Remote patrol

At 9:30 tonight Comedy Central tests the American public's appetite for Ben Stein. The sonorous teacher from "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" turned quizmaster on "Win Ben Stein's Money" now has his own talk show, "Turn Ben Stein On," airing Thursdays this month in a trial run. Whereas Stein reads mostly off a prompter on his other show, letting comic Jimmy Kimmel handle the one-liners, here Stein is on his own, free to drop the poker face and carry on as he pleases. Usually it's to entertaining effect. "Turn Ben Stein On" is also notable for its age balance: Unlike most talk shows, older guests are welcome. Tonight, for instance, TV pioneer Carl Reiner is paired with young Katie Wagner, daughter of Robert Wagner. (For a schedule of Ben's guests and themes, see the Showtime page.) >>>