Playwright Wendy Wasserstein is ill with leukemia. “Third,” her most recent play, opened in New York in October. It takes place at a Small Unnamed New England College. Wasserstein received a BA from Mount Holyoke in 1971.

Your trivia for today: Why is pig iron called pig iron? Prompted by Mark Bittman’s NY Times paean to cast iron pans. Lodge cast-iron is made from “pig-iron ingot and scrap steel converted back into iron.”

Over at feeling listless it’s time for Review 2005 and Stuart was not only kind enough to ask me to contribute but used my entry to kick the series off.

“Space Above and Beyond” the short-lived Fox series from about ten years ago was recently released on DVD. Despite reported attempts by creators Glen Morgan and James Wong to add extra material to the DVD set, Fox kept contents to just the bare minimum.

Oprah Winfrey finally deigned to be on Letterman last night. With Tony Danza standing by in the wings as “backup host” Dave gave Oprah a setup and welcome worthy of her 16 year absence. Paul Shaffer even added a tympani for the night to drumroll her introduction. On his very best behavior, Dave concentrated on serious questions, allaying any fears Oprah had that she would be the focus of juvenile jokes and then gallantly escorted her across the street to the Broadway premiere of “The Color Purple.”

In United States Patent No. 3,870,803 is the secret to Stove Top Stuffing. The size of the bread crumbs are critical to the perfect texture of the resulting stuffing. Ruth Siems, first in the patent’s inventor list, died on Nov. 13. The NY Times published her obituary today (one may wish to make snide comments on whether they held this news for the maximum effect of the date juxtaposition). Siems spent her three decade career at General Foods and her invention detached stuffing from the need for poultry to the happiness of side dish fiends everywhere.

I almost skipped mentioning the Presidential turkey pardon this year since it rarely varies except for the names of the primary and backup bird. But United Flight 197 reportedly carried two special first class passengers today. After a motorcade ride to Dulles, the turkeys were flown to California to their new home at Disneyland. In the past, the spared turkeys were sent to Frying Pan Park in Virginia to live out their days. These lucky birds will be grand marshals at Disney’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Then Marshmallow and Yam (yup, those are their names) will retire to the comfort of Santa’s Reindeer Ranch in Frontierland. PETA is taking some responsibility for the change of plans, claiming that the conditions at Frying Pan Park are less than ideal.

Local spies report that Johnny Depp has “paid $9.6 million for a stately 1802 clapboard Colonial on 32 acres at 35 Kellogg Hill Road” in Weston, Connecticut. This is a few miles from where I grew up. Friend Keith Richards lives nearby (that would be his friend, not ours).

Like Vanilla Coke and/or Vanilla Diet Coke? Too bad. Coca-Cola is placing those flavors on hiatus at the end of the year. Launching in their stead are Black Cherry Vanilla Coke and Black Cherry Vanilla Diet Coke. Diet Coke with Lemon is also going away, but the Lime and Cherry versions are here to stay.

Very breakable David Bowie collectibles are no longer as appealing to certain Bowie fans who are now mothers of toddlers. But I can still gawk.