Airing over the past few months on ABC directly after THE BACHELORETTE, the woefully underrated NEWLYWEDS had something that few reality offerings do today: charm. The show appeared to be shot on a shoestring budget, had a laidback host and featured contestants who almost immediately defied the stereotypes which leapt to mind when they first appeared on screen.

During the first episode, I fell in loathe-at-first-sight with The Corliss’, who looked like a porn star and her meathead hubby. Yet by the end of the first hour, they’re wildly appealing senses of humor and down-to-earth nature had made them, against all odds, my favorites and the eventual winners. Thoughout the run of the show, each of the couples had their moments to shine and not a single one disappointed.

The same can not be said of this season’s housemates on BIG BROTHER. There’s not a Dan (last year’s winner) or Dr. Will (the charismatic bad guy who became one of the most compelling housemates in the show’s history) among them. Instead, we have loud, obnoxious, annoying people who are walking stereotypes. Worse, it is already wildly clear to anyone watching or reading about the live feeds that CBS is once again laying favorites in the editing of the show. A recently-aired confrontation between musclehead Russell and pretty-boy Jeff made the weightlifter look like the bad guy and his teammate look like an innocent man under attack. Of course, what they failed to show was the derogatory stream of gay slurs Jeff threw at his housemate on this occasion and several others.

Obviously, many of the people put into the BIG BROTHER house are there because they’ll create drama and, the network hopes, get people talking. But at this point, there seems to be no balancing personality… the person you root for amidst the madness.

And that’s why HERE COMES THE NEWLYWEDS deserves special — if belated — praise: The show went against the current trend in reality casting of looking for explosive personalities and instead gave us actual — God forbid — likeable people to root for. Here’s hoping that the network brings the show back next summer and gives us another batch of fun, relatable people whom we actually enjoy spending time with. It’d sure make a nice change of pace.

In anticipation of tonight’s premiere of FOX’s newest reality TV show THE MOMENT OF TRUTH, the TV Addict recently had the opportunity to sit down with show creator and executive producer Howard Schultz. But before we get to the interview, this TV Addict must pause and reveal partake in his own moment of truth.

While I generally loathe reality television and blame most of the world’s evils on it, I will be giving this show a try (at least for ten minutes that is.) Not only is there absolutely nothing new/interesting on TV tonight (with the exception of CASHMERE MAFIA), THE MOMENT OF TRUTH is a train-wreck waiting to happen. The Columbian version already was cancelled after a woman confessed to hire someone to murder her husband (for a measly $25,000).

Now that I’ve got that off my chest, on to the interview.

What’s the premise of the show?
Howard Schultz: The basic premise of THE MOMENT OF TRUTH is that it’s a game in which a contestant is potentially asked twenty-one questions. Naturally, each question gets increasingly more personal and private in nature to win a half a million dollars. The game is divided into six levels. There are six questions on the first level, than five, four, then three, two and one, adding up to twenty-one. Contestants can quit at anytime and take the money they’ve won thus far. But if they continue on and tell one lie, they lose everything.

I imagine the questions get a lot more personal as the show goes on?
Absolutely

How accurate is the lie detector?
Most experts would say that it’s anywhere between 94-98% accurate, and I’m fine with that. I don’t really want it to be 100% accurate. We’re not here to destroy people’s lives. If a guy wants to go home and tell his wife, “I did not cheat on you, I swear, the polygraph is wrong.” Well, God bless him, let him do it.

Have you ever sat in the chair yourself?
No, but I would. I’m not scared of it. If anything, I’ve probably developed a healthy respect for the upper levels of questions because I realize there are certain questions where it’s hard to know what the truth is. I’m a very honest person, I really am. Yet there are questions that I’m not sure as to what the answer is.

Is THE MOMENT OF TRUTH your original concept, or one you’ve imported from the Netherlands?
I created it. The show’s already aired in Columbia and England and is currently shooting in Germany. We’ve already sold the concept to thirty-four markets. It’s doing very very well.

People don’t realize the amount of work and energy that goes into creating something like this. It’s taken me over five years to make this show work. I knew the truth element was an interesting element, but the big mystery was what form could I put around it to make the show work.

I’ve got a really great Sweeps Stunt for you. Major League Baseball Players.
I’d love to have Roger Clemens, Senator Larry Craig, Barry Bonds, Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton. We’re reaching out to those people now. I’ll give half a million dollars to charity to get Roger Clemens on the show. But he has to come and answer the other questions to, like have you ever cheated on your wife!

I have a feeling Mr. Clemens is only concerned with one question.
Probably, but it’s okay. We have a standing invitation out to all of them.

