IT'S ONLY FUNNY 'TIL SOMEBODY GETS A HEART ATTACK. As you know, Vice President Dick Cheney shot Harry Whittington on Saturday. The news slowly leaked with very little forthcoming in terms of photo coverage and statements from the involved parties.

Comedians of all sorts went nuts. At one point yesterday, AP/Forbes reported that even "The White House has decided that the best way to deal with Vice President Dick Cheney's shooting accident is to joke about it."

Then came the reports that Cheney's 78-year-old shooting victim Harry Whittington had a "mild" heart attack. Of the pellets that Cheney fired into Whittington's check, neck, and chest, one or more had migrated close to his heart.

The laff quotient dropped considerably.

Today, Cheney finally agreed to speak publicly. His recorded interview for the Fox News Channel airs at 6 pm EST, with excerpts possibly airing earlier.