John Edwards stole my joke on air

I was sitting in a makeup chair at the Today Show this morning when who should slip in next to me but the former presidential candidate. Three first impressions:

• John Edwards really does have great hair.
• John Edwards seems to have a permatan.
• John Edwards had a headache.

The former senator said his contacts had given him a headache, so the makeup lady gave him some drops. When he settled in, the TV monitor began to blare with the sound of throngs of shrieking thirtysomethings outside.

"Wow, Senator," I said. "You've got a lot of fans."

He laughed. John Edwards has a really nice laugh. The fans, of course, were in fact there to see the first reunion in 15 years of the '90s boy band New Kids on the Block. Someone mentioned the crowds knew the words to every song.

"Just like they know all the words to your speeches," I said to John Edwards. "'Two Americas!'"

He laughed again. John Edwards is basically a really nice man who's accustomed to hearing retarded jokes from strangers.

Then it happened. When he got on air, he led with: "I thought all those fans outside were for me!" John Edwards totally stole my joke! Not that I mind. He's dreamy. I'd vote for him. I wish he'd run for president or something.