Stone Struck   

Many at April's ASNE convention in San Francisco may have wondered why actress Sharon Stone was the final luncheon speaker. (Because she's married to Phil Bronstein, the San Francisco Examiner's executive editor, that's why.) And while not everyone agreed on every aspect of her remarks--the Examiner called her "brainy" while the Chronicle questioned her lucidity--a consensus could be reached on two points: She was certainly the most quotable speaker on the agenda, and she looked great.

Opening remarks--
"If you're like I am, you're wondering why the hell I'm the speaker today."

On media/Stone similarities--
"You've got Matt Drudge. I've got Hollywood."

On her pact with the media--
"Slow down.... Maybe don't be the first paper to write the story; be the best paper to write the story. And I, in turn, will play better parts and do less-stupid movies."

On her press clippings--
"My grandchildren are going to love reading these stories and thinking that I really was this kind of racy, wild thing, instead of this withered-up old broad that they're looking at."

On covering politicians' private lives--
"I care a lot more about [homeless children] than if the president gets a blow job."
(Stone then joked that that line would be the one the media would play up, but a Lexis-Nexis search showed only the Examiner was so brave, daintily hinting at the lewd slang as "b--- j--.")

USA Today Washington Editor Bill Sternberg inspired applause and laughter for posing the question at least half the audience wanted to ask: "Do you know any other actresses who'd be interested in marrying a middle-aged newspaper editor?" Stone responded, "I do," and said she might assemble eligible editors and actresses at her house someday for a get-together. No date has been announced. We'll keep you posted.