viewing her deal as a Plan B if they can't sign Jay Leno, who's leaving the Tonight Show next year, to a similar variety show deal to keep him at the network.

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While the FCC worries itself over product placement on television programs, who is worrying itself over the product placement in literature? Sorry: "literature." A quick look at the latest crop of chick lit finds itself, much like Sex and the City's title track, obsessed with designer labels. Brand names pop up all over the place, in Lauren Weisberger’s Chasing Harry Winston, Kristen Kemp’s Breakfast at Bloomingdale’s, Bringing Home the Birkin, and Sunday at Tiffany’s. This is sad because while at one time you could already guess the plotlines of these books — girl meets dreamy guy, gabs about dreamy guy with her girl friends, sleeps with dreamy guy, discusses pros and cons of being with dreamy guy — you now already know which fashion labels their authors are whoring themselves out to. [NYT]

Figuring out which television program would, after American Idol, next score a sponsor for the cups sitting on the desks of its hosts was a question we lobbed at So You Think You Can Dance, the Fox dancing competition now in its fourth season with unmarked blue cups placed before judges Nigel Lithgow & Co. just begging for a corporate beverage sponsor. We did not expect the question would be answered by a local television newscast.

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Now we'll know exactly how many times Starbucks gets plugged during Weeds or Staples during The Office. Because somebody is going to start counting up all curious examples of fictional characters interacting with real brands! Sadly, the company doing the counting is audience metrics firm Nielsen, so expect egregious errors in any tallies over 10.

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As American television executives realize the 30-second spot has less and less influence as viewers TiVo right through them, the way to advertiser bliss is through product placement.

Daytime talk shows like Oprah and Ellen have always been amenable to these tactics. Even Emeril Lagasse's new program is a glorified Whole Foods endorsement. And reality TV probably wouldn't exist without corporate sponsors who sign on just to get their brand in the hands of contestants.

Now, a government affront to the practice. At least on opposite shores.

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In this month's Details, a front-of-the-book editorial item about alternatives to mesh sponges to use in the shower, which highlights a new loofah from Axe (called a "shower tool"), with a huge half-page photo of the product in use. About seventy-five pages later: an ad for for the Axe Detailer Shower Tool. (A few more pages beyond that: another one-page ad, for Axe's new fragrance.)

Also there: a front-of-the-book style item regarding flip-flops, which the magazine encourages you to "upgrade to something more substantial," like Havaianas' $30 pair. Two page turns later, a two-page Havaianas ad.

And: a recipe for a Mai Tai, which calls for one-half ounce of Grand Marnier. About sixty-five pages previous, a one-page ad for Grand Marnier.

Ideally in the magazine world, the line between advertising and editorial content is clear. But sometimes, it gets blurry. At such times we are shocked (shocked!), and must share our indignation with you in something we call

by Intern Anastasia.

Seeing Nylon on the newsstand is like meeting this stylish sorta-hipster chick who wants to be your friend. You like The Raveonettes and Gus Van Sant? OMG, she does too. With common interests like that, you guys should totally chill.

But actually reading Nylon reveals that she's a total poser. She's friends with sleazy photographers like the Cobrasnake, she puts down your clothes by encouraging you to buy new, more expensive ones and for some reason she keeps asking you to try this new flavor of Bacardi. What are we, in Meatpacking?

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Ideally in the magazine world, the line between advertising and editorial content is clear. But sometimes, it gets blurry. At such times we are shocked (shocked!), and must share our indignation with you in something we call Product Placement by Intern Anastasia.

What’s that, you haven’t heard of Gotham or L.A. Confidential? Do you fly commercial airlines and clean your own house? Ew. Gotham and L.A. Confidential are two of the lux titles owned by Jason Binn’s Niche Media. Let’s see how much advertiser ass-kissing they have to do to turn a profit, since no one’s paying money to read these things.

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