My wife and I went to see "Step Brothers" the other night, the latest Will Ferrell film that was predictable, at least to a point.

The usual Ferrell schtick was present and once more he worked well with sidekick John C. Reilly, but what was unexpected was the amount of below-the-belt vulgarity. Sure, most of the movie was Ferrell-arious, but some of the off-color humor was obviously more for shock value than script effect.

While penning the screenplay, Adam McKay and Ferrell said they decided to make it "very filthy with a hard ‘R’ rating." Unquestionably, they succeeded.

This was quite a contrast to McKay and Ferrell’s previous two efforts, "Anchorman" and "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby." I wasn’t born yesterday and am not above hearing a four-letter word — I work at a newspaper, for crying out loud — but even I winced a few times from what I heard during "Step Brother."

The concept of the film and the way Ferrell and Reilly portrayed the 40-ish step brothers who behaved much of the film as if they were 12 worked only because Will Ferrell was Will Ferrell. Reilly and anyone else would have fallen flat on their face. I often wonder of Reilly realizes how much of his meal ticket Ferrell actually is?

Here’s hoping Ferrell returns to the formula that worked in "Old School" and "Anchorman." I’ll give him a mulligan for "Step Brother," which was good, but might have been great if he had shown just a little more judgment when it came to the (amount of) four-letter words and crude references.

The best Will Ferrell films to date:

1. OLD SCHOOL (2003), Ferrell character: Frank "The Tank" Ricard. Comment: You’re my boy, Blue.

2. ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND OF RON BURGUNDY (2004), Ferrell character: Ron Burgundy. Comment: Stay classy, San Diego.

3. SEMI-PRO (2008), Ferrell character: Jackie Moon. Comment: I’ll never forget the fight with the bear and Ferrell’s initial comment when he decided it was not such a good idea.

4.  STEP BROTHERS (2008), Ferrell character: Brennan Huff. Comment: There were parts that will make you cry you will be laughing so hard. I just can’t tell you what they are.

5. TALLADEGA NIGHTS (2006), Ferrell character: Ricky Bobby. Comment: There were parts that were hilarious, just not enough of them.

The following list consists of 11 people I would like to meet.

They are not the most important individuals in the world, although the term "important" is always up for debate. They are simply 11 who I would love to spend an hour with asking, debating, listening and laughing.

No, they are not listed in order of preference (except maybe the first one).

I’d like to meet Brad Pitt, only because
I’ve heard so many people say how we look alike.

• Rod Stewart, singer extraordinaire: I know, I know, This was a given. Anyone who knows me would expect this. He is simply the most fascinating entertainer ever, in terms of voice, longevity and that wink in his eye that lets you know that he knows you know.

• Brad Pitt, actor: Because so many people say we look alike.

• Donna Mills, actress: For almost a decade, I thought she was the most beautiful person ever to walk the face of the earth in her role as "Abby" (with multiple surnames) on the prime time soap opera "Knots Landiing." She made trashy look classy.

• Jerry Seinfeld, comedian: His show made me laugh like no other. It would be interesting to hear about all of the off-camera antics, plus just how hard was it to (try and) keep a straight face when Kramer would burst into the apartment?

• Barack Obama, politician: He’s a guy you could just as easily talk ’70s music with as you could about outsourcing jobs to Mexico. I could care less if he is the next president or not, he just seems like a great guy. I’d also ask if he minded if Michelle and I fist-bumped one another.

• Keith Olbermann, former sportscaster turned newsman: I would not even bring up fair and balanced, because there would be fisticuffs and, quite frankly, he would kill me. Have you ever seen the man? He’s huge. What I would want to talk with him about is baseball cards. He has one of the premier collections in the world, and I love baseball cards.

• David Cook, American Idol No. 7: The more I hear of him — and about him — the more I am sure I would like him as a friend. What a great story the former bartender from Kansas City was on last season’s competition. If I ever had an hour to spend with him, we’d have to call up ZZ Top and have those boys come over to jam. When Cook and ZZ Top tag-teamed "Sharp Dressed Man" on the Idol finals, it was a performance for the ages.

• Kevin James, comedian: If I had my own TV show, it would be "King of Queens" and I would be Kevin James. I would wager he never has a bad day.

