In your maverick Monday media column: A word is preposterously declared to be The Top, Jim Lehrer takes it slow and steady, the Mike Penner vs. Christine Daniels question, and you are invited to a Hooker Pub.

"Twitter" is very allegedly the "Top Word of 2009." Runners-up were "Obama, H1N1, Stimulus, and Vampire." The thing all these alleged "Top Word" have in common is that they are not the actual top word for 2009 years running now, "Naked."


Jim Lehrer is getting old. PBS is taking his name out of the title of his news show and changing it to the generic "PBS News Hour." Other newspersons will get more air time on the show, though Lehrer's not retiring yet. This has been your Jim Lehrer news update.


Christine Daniels, the transgendered LA Times sportswriter who committed suicide last weekend, is being remembered mainly as Mike Penner, male, in obituaries. Penner switched his name and byline to 'Christine Daniels' after he became a woman two years ago; last year, he switched his byline back to 'Mike Penner.' I plead ignorance as to the proper etiquette here (though I would imagine it's "Whatever name you want"). Experts, please comment.


Hey, it's a TVNewser holiday party and everyone is invited! And it's at the "Galway Hooker Pub" (code word)? Usually we keep those things a secret. But okay!