I hope this stupid show doesn't creep into American culture the way Survivor did, or I'll have to move to France with Mr. Baldwin! Ugh. It's not that I don't like reality shows, but the way they try to get a group of people who will create "controversy" is so contrived.

From tvspy.com:

A retired New York cop and a gay New Jersey chopper pilot are among the contestants on "The Mole," ABC's mega-hyped reality show in which 10 people will try to guess which one of them is a saboteur. "The Mole" debuts Jan. 9 and, like CBS' "Survivor," hopes to catch the public's imagination. In the show - hosted by ex- ABC News correspondent Anderson Cooper - 10 players will be put through a series of physical and psychological tests each week. At the end of each one-hour episode, the group will be quizzed about who they think is the mole - with the person who knows the least about the mole booted off the show. In the final episode, the mole will be revealed - and the one remaining contestant will win up to $1 million. The show was shot in 34 cities across four countries. Here are thumbnail sketches of the 10 "Mole" contestants: * Charlie, 63, retired from the NYPD after 34 years on the force, including executive officer of the Detective Bureau. He's been married for 38 years, sports a shamrock tattoo, and describes himself as "intelligent, outgoing and athletic." * Jim, 29, is the gay helicopter pilot from Jersey who's also a lawyer. He describes "coming out" to his friends and family as his life-altering event - and describes his "worst quality" as arrogance. Oh, boy . . . * Jennifer, 35, hails from California and is a field communications manager. Her nickname is "Snorks," and she has a pierced bellybutton and a dolphin tattoo "below my bikini line." * Kate, 55, is from Ohio. She has two kids and two grandkids and flies planes in her spare time - thanks to overcoming her fear of heights while in the Amazon. * Henry, 23, is a Florida bartender who is very spiritual. He describes himself as "just plain cool." Modesty, it seems, isn't one of his stronger suits. * Kathryn, 28, hails from Illinois and works as a law school lecturer. She finished second in her law school class and says she's a good liar. * Manuel, 42, also from California, works as an events coordinator. He describes himself as "impatient" and once helped rescue a boxing club in the projects that ultimately produced two world champs. * Steven, 30, hails from Colorado, where he works as an undercover cop. He says his wife's "bitching" drives him crazy, and that he "feels fine" about leaving her for a month. He's also got a three-legged cat named Stumpie. * Wendi, 29, is a visual display artist based in Iowa. "I am so an '80s child!," she says. She has six ear piercings and a belly ring and says she'd "get a boob job" if she wins the "Mole" loot. * Afi, 23, is a medical school applicant from Colorado who sports an ankle tattoo of a lion, a naval bar and a pierced nose. She describes her best physical feature as "my smile. Friends say I should do toothpaste commercials." Her worst quality? "Nasty gas." (Michael Starr - NY Post)

-- kritter (kritter@adelphia.net), January 02, 2001

Answers

Oh My God, Unk, can you format that for me Puh-lease!!!

-- k. (k@a.n), January 02, 2001.

The mole is Henry. He is just 'too plain cool' to live with those other losers for 9 or 10 weeks. I suspect Henry is none other than our very own Al D, but I'm not sure how he will pass for a 23 year old.

-- Dr. Pibb (dr_pibb@zdnetonebox.com), January 02, 2001.

"Mole" sounds pretty hokey, but for the ultimate in trash tv look for FOX's "Temptation Island".

Temptation Island is a provocative new reality-based show produced by Rocket Science Laboratories. Four unmarried, but seriously committed, couples at a crossroads in their relationship and 30 singles that are looking for love travel to an exotic location to test the waters of temptation.

The couples, who are willing to test their relationships, will be set up on a variety of dates with three of the singles that best reflect their ideal mate. After two weeks of exploring the single world again, the couples will have to decide between a possible new love interest and their old flame.

-- CD (costavike@hotmail.com), January 02, 2001.