Has 'Dancing With the Stars' Lost Its Luster?

Has "Dancing with the Stars" lost its luster?

Sure, ABC's dance-off registered a bump in its most recent episode: a respectable 13 million viewers for Tuesday's results show.

But bear in mind, this was the first week since the odious Tom DeLay dropped out. I'll bet C-Span's ratings also increased after DeLay was forced to resign from Congress in 2005.

Even on Tuesday, "DWTS" finished second in its time slot to a prime-time rookie, "NCIS: Los Angeles." And there's no getting around the fact that viewership is down by more than 10 percent since last year.

Why the downhill samba?

Blame a bad crop of contestants. Ashley Hamilton? Kelly Osbourne? When did this become "Dancing with the Children of the Stars"?

The usually reliable category of athletes is abysmal this time. Michael Irvin? Louie Vito? We're tangoing dangerously close to Tonya Harding territory here, people.

You know you're in trouble when your biggest name is Donny Osmond. I still can't get the image of Donny dipping judge Bruno Tonioli into that romance novel clinch out of my head. Yuuuch! It made Al Roker lip-locking Tina Fey on "Today" this week appear sexy by comparison.

Look, this country leads the world in semi-celebrities who are well past their sell-through dates. The whole reality TV industry would collapse without this bounty.

Raise your sights, "Dancing with the Stars." Next time, Kirstie Alley or bust!

In my dream, the cast of "Glee" is drifting down Broadway, singing "Don't Stop Believin'" beneath a giant blow-up Bullwinkle.

NBC dashed that fantasy this week when it booted the Fox choir from the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which the Peacock network broadcasts every year.

Sure, why would you want to include something in this tired old ritual that viewers actually might want to see?

As "Glee" co-creator Ryan Murphy said to Entertainment Weekly after the ban was announced, "I completely understand NBC's position and look forward to seeing a Jay Leno float."

Originally published by David Hiltbrand; The Philadelphia Inquirer.

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