Can reality TV get any more pathetic? Apparently so. Just check out the Kid Nation promo.

Here's the pitch: 40 kids, aged 8-14, are left in an abandoned frontier town, and forced to "create their own functioning economy." They cook, they clean, they vote. CBS is touting the show as a way to prove that kids can be just as miserable as your average 19th century pioneer. Awesome.

But guess what: the show's producers might have gotten a little overzealous and, dare we say, a tad exploitative. In an article that appeared yesterday as the featured story on the New York Times Web site, Kid Nation may have violated child labor labor laws. The article also brought up some disturbing aspects of the contract signed by the kids and their "parents," such as a clause that doesn't hold the network responsible if one the kids contracts HIV during filming. Good times.

Kid Nation premieres on CBS Sept. 19.

This summer brings us the -- egads -- eighth US season of reality hit Big Brother. And now there's more BB than ever, because in addition to three shows a week, and 24/7 live feeds online, there's now uncensored late-night footage airing every night on Showtime Too. Lucky us, because this season's Habitrail boasts a bumper crop of hamsters, sure to amuse and/or repulse just about anyone.

Normally, Amber spends most of her crying. And crying. And crying. But in our featured clip, she takes a break from the waterworks and offers up her enlightened views on the Chosen People -- at least until pal Jameka mentions maybe that's not the smartest thing to do on camera. Jameka's had some noteworthy moments herself, particularly when she expressed her belief in the degree to which the Lord involves himself in BB. (It's about a minute in.) Turns out He already has the winner all preordained, and Jameka's just along for the ride. (Some viewers sent Jameka a response to this argument.)

It's a classy bunch, especially with Dick and his many attacks on his robot nemesis, Jen. (Though Jen can come unhinged, too. You just have to take a bad picture of her.) There's also "America's Player" Eric, to whom you definitely do not want to tell a secret -- at least not one you want kept. There are others, too -- poor underfed Danielle, squeaky-voiced Prairie Dawn wannabe Jessica, big dumb Zach, gay-hater Kail and her gay friend Dustin. But frankly, there are only so many of these clips I can bear to watch.

And in a very short while, one of these people will be $500,000 richer. Ah, America. Ain't it grand.

I just want to hug this man. Not only did he jump down on the track to save a stranger's life, but he clearly doesn’t realize how rare it is for anyone to put themselves in front of an oncoming train. The New York City subway tracks are dangerous enough without a moving train -- think pesticides and the lethal third rail -- but this man jumped off of the platform and rolled a convulsing student into the subway gutter.

What possessed an everyday passenger to do this? As a construction worker whose dangerous job often confines him to small spaces, he says it just had to be done. Not to mention, Wesley didn’t want his little girls to have to see the horror a helpless man get struck down by an oncoming train. Talk about a Super Dad!

This story is so compelling that I actually watched the entire ten-minute clip. My hopes for Wesley’s future are that A) his daughter realize how great of a man their daddy really is B) he recognized by the city is awarded some sponsorship or reward and C) he doesn’t let all of this superhero stuff go to his head.