A postponed "60 Minutes" report about whether Iraq had nuclear capabilities has quickly become CBS's most famous shelved story since the 1995 tobacco piece made famous in the movie "The Insider."

The Ed Bradley story questions a crucial piece of evidence used by the Bush administration to support the war. CBS decided it was inappropriate to air so close to the election.

That prompted an e-mail campaign by supporters of Democrat John Kerry urging CBS to run the story. The liberal watchdog organization Fairness and Accuracy in Media has tried, so far unsuccessfully, to find and post a copy on the Internet. And the Web site Salon.com summarized Bradley's story after receiving a copy before CBS decided to postpone it.

All this shows the scrutiny facing CBS journalists since the network's discredited report last month on Bush's National Guard service.

The Iraq story, scheduled to air on Sept. 8, was bumped for the infamous Dan Rather story that now appears to have been based on forged memos about the president's time in the National Guard.

"Yeah, I'm disappointed that it didn't run," Bradley said. "But I completely understand why CBS made the decision that it did."

Bradley's report focuses on supposedly forged documents that showed Iraq had purchased uranium from Niger. Salon said the story "contains little new information, but it is powerfully, coherently and credibly reported."

The decision to put it off troubles media critics who were watching CBS News for signs of timidity following the Guard controversy.

"The idea that you would withhold journalism because you think it would have an effect on the world runs contrary to the whole idea of what journalism should be," said Peter Hart, a FAIR analyst.

There is, however, a long tradition among media organizations about taking particular care with stories that might be politically damaging so close to an election, for fear of being accused of trying to sway results.

The story will eventually air, much as CBS's interview with Jeffrey Wigand did in "The Insider" case. But CBS News President Andrew Heyward said the piece would run after the election. "It will run, and it would be inappropriate for us to succumb to partisan pressure to air it earlier," he said. (By David Bauder, Associated Press)

Stormy weather

"Sunny Day" . . . ?

Not this week. Not on "Sesame Street."

In an example of (Muppet) art imitating life, this week's episodes feature a continuing story line about a hurricane hitting the TV street. The five-part arc, which includes the destruction of Big Bird's nest, is intended to teach young viewers and their adult caregivers about handling the stress of natural disasters.

"We know young children are traumatized by a wide variety of events, in particular, storms," says Rosemarie Truglio, vice president of education and research for Sesame Workshop. "The core messages are about empowering children by validating those feelings and helping them learn to cope."

The story line is actually a rerun from February 2001. But it's especially timely now against a backdrop of four hurricanes in the Southeast. There was extensive news coverage all over the country, Truglio says, adding, "Children pick up on these visual images."

The story line begins with news of an approaching hurricane, prompting Big Bird to shelter his toys and other belongings. The varied reaction to his nest's destruction are particularly instructive.

"Gordon says to Big Bird, 'Everything is OK,' and Big Bird responds, 'Everything isn't OK,' " Truglio recounts. "Gordon puts his arm around him and says, 'You're right. It's not OK. But it will be, because we're going to help you through it.' " (By Jill Vejnoska, Cox News Service)

Washes its hands

NBC has stopped production on "The Men's Room," a comedy that was part of the network's midseason slate.

Production on the show, which stars Scott Cohen ("Gilmore Girls"), John Cho ("Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle") and Brian Skala, was shut down after six episodes.

The show, from executive producer Danny Zuker ("Off Centre"), revolves around the friendship of three guys who are at crossroads in their lives.

Differing opinions about where the show was heading reportedly caused the stop in production. (Zap2it.com)

Schmo town

William Shatner was in Iowa this week, telling an entire town that he had just played an enormous prank on it, and the results would be airing on television next year.

Shatner, who won an Emmy this month for his work on ABC's "The Practice" and stars in its spinoff, "Boston Legal," fronted the hoax for Spike TV and "Joe Schmo Show" creators Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. The result, "Invasion Iowa," will debut on the cable channel early next year.

"Invasion Iowa" will tell the story of a fake film production in the town of Riverside, Iowa -- a town of 978 south of Iowa City that, in "Star Trek" lore, is the birthplace of Shatner's character, Capt./Adm. James T. Kirk. The production spent 10 days in town, hiring locals as actors and crew members, before revealing the prank.

"I fell in love with the people of Riverside," Shatner says. "And the hardest part of this whole experience was containing my empathy for the individuals who listened to and identified with the soap opera that we played out in front of them."

As with the two "Joe Schmos," the people playing Shatner's assistant, "spiritual adviser" and various other entourage and crew members are acting, and Shatner plays an exaggerated version of himself as the writer-director-producer-star of an independent sci-fi film.

The goal, the producers say, was to poke fun at the excesses of Hollywood, using locals as both characters and audience. Shatner presented the town with a check for $100,000, to go toward city services, for its trouble. (Zap2it.com)

Collins specials

It's a match made in Tinseltown heaven: Jackie Collins, the best-selling purveyor of fictional Hollywood scandal, has signed a deal with celebrity-obsessed E! cable network to host and produce six one-hour specials.

The specials, grouped under the title "Jackie Collins Presents," will dish on some of the real-life affairs and power plays that she's fictionalized in novels like "Hollywood Wives" and "Lady Boss." The series is set to debut Oct. 24.

"People say they can't put my books down -- well I can't switch E! Entertainment Television off," she says. "So I think we are a good combination, and I am delighted to be in business with them." (Zap2it.com)