The real payoff of the House/Cuddy romantic arc began on last night's episode of House: finally, we get to watch Hugh Laurie acting curmudgeonly alongside Cuddy's adopted two-year-old, Rachel.

Massachusetts congressional candidate Sean Bielat had an unusual backstage exchange last week with James Ready, longtime partner of Bielat's opponent, Rep. Barney Frank. Ready snapped photos and told Bielat to "get used to" the attention. Bielat was confused! Video below.

Today at Gawker.TV, George Clooney recalls being spit on in Sudan, Cuddy goes bare on House, Pauly D on the Tonight Show, and How I Met Your Mother decides what it takes to become a real New Yorker.

A few weeks ago, we suggested that Lisa "Cuddy" Edelstein might be employing a body double to spice up her nude-ish scenes with Hugh Laurie, but last night's episode of House endeavored to prove us wrong.

You know why House Democrats despise Senate Democrats? Because they've passed 420 bills that the Senate has ignored. And they're all important: One names a post office for dead actor Jimmy Stewart. Can the Republic survive with such legislation tabled?

She's House's latest patient, of course, and last night's cold open both introduced the author and almost killed her off, but for a convenient seizure ex machina.

Congressman Ted Poe took his grandson to the House floor earlier this week, to show the youngster American democracy in action! The grandson clearly wasn't impressed, however, and comically struggled to stay awake while grandpa shared terrifying domestic violence tales.

While Congress may have tackled the TV commercial loudness situation, it's punting pretty much everything else into the post-election lame duck session, when political pressures will supposedly be muted. The current tally of bills they'll consider? Oh, around 20.

News Corp. head honcho Rupert Murdoch testified on Capitol Hill today about the need for immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship for current illegal immigrants. Sounds good, kangaroo man! Why not explain this to your Fox News?

Congress has approved a stopgap spending bill, so the government can maintain operations until after midterms.

After this summer's hilarious floor brawls, the House finally was able to pass its $7.4 billion health bill for 9/11 responders today. Now this extremely popular bill will go to the Senate, and the Senate will go on vacation.

Texas Rep. Louis Gohmert, a terribly silly person best known for his "terror babies" warning, has devised an ingenious plan to eliminate welfare forever! Recipients can promise to never joins the welfare rolls again, in exchange for some farmland.

Last night's House was fraught with Cuddy-coddling and an emotional tale of sibling sacrifice... but forget that! Here's a great sub-plot involving a couple of spry oldsters and enough "age" jokes to get you through your next family reunion.

Here's something rare: a Democrat embracing George W. Bush, warrior-king. In this ad, Rep. Earl Pomeroy touts his support for Bush's 2003 Medicare prescription drug act. Since old people can't even remember Bush but do enjoy free drugs, this works.

The Democrats have found themselves a fresh new cliff to drive over, everyone! Yesterday the party leadership decided not to vote on extending middle-class Bush tax cuts before election day. That just would've mobilized their supporters too much, you see?

Stephen Colbert made his spontaneous, in-character appearance testifying in a House committee this morning, where he said some very nice things about migrant workers. This came after mean old Rep. John Conyers asked him to leave at the hearing's start.

Here we go, America! House Republicans have finally leaked their long-promised platform for the midterm elections, called the "Pledge to America." They're formally unveiling it today at a Virginia hardware store. Let's do a quick lil' run-through, shall we?

If Republicans take the House back this fall, there's one thing you can count on: their constant use of subpoena power. Meaning, they'll formally investigate Obama's every turn. They can't wait. In fact, they're already drafting a long, long list.

Television sensation Stephen Colbert will testify before a House Judiciary Committee subcommittee on Friday. The topic? "Protecting America's Harvest." Colbert is expected to argue for, well, one side of this issue. Probably on behalf of farmers? What is going on?

Last season's finale ended with a long-awaited kiss between Drs. House and Cuddy, and this season's premiere extended that 'shipper fan-service into an entire episode of Hugh Laurie and Lisa Edelstein in flagrante delicto.