Enough of the Martin Sheen and Susan Sarandon anti-war chatter. Actor and former Republican Sen. Fred Thompson decided it was time for someone from the other side to speak up.

"Thank goodness, we have a president with the courage to protect our country," Thompson says in a 30-second TV commercial supporting President Bush's Iraqi policy. The ad may begin airing Monday in Washington and New York. Thompson, who retired from the Senate last year, plays a district attorney on NBC's "Law & Order.

He said: "The President is pursuing the right policy. ... It's something I feel rather strongly about and it seems like so much publicity, so many ads, are being taken out attacking the President, attacking the policy."

Actors against the war gained a new voice this week when Egyptian-born actor Omar Sharif, 69, said:

"The Islamic world is in danger of becoming completely radicalized. You're going to encourage a war of religion, East against West and Muslims against Christians, the Crusades. You're going to create more terrorists with this than ever you can imagine."

LETTERMAN: IT'S SHINGLES

Docs said the eye infection that kept David Letterman from hosting his "Late Show" this week was due to shingles.

The condition, a viral infection of the nerve roots, is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox.

Louis J. Aronne, an internist at New York Presbyterian Hospital, said Thursday, "It has been treated and the area of inflammation has gone down significantly. Dave is on his way to a full recovery."

Bruce Willis was the emergency guest host Wednesday night, and John McEnroe quipped behind Letterman's desk Thursday. Next week, reruns.

Cappuccino babes of the world - get naked.

Playboy Magazine plans to do a picture spread on the "Women of Starbucks," and is asking latte-makers from its more than 6,200 coffee shops worldwide to send in photos.

Playboy's Theresa Hennessey said: "Starbucks is such a big part of American pop culture, and Playboy is always trying to stay on top of the latest trend, so it seemed like a natural fit ... ."

Starbucks has not warmed to the idea of the joining of these two cultural colossi, saying that it does not endorse the nude-coffee-makers issue.

Playboy's pic deadline is April 1, and the issue, featuring 10 to 15 women, should come out late this year.

Lyric of the Week

And it's true we are immune/

When fact is fiction and TV reality/

And today the millions cry/

We eat and drink while tomorrow they die.

- "Sunday Bloody Sunday," U2

Best Bumpersticker

Going to war without France is like going hunting without an accordion.

Best thing to name a baby iguana born in a Utah public restroom

Albert

Funny Fact

The entire length of all eyelashes shed by a human in their life is over 30 meters.