The David Brock principle at work: If you’re a conservative and you want to see yourself quoted by the media, the surest way is by attacking another conservative.

Which isn’t to suggest that Shep’s a conservative.

Although Fox did not release the exact terms of the new deal, an executive briefed on the them said that Mr. Smith, who is 43, had signed a new contract for a little more than three years at a salary of $7 million to $8 million a year…

[O]n occasion, Mr. Smith has seemed to take positions that have raised hackles, especially on conservative Web blogs that otherwise strongly support Fox News. Last March, Mr. Smith spoke out in support of the science that says humans contribute to global warming, saying, “those who would doubt global warming need to read up.” For his trouble, posters on the site Hot Air called him “fairly unbalanced,” and needing to be “in an institution for the insane.”

No link to HA, of course, but then this same article refers to Shep as “Mr. Shepard” a ways down so the complexity of the href tag may have eluded them.

I have reason to believe Shep’s seen some of your comments in the global warming posts, although I’m not at liberty to say how. If my source wants to come forward, identify him/herself, and elaborate, he/she is invited to do so.

In the interests of kissing the ass of a man now worth $20 million, I offer you three of his greatest hits. The righteous Duke lax meltdown; the Paris press conference snarktacular; and of course, comedy gold:

Update: All right, by popular demand, Shep’s finest hour. Mild content warning.