"The Closer" clinches it

Hard to fathom, but it occasionally takes more than 20 minutes for a show's cast and crew answer a stock question along the lines of, "What is it about (insert program here) that appeals to audiences?" And for the star: "When did you know that this show had catapulted you into major fame's section of the stratosphere?"

At this morning's Turner session, the producers and stars of TNT's summer hit "The Closer," the scripted series with the highest rated premiere in cable history, couldn't quite answer the first question beyond stating the obvious -- it's a procedural, and a pretty good one.

Series star Kyra Sedgwick, the main reason to watch it on Mondays at 9, dithered around in answering the second before hitting it squarely on the head. "Hey listen. I was asked to be on the cover of Playboy," she said. "Can you believe it? At 39! That was awesome."

Don't get too excited. "I said no. But I was forced into saying no! My agent said I couldn't do it... But it's great. Thirty-nine, wonderful. I'm ready to enjoy some fruits of labor. But right now, we're just in the labor."

The fruit platter may arrive soon -- "The Closer" recently was picked up for a second season.