By Jim Knippenberg
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Cincinnati artist C.F. Payne got good news last week. Reader's Digest extended his contract two years, so he's now booked through 2007.

Payne, recall, does the art for RD's back cover every month, similar to the deal that famed illustrator Norman Rockwell had with the Saturday Evening Post (1916-1963).

This month's offering - "Over There" - is a Mother's Day tribute showing a soldier reading a card from her kids.

"I tried to get someone from the reserves to pose for me, but it didn't work out, so I got a uniform from a surplus store and improvised," Payne said.

The body is Darin Overholser, Payne's assistant and a guy who has been on back covers in the past. The hands and face, the only skin showing, belong to Kim Reschke, a clerk at the bakery where Payne gets his daily bear claw fix.

Posters of the art work are available at www.rd.com for $19.95.

Oh, and on a not so happy note, he's thinking of bashing in his computer screen and turning it into a planter.

Visit with Bob Edwards

Broadcast icon Bob Edwards, former host of NPR's Morning Edition and now a senior correspondent, is headed to town for a couple of radio related events.

WNKU-FM (89.7) has him June 26 for an evening Reds game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Edwards will throw out the first pitch, then jog up to one of the luxury suites for a meet 'n' greet, after which he will watch the game with 150 WNKU members who've joined the station at the $500 level. A few spots are still available if you want to join: (859) 859-6500.

Then, on June 27 he'll go back to Great American Ball Park for another Pittsburgh game, this time with WVXU-FM (91.7) listeners (this event is sold out). He'll do a meet 'n' greet, then lunch with them in the posh Riverfront Club and hang around for the game.

Later that day, still with WVXU, Edwards will attend a cocktail reception and dinner at Covington's Marriott. There are still tickets for that one - $360 a couple. Call 458-3144 to sign up.

All guests at the WVXU events will get an signed copy of Edwards' new book, Edward R.. Murrow: The Birth of Broadcast Journalism.

Grab a Maupin vigil tape

People who missed Channel 9's broadcast of the April 21 prayer vigil for captured soldier Matt Maupin are getting another chance. Station general manager Bill Fee is making a tape of the show available for free.

Well, sort of. All you need to do is donate $20 to the fund set up by the Maupin family and the tape is yours. He decided to offer the tape because of the stack of more than 200 e-mails he received in response to the show.

"Not since WCPO's coverage of the April, 1999, tornado, when Pete Delkus stayed up all night, live on the air, tracking the storm street by street, have I received so many letters regarding our coverage," Fee said.

"I had 200 tapes made, and I hope I need to have a whole lot more made soon," he said.

Send your donation to Armed Forces Support Group, c/o Clermont Yellow Ribbon, P.O. Box 200, Batavia, OH 45103.

Live from 'Shrek 2' debut

WKRQ-FM (101.9) afternoon jock Brian Douglas is having a busy weekend.

It began Saturday morning when he flew to Los Angeles and headed straight for the premiere of Shrek 2, where he broadcast live 3-7 p.m. and did a ton of interviews. Among his guests: Shrek stars Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas and Eddie Murphy.

Q will be playing the best of them 3-7 p.m. today.

E-mail jknippenberg@enquirer.com