Ten minutes to write. Less time to read.

The John and George Show premiered last night; and, while I haven’t heard any statistics on viewer interest, I doubt The Apprentice or The Sopranos need worry about ratings. Besides, the J and G Show is only a mini-series with no chance of becoming a prime time weekly program. It certainly won’t replace Friends.

Yet, I’m struck with the similarities between last night’s plot and some of the other shows on television. Basically, it was the story of two men who are vying for the same prize, and only one of them can have it. Each person waits for his opponent to make some critical mistake. Donald Trump starts with more players, but the object is the same. The contestants on Survivor endure more physical challenges, but the object is still the same.

The hopefuls on American Idol sign up for the equivalent of primaries in various cities to determine who will actually compete on the national level. For those who make it that far, professional aye- and naysayers then offer their blunt opinions before the general public gets to vote. The campaigning and voting go on for weeks until the one and only next American Idol is chosen.

The more I think about it, The John and George Show is the ultimate reality TV, but it could use some pizzazz. Maybe for the next debate the main characters could don swimsuits instead of power suits and sing their answers to the accompaniment of a piano played in the key of A (for America) by the moderator.