AMERICA’S GOT TALENT (Translation: America’s Been Slimed) It’s embarrassing watching a major network try and co-opt the spirit of DIY. I cringed as NBC attempted to dip their toes into the MySpace/YouTube/Public Access pool. You can imagine the creative meetings: “And we’ll get Regis Philbin, and we’ll dress him up in cruise wear. Very Edgy!” No, it’s not! It’s The Gong Show without any heart. (Videos)

TUESDAY NIGHT BOOK CLUB (Translation: Tuesday Night Suicide Club) It may be even more embarrassing watching a major network rip off a cable network who ripped off a major network. Conceptually it feels like it might almost work, like musical sampling; you know, like a 12-inch remix. Instead it just makes your skin crawl. Meta-reality works on MTV, where the subjects are fresh-faced ingenues, but when they’re desperate housewives all you end up doing is feeling dirty!

– Randy Barbato