Also this issue:

Animal Planet
Ben Woodward's zoological take on reality invades Spector Gallery.
-Susan Hagen

Broad Street Broadside
-A.D. Amorosi

Orson Scott Card
-Justin Bauer

Mr. Show: Hooray for America!
-Sam Adams

Loot
-Toby Zinman

September 19-25, 2002

artpicks

Peter Jennings

There's a dumb joke that goes as follows: There's this family of potatoes. The daughter potato comes home one day and announces to her parents that she is in love and getting married. To whom? her potato parents ask. "To Peter Jennings Potato," she says. "You can't marry Peter Jennings Potato!" her parents exclaim. "He's just a common tater!"

Granted, it's an old joke and Peter Jennings is but one of many broadcasters to be cast in the spudly role, but that's not the point. The point is that the joke's wrong. Jennings is a lot more than a commentator (if you just got the joke now, don't tell anyone). Jennings seems infinitely trustworthy, the guy to turn to when the world turns upside down. We're all cynical enough to know that no one is as wholesome as he appears on TV, but Jennings comes darn close to convincing America that he really is just the unassuming man who earnestly wants to bring us the news. This week you can judge him for yourself, in person, as he stops by Borders to discuss and sign his latest book In Search of America (co-written with Todd Brewster). But when he asks if there are any comments or questions, you should probably avoid telling the potato joke.

Peter Jennings, Tue., Sept. 24, 12:30 p.m., free, Borders, 1727 Walnut St., 215-568-7400.

—Debra Auspitz