KCRW music meister Nic Harcourt (left) is profiled Friday on KCET's "Life & Times," which airs at 6:30 p.m. Tonight the show visits with retiring pastor Chip Murray. Also tonight at 10 p.m., "California Connected" is a repeat compilation of stories about the state's relationship with trucks and cars.

And from the calendar pile:

   • Maureen Dowd comes to town Sept. 23 to chat about Bushworld with her New York Times pal, Alessandra Stanley, for Writers Bloc. 7:30 p.m. at the Skirball Cultural Center.

   • Former L.A. Times television critic Howard Rosenberg is back with his new book, Not So Prime Time. He speaks and signs 2 p.m. Saturday at Chevalier's on Larchmont and Sept. 29 at Vroman's in Pasadena.

   • In the Round presents dinner and talk with columnist Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson about their book Peter and the Starcatchers, Sept. 22 at 8 p.m. at Nyala on Fairfax. Email host Ted Habte-Gabr for more info.

   • Publishers Assn. of Los Angeles has a panel on media training for authors, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. in West L.A. Info.