THE MOMENT OF TRUTH premieres tonight on FOX at 9PM (7PM on CTV in Canada)

I really loved LAW & ORDER: GOSSIP GIRL DIVISION this week. I mean, the beautiful, blonde rich girl murdered by the brunette socialite whose world she threatened to rock? It was pretty hard not to think about S and B and the rest of their Upper East Side co-horts, especially given the promos for the real GOSSIP GIRL which have been running for weeks and made it seem as if someone was gonna bite the bullet. This was the SVU that I once knew and loved… fun story, great actors and absolutely no personal info about the detectives. The L&O mothership, meanwhile, didn’t thrill me with its season premiere. First of all, two separate episodes does not make for a “two-hour premiere!” Then again, the first hour was so yawn-inducing that I’m glad it didn’t go on for 120 minutes (although it seemed twice that). Is it really the best idea for a show which once prided itself on refusing to get personal where its leads are concerned to kick off the season delving into the personal issues of new cop Jeremy Sisto? Worse, the plot was yet another retread of the tried-(or should I say tired) and true assisted suicide storyline the show has trotted out time and again. The second hour’s story was more interesting, although it was amazing how quiet Manhattan seemed during the blackout which played a crucial role in the unfolding drama, and they relied on yet another overused plot device by having the earnest attorney tell the cops to go ahead and execute a search warrant he hadn’t actually obtained. Wake me when they run out of new episodes and start rerunning the classics.

Why do bad people keep on winning? I’m tempted to quit watching THE AMAZING RACE now that Kynt and Vixen — aka the good-hearted goths — have been eliminated, especially since they lost to Nate and Jen. Nate’s got a bit of a temper, but who can blame him given the nasty piece of work he’s teamed up with. These two take the fun out of dysfunctional.

There’s little that pisses me off more than promos which give away crucial details. And that’s exactly what happened at the end of last week’s CROWNED. Thanks to the scenes for this week’s episode, I knew when the ladies went to the desashing ceremony (and really, who ever imagined I’d be writing a sentence containing those words!) who’d be having those ginormous scissors thrust toward their midsections. While the network hadn’t shown the faces of the unlucky ladies, they did show the distinctive color of the dresses. And the end of this week’s episode did the exact same thing. Two-thirds of the fun here is in guessing who’se going to go home, so why on God’s green earth would the network give away the goodies? Meanwhile, I’ve been rooting for Hollis and her mom from the beginning, but it became even more obvious that she’s beautiful inside and out when, after being called upon to desash her pals, she refused to cut the ribbons, insisting the women deserved to take them home. Until those nasty judges insisted she snip the sashes, that is, because heaven forbid anybody be allowed to walk away from a show like this with their dignity in tact.

In an oh-so-shocking (not) development, MTV has announced that a “broken hearted” Tila Tequila will somehow pick up the pieces and once again search for love. That’s right, she’s going to take another SHOT AT LOVE. As much as I loved the first season, I knew that winner Bobby would be cast aside the second the network realized just how great the ratings were. Oh, and one of the first season’s most memorable contestants, walking Italian stereotype Dominico, is getting his own show as well. What do you want to bet Tila will put in an appearance? Sorry, but Dominico was amusing as a secondary character, but nobody has any interest in watching him find love. Will I tune in to the pilot? You bet… if only to report back to all of you. Am I proud of that fact? Not in the least.

My housemates and I have decided that Bravo should do a new competition in which past contestants from PROJECT RUNWAY, TOP CHEF, TOP DESIGN and SHEER GENIUS compete against one another in a variety of competitions covered on their individual shows. The reality star who proves to be the best designer/chef/decorator/hairstylist will win, and we’ll call the show TOP, a title sure to appeal to the huge gay audience drawn in by Bravo’s competitions. (If you didn’t get that joke, you are so not among our dream show’s target audience.)

Forgive me, but I’m going on record as loving the crapfest known as CROWNED. It might help that I went into it with the lowest of low expectations, only to find myself laughing at — definitely not with — several of the mother/daughter duos competing for the prize. How can you not get a kick out of a show on which two women name their team Silent But Deadly without realizing that they’ve become a walking flatulence joke? And then there’s Patty and Laura, who define the word “insincere” with their every word, gesture and deed. Finally, there’s Angela, the kind of camera-ready drama queen whom you know spent the weeks before taping got under way figuring out the best way to make herself the center of attention. Her chosen course? Stirring up trouble at every turn. She’s a truly vile woman who represents the worst of what people often become on reality television. I’m not sure I really get the point of having the Cabana Boy around, but you know, I’ve never one to begrudge viewers pointless eye candy. (Although why you’d call him a Cabana Boy and not put him in a swim suit, I’m not sure. Then again, I don’t get why the guy isn’t 75 percent hotter.) It’s nice to see that Nick Verros (of PROJECT RUNWAY’s season 2) getting a little work, if only to show the would-be models that there is life after reality tv… if by “life” you mean landing a one-shot on another reality show. At this point, I’m hoping to see Hollis and Gina walk away with the crown since they’re the only ones who seem like truly decent people.

Am I the only person who is dying to see MAKE ME A SUPERMODEL, if only because it’s sure to be cheesetacular? And don’t even mention the return of PARADISE HOTEL in my presence if you’re not prepared to join me each and every week to revel in its glory.

