Dude! You're Not Being DroppedDude! You're Not Being Dropped

Listen carefully and you can hear a sigh across the Internet: Steven, the engaging/irritating character who stars in Dell Computer TV ads, isn't being retired, as has been rumored on message boards online.

That's good news for the towhead's legion of fans, who respond to the words "dude" and "sweet" mixed into the vendor's PC pitches. For those who see in him the nitwit neighbor who overstays his welcome, well. ...

Sites dedicated to Steven (portrayed by actor Ben Curtis) dot the Web, and if you look hard enough on Dell's site, you can view one of the commercials. "Our messages have been resonating," huffed a company spokesman asked about the nation's love-hate relationship with Steven.