• Bud Selig, commissioner of baseball: Actually, I have only one problem with Bud. First, I admire him for pushing through the three divisions of play in each league, the wild card is great and the idea of the All-Star Game meaning something is good. Baseball’s All-Star Game is the only contest of its kind in pro sports that people actually care who wins. My only complaint? Make the antiquated National League get with the times and adopt the designated hitter. Every other league in existence uses a DH, and don’t feed me that "tradition" argument. The DH is now a tradition the National League is missing out on. There’s a reason the NL is so inferior to the AL, and it starts with this kind of thinking. I am not so much an AL fan or an NL fan, I’m a baseball fan and I could care less if Kyle Lohse swings the bat or if there is ever another "double switch" when a pitching change is made. Good grief. (Man, I feel a lot better about getting this off my chest!)

• Dick Allen, former baseball player: He’s my all-time favorite hitter. The only time I ever saw him play in person he was with the Chicago White Sox. He struck out four times, all swinging.

• Frank Tanana, former baseball player: He’s my all-time favorite pitcher, mainly because of his unbelievable Strat-O-Matic cards in 1975, 1976 and 1977.

Chris Matthews of MSNBC’s "Hardball" is the finest newsman on television.

He is subtle and fair, yet probing, and can cut a swath through any interviewee with keen precision that is often masked in wit and aplomb. It’s a talent not many at his level display.

Matthews makes me proud to be a journalist in as many ways as MSNBC colleague Keith Olbermann embarrasses me.

Admittedly, he’s had political leanings to both the right and left and makes a point of attempting to expose fraud — and truth — from both. And he does so in a professional and entertaining manner that many of his colleagues should envy.

While Matthews is probably more liberal than conservative if some sort of a checklist were invoked, he is not above taking on the the giants of both sides.

"Let’s not forget…the reason (Hillary Clinton) is a U.S. Senator, the reason she’s a
candidate for president, the reason she may be a frontrunner, is that
her husband messed around," he said earlier this year.

Conversely, Matthews is regularly criticized by conservatives for his
opposition to the Iraq war and other stances he has taken against the
Bush administration.

I find Matthews’ background as intriguing as his shows. He is far more than another pretty television face (that was a joke), being the author of five books on politics and history. He also worked in print journalism for 15 years, wrote speeches for Jimmy Carter and has run for political office.

Chris Matthews, simply the best. And he has company.

Here’s my top five newsmen on television:

1. CHRIS MATTHEWS, "Hardball," MSNBC: Maybe the most surprising thing is he’s 62 years old.

2. BRIAN WILLIAMS, anchor, NBC News: For years he waited in the wings for Tom Brokaw to step down, polishing his craft on MSNBC. When his time came, he was ready. He is, by far, the top anchor among  those on the major networks.

3. DAN ABRAMS, "Verdict," MSNBC: This guy is the star of the future. For lack of a better term, he’s a junior Chris Matthews.

4. SEAN HANNITY, "Hannity and Colmes," Fox: Conservative through and through, yet willing to listen. Mark my words, some day he will hold a key political office. The rumblings have already started.

5. ANDERSON COOPER, "Anderson Cooper 360," CNN: He has that reassuring kind of attitude viewers appreciate and is not overbearing. He already is contributing to "60 Minutes" on CBS. Maybe someday he can replace Katie Couric on the CBS Nightly News.

Honestly, I could care less if Keith Olbermann’s politics lean to the left or the right. He’s obviously positioned far to the left, but that is irrelevant in this particular space.

And I could care less if he rants, raves and waves his arms, which, by the way, he usually doesn’t. (Wave his arms, that is, because he’s usually good for several entertaining rants and raves each night.)

What I do care about is his total abandonment of fair play in the role he is positioned, the host of MSNBC’s "Countdown," which airs each weeknight on the cable arm of NBC. This isn’t some public access channel we’re talking about. It’s (supposed) to be a legitimate news gathering and reporting source.

Olbermann constantly attacks anything and anyone that is not of the liberal/Democrat/left persuasion, and I don’t really mind that. This is America, and we have always been able to agree to disagree. What irritates me to no end is that Olbermann, who is a highly intelligent man (and one of the nation’s leading baseball card collectors) never, ever allows those he constantly rips to shreds any sort of opportunity to respond.

Olbermann’s only guests/contributors are those who agree with his sentiments, and together they admonish anything and anyone from the conservative/Republican/right persuasion, especially Bill O’Reilly of arch enemy Fox News. The irony is that Olbermann and O’Reilly are the exact same person, simply positioned on different sides of the political equation.

