LAUGH LINES

Ice, Ice, Baby: “Colin Powell and his wife, Alma, visited George and Laura Bush at the ranch in Texas [recently]. Alma seemed frosty and distant. For some political wives, it’s never too early to start running for the Senate.” (Argus Hamilton)

Coming Soon: “Ratings for ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire’ have been dropping. . . . ABC is preparing a new show for next season: ‘Didn’t You Used to Be Regis Philbin?’ ” (Daily Scoop)

Bit of a Stretch: “Kathie Lee Gifford plans to star in a TV movie called ‘Spinning Out of Control,’ in which she plays an actress who becomes a junkie. . . . Critics say the role is a stretch for Kathie Lee--not because she’s playing a junkie but because she’s playing an actress.” (Conan O’Brien)

Bedtime Stories: “In her new book on the White House, Hillary Clinton notes that all the objects in the building tell a story. . . . Unfortunately, some of them--like the cigars in the Oval Office--tell X-rated ones.” (Paul Steinberg)

Ready, Set, Don’t Go: “The space shuttle Endeavor was ready to take off from Cape Canaveral in Florida recently. It faced the usual delays. . . . Every time the countdown was almost complete, Al Gore called for it to start again from the top.” (Hamilton)

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