The nice summer weather belies a dark truth: two beloved franchises, one hugely popular, the other sadly ignored, are ending. Let's take a moment to remember, and thank, both Harry Potter and Friday Night Lights.

It hasn't hit newsstands yet, but journalists have taken a couple photos of the last copy of News of the World, which is shutting down following revelations that private investigators in its employ had hacked the voicemail of murder and abduction victims and their families.

Today was Today show anchor Meredith Vieira's last day on the program. It was a very solemn occasion where they took time to recall her important moments like dancing with the Rockettes, falling down while ice skating, being attacked by Robin Williams and Russell Brand, polishing Colin Firth's trophy, and interviewing world leaders like Barack Obama and Miss Piggy.

White House economic adviser Austan Goolsbee will return to his teaching position at the University of Chicago this fall, partly in order to avoid losing tenure. He'll likely be replaced with another boring academic. Our choice: A hand puppet. [Politico]

Today, after 25 years, The Oprah Winfrey Show came to an end. And unlike the two-day, star-studded extravaganza that preceded it, Winfrey's final episode was more subdued, with nothing more than her and her studio audience having one last emotional chat. Here are the episode's final moments.

Katie has left the building. After a five-year run as anchor of the CBS Evening News, Katie Couric signed off for the last time this evening.

20,000 Oprah Winfrey zealots filled Chicago's United Center on Tuesday night for the taping of a two-part farewell spectacular that will air on May 23rd and 24th. It was billed as a "night of surprises," but, like Oprah, I hate surprises. So here's a list of everyone who showed up, as exhaustively docutweeted by The Hollywood Reporter:

Well, the twenty-third season of Gossip Girl has come to an end and everyone has scattered for the summer. Blair is off to Monaco, Serena to California, Dan (and Erik….) to the Hamptons, and Nate and Chuck to god only knows where. Let's see how they got there.

Derek Miller's public goodbye would properly be called an "auto-obituary," but the title affixed to his final blog entry is plainer and more effective. "The last post" is both a touching farewell and evidence that blogs can still surprise and move people.

Glenn Beck announced his departure from Fox News on his show tonight. As it turns out, he is the Paul Revere of the 21st century, and this show was his "midnight ride." And now he is going back to silversmithing? Apparently? Also, there is something called "E4." Goodbye, Glenn! We'll miss you, and your bizarre attempts at gravity.

According to TV Guide, Today co-host Meredith Vieira will leave the show when her contract expires later this year. She's apparently "weary of the demanding early morning hours," which we assume is code for "sick of Matt Lauer." [TV Guide]

CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric will leave the program in May, according to a "network executive" who has apparently not been paying attention to the thousands of news and gossip items that essentially confirmed the departure forever ago. [AP]

Carl Paladino went out much the same way he came in: Incomprehensibly. His concession speech in a nutshell: Carl has a baseball bat, and Andrew Cuomo can hold it, and we "have not heard the last of Carl Paladino." Yup.

Hipster Grifter Kari Ferrell ends her AnimalNY columnist gig, saying "my writing sucks." Not true.

Tribune Co. CEO Randy Michaels, who will pay to see your breasts, is finally getting fired.

Rahm Emanuel resigned as White House chief of staff today to run for mayor of Chicago. For someone with such a hardened, Machiavellian reputation, his farewell speech — during which he choked up — was surprisingly eloquent. Where's the rage?

White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, about whom every rumor is usually true, will resign tomorrow to run for mayor of Chicago. Pete Rouse, Obama's ex-Senate chief of staff, will take over. But where will "Rahmbo" live? [Image: Getty]

After a long period of speculation, incompetent NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker finally announced today that he'll be leaving once Comcast's takeover of NBC is complete. He won't be missed. He'll be running for office soon. Mawkish goodbye memo, below.

Rejoice, New York. Rush Limbaugh no longer lives in you! He just finalized the sale of his gaudy Fifth Ave. penthouse. Final price: $11 million. (He was asking $14 million.) Wouldn't it be funny if Laura Schlessinger bought it? [Gothamist]

You guys. Did you know this was happening? One-time Gawker fixation and current bargain-bin micro-celeb Julia Allison — of website fame — has left New York City. Let's take a moment to reflect on the fameball that was.