Maybe it's because we get off on making fun of wacky old people, but we don't think there's much merit to Tom D'Antoni's recent Huffington Post piece, "Stop 'Old' Jokes Now!" which argues that jokes about the elderly are as offensive as cracks about blacks or Jews.

The time has come to stop making "Old Jokes." I shouldn't have to say that. In most societies old age is respected for accrued wisdom. Not in ours. In ours you get ridiculed, marginalized and completely discounted as though wrinkles and other natural aging processes disqualified a person from being a member of the human race. Worse, that normal aging qualifies the rest of the world to make fun of you.
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Try this: substitute the word, "Nigger" or "Jew" or "Bitch" or "Sand Nigger" or "Dago" for "old," either literally or conceptually. Now how does it sound? Still think it's funny?

Um, wrong. It's fine to make old jokes, and here's why: Because time is not a lady; she's a whore that comes knocking on everyone's door, year after year, until we're all dust. Unlike ethnicity or color or poverty, old age is an affliction confronted by literally everyone in the world, thus, it's also something about which everyone can joke. The only people who can't make fun of the aged are vampires. Now, sit your old ass down, Tommy.

When a prominent white man is surprised when there's backlash after he calls his dead journalist friend a nigger at a Society for Professional Journalists gathering, we all really need to step back an analyze what is going on in this country. Michael Lacey, the co-owner of the alternative newspaper chain behind the Village Voice and all the various incarnations of New Times papers, called Tom Fitzpatrick, the late Pulitzer Prize winner, "my nigger" and gave a speech peppered with vulgar phrases while accepting an award at an SJP ceremony in Phoenix.

Here's his apology: "My words, meant to honor a friend, were inappropriate," Lacey said. "All present have my sincere apology. It is regrettable that any phrase of mine offended those attending a First Amendment awards banquet." Sounds a little backhanded to me. If I ever picked up the Village Voice, I would say I am boycotting it. But that's sort of like giving up something you don't like for Lent.

Oh, Young Hollywood and their kooky fads!

Here it is, the fiery polemic from Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Barack Obama's pastor, the man who baptized both Obama's daughters and who married Barack and his wife, Michelle. According to Slate, Wright's been taking a lot of heat on the Internet since the above sermon ended up on YouTube. Though his speech was long and weighty, the Reverend is being chastised specifically for these comments:

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If hateful criminals beat up your girlfriend and spray paint "Die Niggers" on your garage door, is it your prerogative to leave the offending words on your property?

Attempting to be first out of the gate, Maxim has already reviewed Nas's controversially-titled album, Nigger, giving it 2 1/2 stars. The only catch is that the album isn't finished. Nas claims to not really care or understand much about Maxim, anyway. Now, a Playboy review, on the other hand…

RAPPER Nas was shocked when Maxim gave his new album, "N - - - - r," a 2 1/2-star review [out of a possible five] - because it isn't even finished yet. "I'm finishing the album now, and it will be out April 22," Nas told Page Six. Maxim has since apologized for the premature review, but Nas doesn't care. "I'd prefer [a review from] Playboy," the rapper said. "That kind of stuff doesn't reach my radar or effect anybody around me. I don't know what a music rating from Maxim is . . . I don't know what it even means really." Maxim also reviewed the Black Crowes' album, "War Paint," without listening to it in its entirety.

I would love to have been a fly on the wall in the Maxim offices when the editors first listened to Fear of a Black Man's Dick.

Nas turned heads with his marketing ploy/fashion statement on the Grammys red carpet, but now it's looking like the name of Nas's controversial album, which he had emblazoned across his chest, is not set in stone. But it's such a good title!

When asked if the new Nas album will be released with the n-word title, Reid replied with, "We'll have to see."

According to Reid, the album, which was originally slated for a December 2007 release will drop sometime this spring. "Hopefully we'll get it in April or May," he told SOHH exclusively. "Something like that, somewhere around there. It's getting there, we're getting close."

"Expect Nas to educate us without preaching to us," Reid continued. "Expect him to give a point of view that maybe the world hasn't thought about. Expect him to really enlighten us."

I definitely hope that Nas really enlightens me, particularly if the name of the album stands. Because this was certainly not cutting it in the enlightenment department. [SOHH]

It really would have been too much to ask for Nas to have planned something intelligent to say prior to walking the red carpet with the word "nigger" written across his chest. Unfortunately, any mild amusement I got from watching the reporter squirm was completely negated by Nas' cringe-inducing responses.

Nas and crew showed up to the Grammys last night in full-out Nigger wear. Nas managed to plug his album and be wildly inappropriate at the same time. And rope his loved ones into it. Although I doubt it took much convincing for Kelis to don a black and gold jacket that says Nigger on the back. It did match her gold lame leggings, after all.

It's not like I wasn't before, but with this, I am officially through with Nas. We had a nice run, but all good things come to an end.

Despite enjoying the nature of the "rumors," 50 Cent took a moment in front of the camera during Super Bowl weekend to set the record straight. No, he never dated Ciara. Right. No, he isn't dating Tracey Edmonds. Okay. Unfortunately, he failed to mention his new teeth. That's all anyone really cares about.

Also, he says he never kicked Paris Hilton off the stage at his party. After all, they have so much in common, including a penchant for the word "nigger" (even though he puts the "a" on the end). No way he would ever be that mean to her!

• Marion Jones appears on Oprah to say that everyone makes mistakes. Duh. [EUR]

• Faith in humanity: shaken. [SR]

• Boy, this just makes me want to head right over to Ed Hardy! You? [XXL]

• A court in New Jersey fines a man for using the word "nigger." [USAT]

• Mary J. Blige performing on One Life To Live makes me feel the same way that Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton's appearances on the Tyra Show do. [SP]

Terrell Owens has probably been too busy worrying about Jessica Simpson to deal with this.

The cover of the album we've all been not waiting for has finally arrived. See what Nas did there — using the N as the first letter of both the album title and his name, which also dots the "i"? Brilliant. But forget about the cover art, I'm most looking forward to listening to "Fear of a Black Man's Dick."

It should come as no surprise that Jay-Z is part of the "take the power from the word" school of thought when it comes to "nigger," considering the prevalence of the word in his music and the fact that his label is putting out Nas's new album. He wonders why the word is even up for debate.

For me, it's all about the intention,” he said in reference to using “the N word” in his lyrics. “I could call you an 'apple tree,' but if I say it with venom and hate, that is what it's about. It's not the word that has the power, it's the person. All of this came about because the Imus discussion turned into a hip-hop discussion.”

Jay went on to further dissect Imus’ “nappy headed ho” comment that sparked a month’s long debate about decency and Hip Hop lyrics.

“Imus couldn't name three rappers; well, maybe he could, but he couldn't name their songs. Imus doesn't listen to rap, so he's not influenced by it. He didn't get that from us. I missed the point the discussion stopped being about Imus.”

Oh yeah, that's why! And while it was surely masterful on the part of the media or Imus supporters or whoever to deflect the negative attention from Imus by pointing the censorship finger at hip hop, it's silly to think to imply that this is not a conversation that doesn't need to be had. [HHDX]