Disappearing Values in ASP

Why, in following example, does the IF statement make <%=(rsEvents.Fields.Item("EventDescription").Value)%> disappear?

The rest of the table is there, but the value of EventDescription disappears even though the IF statement is true.

Does this have something to do with code on the rest of the page, or is ASP fickle with this way of doing it? It seems to be intermittent?

I could do everything with a Response.Write, but this just seems simple and like it should work.

<% If (rsEvents.Fields.Item("EventDescription").Value) <> ("") Then %>

<tr valign="top">
<td nowrap bgcolor="#FFFFCC" class="SmPgBlack">Description:</td>
<td class="SmPgBlack"><%=(rsEvents.Fields.Item("EventDescription").Value)%></td>
</tr>

<% End If %>

Thanks in advance for any responses...

GenZhi

try::

<% If not rsEvents.Fields.("EventDescription")="" Then %>
<tr valign="top">
<td nowrap bgcolor="#FFFFCC" class="SmPgBlack">Description:</td>
<td class="SmPgBlack"><%=(rsEvents.Fields.Item("EventDescription").Value)%></td>
</tr>
<% End If %>