Happy New Year! The weather has been notable and so I want to mention it: we've had four medium sized snow storms so far this winter, and right now we are experiencing zero temperatures.

I am going to do something I never do, which is write about television. I watched Leno last night - and I think he is better without writers. I suppose a disclaimer is necessary here, so here goes: I have absolutely nothing against the striking writers, and although I am relatively uninformed about the issue, I feel sympathy for them and their cause. Now, back to my impressions from last night. What I noticed was that the show was a lot more real than usual. I like real. Audience participation bits on all the current late night shows are always scripted, and they are unevenly funny. Taking audience questions and ad-libbing responses reminded me of the Carol Burnett Show, which I always loved. The overall atmosphere felt warm and personal.