The look of guv: To reach the next level, Pawlenty needs a cut above

With a better haircut, could Gov. Tim Pawlenty be mistaken for George Clooney?

One thing's for sure, Clooney's haircut is a darn sight more vice presidential than Pawlenty's. Given the incredible cosmic symmetry of the 2008 Republican National Convention being hosted here while our governor is among those under consideration as a running mate by Sen. John McCain, I think we should do everything possible to enhance Pawlenty's chances.

MiniMulletMan (or 3M) would be a very cruel Secret Service code name.

Mary Pawlenty probably thinks her husband looks just fine. But with some tweaking, Tim could look foyne (that's the slang pronunciation of fine, applied when a man is beyond fine, like Clooney).

That's why I called in a few hairstylists.

The CEO of the eponymous Jon English Hairspas said Pawlenty should try a look that communicates self-confidence and now.

"I'd cut him between Tom Ford and a George Clooney. [Pawlenty] wears his hair combed back. It makes his forehead appear so tall, and I think most of all, from a political standpoint, people are looking for a man of the times," English said. "Tom Ford's and George Clooney's images are very masculine; both look very modern, self-confident. That is what I would imagine people want to vote for."

Tom Schmidt, of Uptown Wellness Center, said Pawlenty looks like he rolls out of bed and doesn't bother with his hair: "It doesn't have any style. It's not cut properly to the shape of his head. He needs a nice, plain haircut. He should look more like George Clooney. Put some nice silver in his hair. It's very classy."

Jason Deavalon, of his self-named Uptown salon, encouraged the guv to loosen up his boxy locks "so he could run his fingers through it. Harrison Ford and Pierce Brosnan" have styles Deavalon thinks Pawlenty should consider.

Only ReVamp Salonspa's Christopher Hopkins wasn't itching to get into Pawlenty's hair.

"I think his hair looks nice, basically," Hopkins said. "I'm sure it's been analyzed and over-analyzed, don't you think?"

Not until now.

Now, does offering a ton of money to talent sound like anything they're doing over at KSTP-TV? No, it doesn't.

So don't put much stock into the wishful yammering about Suppelsa possibly returning here.

"I don't know where Suppelsa is going and he won't tell me," said KDWB alum Steven Cochran, now of Chicago's powerhouse WGN-AM. "I am quite convinced, 99 percent sure, it's still in town."

Chicago media market watchers were floored by Suppelsa's decision. "I wish to thank Fox for their impressive and generous offer, which I have respectfully declined," said Suppelsa, who noted that this isn't a retirement and that he would be back to work as soon as possible. That probably means he won't announce his next move until he waits out the 90-day period during which Fox retains the right to match any offer.

Playing hardball with talented Suppelsa got KSTP-TV beaned in 1993 when Mark essentially said, See ya, suckers! and went off to better career at WMAQ-TV in Chicago, where the Milwaukee native grew up. After 10 years at WMAQ, Suppelsa went to the Fox station, where he's been for five years.

Please. Rehiring Suppelsa would look like a serious move toward the future, like KSTP was a player. That's something that can't be said after watching P.M. anchor John Mason, recent A.M. anchor rehire Art Barron or uber-unctuous sports guy Rod Simons (which is not to say they're not perfectly lovely human beings to their families).