There is one glaring difference, however, between O’Reilly and Olbermann. On O’Reilly’s "Factor" show, both the right and left will be heard. O’Reilly may rant, rave and wave his arms, but at least he allows those with opposing views some air time. O’Reilly’s hardly a saint in his own right, but he is far more fair and balanced than Olbermann will ever be.

One of Olbermann’s most popular spots on his show is his daily "worst person in the world," which most days is O’Reilly. For awhile it was funny, then it became tiring. Now, it has fermented into boring, much like Olbermann’s entire act.

Keith Olbermann, worst newsman in the world. But he has company:

1. KEITH OLBERMANN, "Countdown," MSNBC:  At one time, he was an incredible on-air sportscasting talent. Now, I’m not sure what he is.

2. GREG GUTFELD, "Red Eye," Fox: Simply the most irritating host/anchor in history. Gutfeld probably cannot even be classified as a newsman, rather more of a Jon Stewart wannabe whose act just doesn’t work.

3. STEVE DOOCY, "Fox and Friends," Fox: Ill-informed, woefully unprepared and grating on the nerves.

4. ALAN COLMES, "Hannity and Colmes," Fox:  Poor Alan, he always seems so mismatched when he’s debating his on-air partner, Sean Hannity.

5. ANDY ROONEY, "60 Minutes," CBS: His time has passed.

Next: Our favorite newsmen.

Steve Forbert was hailed at one
time as the next Bob Dylan.
Guess that didn’t work out.

I won’t say they were necessarily underrated, but these songs have definitely been underappreciated over the years.

See if you agree:

1. "Romeo’s Tune," Steve Forbert (1980): When I first heard this
song on the radio, I immediately went out and bought the album. Yes,
the album. Vinyl. There actually was life before the CD. I never
understood how this guy did not become a major star. I also never
understood why he never had another hit. At the time, he was hailed as
the new Bob Dylan. Guess that never quite worked out.  Forbert’s only
other real claim to fame was his cameo appearance in Cyndi Lauper’s
"Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" video, playing her boyfriend.

2. "As I Lay Me Down," Sophie B. Hawkins (1995): The New York
City-born singer and songwriter also had a smash with "Damn I Wish I
Was Your Lover," but it was "As I Lay Me Down" that propelled her to –
at least momentary — stardom. She disappeared from the pop music scene
almost as fast as she made such an incredible, immediate impact. This
was such a great song that has been all but lost. (Interestingly, in
February 2008, Hawkins re-recorded "Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover" as
"Damn I Wish You Were President" in support of candidate Hillary Clinton.)

3. "Oh Me Oh My," Lulu (1969): Here is one comment about this
song on YouTube: "One of my favorite songs of all time! Lulu was fab
then, is fab now." I don’t think, not even once in my life, I have ever
used the word "fab." (Lulu’s actual name is Marie McDonald McLaughlin
Lawrie.)

4. "Girl on a Swing," Gerry and the Pacemakers (1966): I had not heard this song in more than 40 years until I found it
a few months ago on YouTube. Those were the days, my friend, I thought
they’d never end.

5. "Delta Lady," Joe Cocker (1969): If Rod Stewart ever would have ever had a brother who sang, this would have been the guy. Cocker’s gritty voice and physical interpretations were both at their finest with this effort. I actually heard this song a few days ago on one of the satellite radio oldies channels and it sounds as good as it did almost four decades ago.

6. "Come Dancing," The Kinks (1983): I’m so old I remember the
Kinks when they were headliners in the 1960s. Have you ever noticed the
gaps in the front teeth of the Davies brothers? Next tooth, one mile.

7. "It’s A Heartache," Bonnie Tyler (1977): Bonnie Tyler has the
most incredible female voice in the history of music. I could listen to her
read the phone book. I highly suggest checking out her cover of "Have
You Ever Seen the Rain." By the way, her real name is Gaynor Hopkins.

8. "Once Bitten Twice Shy," Great White (1987): If you can
honestly sing along with this song and not laugh at the lyrics at least
once you are a better man than I am. I always thought lead vocalist
Jack Russell had one of the most distinctive voices of this era.

 9. "You Wear It Well," Rod Stewart (1972): C’mon, you knew Rod Stewart would be on this list somewhere. Tremendous lyrics, and recorded back when Rod was Rod.

10. "Everybody Plays the Fool," Main Ingredient (1972): Actor Cuba Gooding’s father was part of this group. "Everybody Plays the Fool" had no deep meaning and was not an introspective offering like Sophie B. Hawkins would have supplied, it was simply a song about screwing up a good relationship.