The coming edition of the NY Times Sunday Magazine features an in-depth and reasonably fair portrayal of Glenn Beck that describes him as a “sage” (among other things.) But that’s not the best evidence that Beck has finally been accepted by both the mainstream media and “cultural elite.” No, the better example is that Jon Stewart seems rather consumed with Mr. Beck having talked about him during appearances on Oprah, The O’Reilly Factor and now, after last night, Late Show with David Letterman.

MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow took the 30 Rock elevator up a couple floors last night to be a guest on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.

Now in the lead guest seat, a show of how far she’s come in the mainstream non-cable news entertainment world, Maddow talked about the “bad name” for the next phase of Iraq and her busy month of travel for work – that saw her ratings decline.

This morning the comedy world woke up to the news that there’s a a potential deal for Virginia comedian Jay Pharoah to become the fourth new cast member for the 2010-2011 season of Saturday Night Live.

Pharoah has made a small splash online with dead-on impressions of Denzel Washington and Will Smith and dozens of others – including our Presidnet. The big question for fans of political comedy is: Does SNL have a new Barack Obama?

Things you will still be able to count on, for at least a few more years anyway: death, taxes, and The Daily Show covering a presidential election. Comedy Central’s parent MTV Networks made a move to secure its highest profile talent for another few years. Both Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert will continue hosting their current shows through 2012.

The latest twist in the late-night drama has been revealed: Conan O’Brien is going to TBS, and late night is coming to — gasp! — cable. Well, Chelsea Handler already knew that. Handler is the host of Chelsea Lately on E! and the best-selling author of My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One Night Stands, [...]

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon served up two doses of NBC-crossover viral videos last night, as NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams helped “Slow Jam The News” while Jeff Goldblum helped perform a Law & Order-related musical number.

Check it out:

Back in 2005, the first viral video hit that put Saturday Night Live‘s Digital Shorts on the map was “Lazy Sunday,” which touted the virtues of the Chronic(…les of Narnia).

With former SNL cast member Chris Parnell a guest on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, the taped short was performed live for the first time last night.

While most of you were cheating on your flame-haired imaginary boyfriend with the two biggest victims of the Gotcha Media, soon-to-be perennial presidential candidate Mitt Romney was all business in an appearance on Late Night with David Letterman last night. On the table were such recent highlights in his career as the constant speculation surrounding his presidential run and his mile-high scuffle with a member of obnoxious Jersey Shore house band LMFAO.

If the money is right and Conan O’Brien is game, Rupert Murdoch would have him join the Fox family “in a flash.” This is the latest in the post-late night war odyssey of finding a new home for the displaced Tonight Show host and his unique brand of comedy. While Murdoch, speaking to Reuters, noted that there have not been any “real negotiations” with the O’Brien camp and that there are “different opinions” on the matter, with the right numbers he did admit he is interested in entering the world of late night entertainment.

Conan O’Brien signs off The Tonight Show forever tonight, and judging from last night’s show, the tone has gotten more sentimental.

Conan’s show has been at the top of its game recently, and it’s true he really got screwed by NBC. But don’t feel sorry for Conan O’Brien.

It’s — finally — official: Conan O’Brien is leaving NBC. The fifth host of the Tonight Show will have that title until 12:35 a.m. early Saturday morning EST, when his final tonight show will end and he will officially be done at the network.

The price tag for NBC: $40 million-plus.

Everyone loves to pick on a loser — and right now, nobody is playing that part better than NBC. While hosting the Golden Globes, Ricky Gervais came out and immediately poked fun at the struggling network, despite the fact that NBC was broadcasting the show. Video after the jump.<

Jimmy Fallon stormed into the Today show studio last Wednesday morning decked out in pink Uggs and pink vest, skintight white pants, a wig and make-up. Hoda Kotb, Kathie Lee Gifford and other Late Night writers crossdressing for the taping of the “Real Housewives of Late Night” sketch couldn’t hide their amusement.

It’s the latest example of the dual TV/web role of Fallon’s new show – and another reason why his program is a model for the future of broadcast TV as a whole.

It was never about money for Robert Halderman. It was about revenge and jealousy. It was about David Letterman hugging his girlfriend. This morning, Howard Kurtz writes in the Washington Post that Halderman, the man who attempted to squeeze Dave Letterman for some $2 million, was motivated to blackmail the late night host after he saw him ‘passionately embrace’ his girlfriend.

While his boss was spending his show last night joking, and apologizing, about his extortion/sex scandal, Craig Ferguson got the chance to weigh in for the first time on the issue.

Like his Worldwide Pants Incorporated boss David Letterman, Ferguson’s Late, Late Show doesn’t tape on Fridays, so in his first opportunity to address the scandal (or not), he took a funny, purposely awkward approach that teased the potential for more down the road.