Whose call? Run's call.

I'm a slow starter. I don't drink coffee or anything else with caffeine, so it usually takes an hour or so for my brain to get up to speed after I wake up, and it takes me about a half-hour after I sit down at my desk to get into a rhythm. Today, I was running late, and as I sat down, the phone rang, and someone mumbled, "Hi, is this Alan? I have Revlon for you. Hold on."

Then a familiar voice came on the phone, but I was so confused that I just said, "Hello?" Then it clicked: he hadn't said "Revlon," but "Reverend Run," aka one third of Run-DMC (my all-time favorite rap group) and star of a new MTV reality show called "Run's House." I had been trying to set up a phoner with him for a few days, but had forgotten about it by the time I got in today. So there was some stammering and homina-homina-ing, but eventually I settled down and we did the interview. I even got to quote "It's Tricky" lyrics to him and not sound like a total dork. (Emphasis on "total.")

Nice guy, but I'm not sure he realizes what he's in for -- or, at least, what his family is in for. If you're already famous, nothing good ever comes of doing one of these shows.