Paley Center salutes Ernie Kovacs

ERNIE KOVACS TRIBUTE Comedy kingpins Robert Smigel, Joel Hodgson and George Schlatter join moderator Keith Olbermann Tuesday at Manhattan's Paley Center for Media to discuss the life and legacy of TV innovator Ernie Kovacs. His offbeat sensibility and playful use of '50s-'60s video effects have since influenced three generations of surreal humor, with perhaps more to come after April 19's DVD release "The Ernie Kovacs Collection." More about the Tuesday 6:30 p.m. tribute at paleycenter.org/events.

CIVIL WAR SCHOLARSHIPS High school students are invited to compete in a timed online competition called the National Civil War Student Challenge. More than $30,000 in college scholarships will be awarded by sponsors, including the History Channel. Play practice game at civilwarchallenge.com.

STUDENT SCIENCE COMPETITION Friday is the deadline for students in grades 5-8 to submit videos for the chance to win $25,000 in Discovery's Young Scientist Challenge. Learn more at youngscientist challenge.com.

'X FACTOR' CASTING REMINDER Auditions for Simon Cowell's "The X Factor" come to Newark's Prudential Center Thursday. Details at fox.com/xfactor.