BIG HOLLYWOOD investigative reporter Patrick Courrielche asks: "Should the National Endowment for the Arts encourage artists to create art on issues being vehemently debated nationally?" Well, yes.

Obama-related conspiracy theories stretch far and wide. And now they're weaving their way toward the National Endowment for the Arts.

• Veteran theater producer Rocco Landesman has been nominated to be the next chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. [NYT]
• Why did David Geffen try to buy a stake in the New York Times? It wasn't because he thought he'd make money, that's for certain. [Newsweek]
• After taking some heat over a $75,000 speaking fee he received last week, the Times's Tom Friedman says he now plans to return the money. [LAT]
• Sarah Palin's book deal with HarperCollins is a go. How much money was involved isn't clear but the memoir will be out in 2010, which just so happens when she'll be running for reelection in Alaska. [LAT, AP]
• Bad news, hooker fans: Craigslist is dropping its erotic services section. [WP]

Reading is up! But don't dream of crediting the Internet for that phenomenon. Dana Gioia, the Bush-appointed chair of the National Endowment of the Arts, would sooner give himself a papercut.