First, a small group of University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign students want college officials to cancel the upcoming stop of Em’s Anger Management Tour because of his anti-gay, misogynist lyrics. (Yeah, yeah – we know, he’s protected by the Constitution and all that.)

A spokesman for the rapper would only say that “with Election Day upon us, it’s good to see both sides of the free speech equation being represented.” Ho hum.

Then comes word that Tha Realest – a rapper affiliated with Death Row Records – has a song on a recently-released compilation called Too Gangsta For The Radio predicting Em’s untimely death.

The lyric took on heavier meaning when Death Row’s imprisoned impresario, Suge Knight, pointed out to a national magazine that Slim Shady “better be careful because he’s a white boy who says [the N word] a little too often.” At least Knight added, “Eminem’s funny.” Interscope’s reaction? “No comment.”

Tough guy that he is, threats of cancellation and death fantasies roll off Eminem like water off a duck.

But as sure as Superman has his kryptonite, Eminem has his vulnerable moments when events so profound – so frightening – warrant an urgent message from his usually tight-lipped reps: Eminem has lost his Britney Spears binder.

That’s right, folks. The Real Slim Shady lost what his people describe as a “lyrical notebook” with Ms. Spears on the cover, containing “extremely important work.” He also lost a bag containing a Discman, head phones and CDs.

Em apparently left the goods in a newsstand shopping bag on an October 28 Delta Airlines flight from Cincinnati to New Orleans.

According to his spokesman, the rapper noticed he didn’t have the bag with him when he got off the plane in the Big Easy and re-boarded the plane to look for it without success.

There’s a “very generous” reward for the notebook and bag. Information can be sent by email ([email protected]), and details are available on Web sites for Eminem, his group D-12, Dr. Dre and Interscope Records.

So please, for Slim Shady’s sake, find that notebook and return it to the poor guy. He’s having a bad week.