Yesterday brought the bad news that Will Arnett, known to his fans as Arrested Development’s G.O.B., is being replaced by Val Kilmer as the voice for KITT in the Knight Rider TV movie. The movie has the potential to turn into a series, so the casting change is particularly disappointing.

Nevertheless, the reason for the switch does provide something of a silver lining: Arnett can’t take the role because KITT is a Ford and Arnett the official voice of GMC trucks. (General Motors wasn’t cool with this sort of swinging.)

Now, I can’t be the only sports fan who feels a little dumb when the truck commercials come on. This is who they think I am? Apparently, my demographic supplements its manhood with oversized chrome and lives in a world of barren landscapes and construction sites. It’s a world populated by white men (and a token brother or two) with deep voices, broad backs, and narrow waists–a bentback mountain of overwhelming but unsexed masculinity; a David Brooks salt-of-the-earth mash-up of Hoosiers, the Born in the USA tour, and your local professional linebacking corps. In this world, if your car breaks down a few miles from the Field of Dreams, NFL Hall of Famer Howie Long swings by and gives you a ride. If you just happen to have a few steel beams and concrete slabs with you, don’t worry: Howie’s machine can handle it!

For an amusing spoof of tough guy truck ads, check out the Simpsons’ Canyonero commercial.

But I’ll be damned if I’m not going to enjoy these commercials now that I can picture G.O.B. booming the offscreen narration. Imagine the feckless George Oscar Bleuth Segwaying into the studio in a $4,000 suit and ruining a recording by accidentally releasing a dove from his trenchcoat, its manic flapping into the microphone sending sound engineers scrambling to remove their headphones. Imagine the surprise appearance of Franklin, diversifying at least the ad’s studio cast, and making Don Imus look like a model of restraint.

Truck commercials just got a whole lot cooler.

“Watch with Kristin” at E! Online is reporting that Ron Howard and MItch Hurwitz, producers of that apotheosis of TV comedy, Arrested development, have begun contacting cast members to gauge their interest in making a movie based on the show. While nothing is guaranteed, this is wonderful news.

Did somebody say *wonder*?

I just saw the news that Pat Tillman, erstwhile NFL star and Pentagon poster boy, may have been murdered (rather than accidentally killed) by his own troops. Apparently, his family has believed this for a long time, which came as a surprise to me–meaning either I am not paying attention or our trusted news outlets are not doing their jobs. Hmm.

The evidence: multiple bullet wounds in close proximity on his forehead, leading an Army doctor to conclude that the person who shot him was no more than ten yards away; no sign that his unit had received enemy fire; and stonewalling by the Army when an investigation was requested.

Like any “real American” and/or person with a conscience, I can’t help but feel awful for Tillman’s family, bristle at the apparent massive cover-up by our armed forces and executive branch (is there anything that’s beneath this administration?), and, of course…wonder about this story’s celluloid future. Will the Tillman family sell the rights?

While the plot twists are now public knowledge (you sure have a good sense of pacing, free press!), the story should still provide compelling drama, with its clash of idealism and cynicism, and with all the bad smells from high places.

Plus, Tillman is a fascinating character–a guy who enthralled pro-war America by turning down millions to become an Army Ranger and fight in Afghanistan, but also turned out also to be an atheist, Iraq War opponent, and fan of Noam Chomsky.

Which leads to some interesting questions re: casting. Russell Crowe seems a likely frontrunner for the role of Tillman, which would demand considerable brawn. Wildcard: The Rock. Granted, not a match on melanin, but if Angelina can go browner, why can’t he go whiter? Wildercard: Michael Cera in his muscle suit.

Buster’s not the only Bluth in Army!

My thoughts: Make Tillman’s character an extended cameo–like Orson Welles in The Third Man–and keep the focus on the cover-ups and investigations. Do it up noir style. (Could all the intrigue, deception, and corruption of the Iraq War mean a comeback for one of my favorite genres?). And, of course, cast Paul Reubens as General Peter Pace.

The word of the day is…Cover-up!!