WHO'S THE GRINCH NOW? I don't know about you, but I thought initial media coverage made it seem that it was entirely the fault of Scroogey stagehands that Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical at the St. James Theatre was the very first show to go dark in the current Broadway strike.

Subsequent reports gradually indicated that the theater owner was keeping families from seeing that seasonal show, even going to court to do so.

Yet state Supreme Court Justice Helen Freedman said. "I think one Grinch in town is enough," letting the big money-making show go on.

The New York Times seized the opportunity to run a cheery review (dated Friday but already online Thursday), raving over the "extraordinary performance" of veteran actor Patrick Page (pictured) as the mean one.