If you read Radar this morning - and hopefully you read it this morning, since the site has been intermittent all afternoon - you'd have learned that Mary Mapes, disgraced producer to former CBS anchor Dan Rather, would be joining her old boss at HDNet, Mark Cuban's new high-def news channel. Just one problem, according to the New York Observer:

Reached Tuesday afternoon at her Dallas home, Ms. Mapes said she was not joining HDNet, had never spoken to a Radar reporter and had never heard of Radar Online. "It's not true," she said, "and I'm entirely puzzled by the quotes they have from me. No one's talked to me. I didn't say that."

The story appeared in the Fresh Intelligence section of Radar Online. "They totally made it up," Ms. Mapes. "It's hilarious."

Nice to know. And about those site difficulties: In the spirit of friendship and camaraderie, Gawker wants to welcome our newest friend (back) to the Internet with the following message to be used whenever difficulties come up.

This image was lost some time after publication, but you can still view it here.


Welcome back, kids!

Mary Mapes: Not Going To Work With Dan Rather, Also Never Heard of 'Radar' [NYO]