I want to send a personal thank you out to both the writers and the execs whose battle has resulted in my DVR being emptier than Britney Spears’ head. As a result, I’ve had lots of time to do something I haven’t in a while, and which I’ve always enjoyed: watch movies. Over the past few days, I watched Transamerica (great performances, but… come on? The kid didn’t figure out it was his dad? Whatever.), Notes On A Scandal (Holy Twisted Sister, Batman! In the hands of anyone else, this could have been a total B flick, but Judi Dench turned this into one of my recent faves) and Infamous (the Truman Capote pic from last year that didn’t star Philip Seymour Hoffman). If the strike continues, I might finally get a chance to watch Roots, the entire series of Airport films and those DVD’s of MURDER ONE’s second season I recently bought off e-Bay.That said, don’t be surprised if when you folks finally decide to end this moronic stand-off (how anyone can say the writer’s don’t deserve to be paid when the networks make money is beyond me), a whole lot of us have come to the conclusion that you’re not the only game in town.

Here’s who this TV Addict wanted to see on the show. Genuine celebrities who, in reality, may not be smarter than a 5th grader. Paris Hilton, Lindsey Lohan, Nicole Richie, Paula Abdul, to name a few.

One contestant who won’t be competing is Miss Teen USA contestant Miss South Carolina. Sadly, she already proved this weekend that she’s most definitely not smarter than a 5th grader [see clip].

Many of the dancers have experience doing musicals on a community theatre or Broadway level. Take for example this year’s member of the Top 6 Neil Haskell who performed in The Times They Are A-Changin. Surprisingly it is the Broadway numbers on the show that I dislike the most and the Modern Dance pieces I am captivated by. I never considered myself a fan of Modern Dance but I loved Bill T. Jones work in Spring Awakening and thought the type of dance was the perfect outlet for the angst and emotion of the show.

Well now I have fallen in love with a new Modern Dance choreographer and that is the amazing Mia Michaels. I am in awe of the work she creates and I tune in each week hoping to see a Mia Michaels number. Her work is powerful, theatrical, emotional and so incredible to watch. She has the talent to create pieces that connect via the medium of television. I can only imagine watching her work live in person. I was wowed by last year’s park bench (for which she received an Emmy nomination) routine and this year’s tribute to her late father. Last night Danny and Lauren danced another passionate and intricate piece choreographed by her that gave me chills.

Her resume includes choreographing Hello Dolly at the Papermill Playhouse last year and a regional production of West Side Story. I hope some Broadway producer has the savvy to hire her to reinvent a classic musical or breathe life into a new one.

Well Rebecca (and the rest of you know-it-alls), FOX wants you to put your money where your mouth is. ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A FIFTH GRADER will be holding auditions this summer in cities across America.

While students in schools across the country look forward to a sunny summer break, FOX is heading back to the classroom in search of five new 5th-grade students for the second season of the hit quiz show ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5th GRADER?, which airs with all-new episodes Thursdays (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.

Students should start cramming immediately for their elementary exams since auditions begin early this summer in Atlanta, Chicago, New York, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Interested pupils should visit http://fox.com/AreYouSmarter for guidelines and applications. Additional details will be announced at a later date.

The contestants, who range from 22-year-old Lacey from York, Pennsylvania and 22-year-old Theodore from Canton, Ohio to 49-year-old Jim from Buffalo, NY, are competing to win the ultimate title of Shear Genius, $100,000 in seed money from Nexxus and a chance to style hair for an Allure magazine feature. They will face two challenges per episode: the short cut challenge, testing technical hairstyling skills and the elimination challenge, testing creativity and advanced skill. Bravo says, “The stylists will also need the ability to service client needs, manage a staff and work as part of a team to make it in this competition.” In the first challenge, the stylists have 1 hour to show off their signature style on 12 mannequin heads. The winner of the challenge will have first choice of model and station in the upcoming elimination challenge, in which they are supposed to create a work of art using professional models with long hair and a collection of arts and crafts materials. You can watch a 3-minute preview of their first challenge here.

Shear Genius premiered last night following the Top Design finale, then moves to its regular 10/9c timeslot beginning Wednesday, April 18th. If you missed the premiere, Bravo is rerunning it about a bajillion times. You can find a new time on the Bravo website. Check it out!

That said, it was 9:30PM and frankly I was bored — so I did the unthinkable. I tuned into a new FOX Reality Show (double gasp!) ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A FIFTH GRADER? Truth be told, I found myself enjoying the show and am happy to report, I am indeed smarter than a fifth grader… but just barely.

If you’re wondering if YOU’RE smarter than a fifth grader, why not test yourself with some of the questions from last night’s episode. (Answers are in the Comments, no cheating!)

1. True or False, Polar bears feed on Penguins?

2. If a triangle has an area of 16 square inches and a base of 8 inches, how long is its height? (4th grade math)

3. Who is the first president to be impeached? (4th grade history)
(Note: A UCLA lawyer didn’t get this one!)

4. Name the ship that the pilgrims sailed on from Plymouth England to the Plymouth Colony in America in 1620.

5. Part of a person’s sleep cycle is called a REM cycle. What does REM stand for? (4th grade health)

You can test yourself even more by checking out the official show web site on FOX.com