'Take Me Out' and 'The Choice': Why Are They On the Air?

What is with the Fox Network and its two new reality shows, Take Me Out and The Choice? In today's world of supposed equality and self-worth, it seems almost sinful to have these two shows on the air.

George Lopez leaves behind a decent talk show to host Take Me Out where he talks about his girls, 30 women who parade on stage, shaking their booties as they make their way to podiums. Then a single guy comes down in a "love lift" and boldly struts his stuff. It's all about hookups that take matched couples on a trip to paradise. The whole thing is demeaning and full of sexual innuendo, and I suppose Lopez took the job to pay the bills.

More shocking is how Cat Deeley let herself be talked into hosting The Choice, which is Fox's answer to The Voice, only in a dating competition instead of a singing one. Four famous bachelors like Pauly D, Romeo, and Joe Jonas select, in theory, women to date based only on their voices. The problem is that not one of them is an average beauty, they are all model types, and the audience clearly indicates through loud whoops and whistles who the sexiest ones are. In week one, one woman got such an eruption that the guys all pulled their "love handles" before she had spoken a word.

The Choice could become somewhat worthwhile if they did it without a live audience and some reformatting. Unfortunately, right now it is just an assault on the concept that relationships are based on personalities and not dazzling looks.

Both shows are all about looks with little more than glimpses of real human beings.

It is sad to think a network would air this tripe, and it is even sadder that Americans tune in to watch. Personally, after giving the shows two tries each, barring major program changes, I am done.