36. The easy way out.

MY NEXT GUEST IS ANOTHER BOOK SELLER.

It is book plugging time again and the box has been awash with chat show guests encouraged to appear not because they adore Parky, or are lifelong friends of Paul O'Grady, or cannot resist the charms of Fern and Philip, but because they each have a book to sell.

This, of course, is publishers taking the easy way out. It is not new. Most of them have always believed that publicity costs too much. For years the lazy bastards simply cajoled their authors into traipsing around booksellers signing copies of the latest masterpiece. It was cheaper than mounting a publicity campaign.

Then came television and the dawning of yet another way to make an easy buck.

Take on only writers who are instantly recognizable to their adoring public. Actors, sportsmen and television celebrities are favourites.

Put their name and photograph on a book cover (whether they have actually written the thing or not) and get their agent to book them onto a nice friendly chat show.

Finally, sit back like an estate agent and wait for the money to pour in.

THE WEEK'S NOTABLES.

This week's chat show notables have been Jack Osbourne, a frequently silly boy who has become a thoroughly worthwhile young man, and Australian writer Clive James, a dryly caustic film critic who later spoilt his image by interviewing the singer Frank Sinatra in the most embarrassingly respectful way.

Clive was plugging his book. Jack was doing the same.

Well, you can't blame them, can you. Once the book is published, their publishers won't be doing much.

J.K.Rowling's publishers seem to be the exception.

But then so is J.K. Rowling.