Voting With The Remote

With seven long months to go before the presidential election, the American public is itching to vote for something–anything. Fox’s American Idol is still taking calls, as are clones like the USA Network’s Nashville Star. But the plebiscite frenzy has gone far beyond these amateur-hour extravaganzas. You can hardly turn the dial without running into another opportunity to make your vote count, for something or other. –By Elizabeth L. Bland

Today’s Domestic Diva

Martha Stewart is not even in jail, and everyone is looking to replace her. NBC’s Today show has opened up the contest to anyone who sends in a 1-min. tape of her (or his) domestic skills. Callers vote; the winner gets a segment on the show.

Trading Spaces HOME FREE

In Trading Spaces, the golden rule keeps things friendly. But in a new TLC spin-off, Home Free, viewers decide which couple best redesigns a neighbor’s home. The winners get their mortgage paid.

DREAM JOB

Loudmouths vie for a yearlong stint as an ESPN SportsCenter commentator. Finalists will be judged, by an expert panel and the home audience, on their sports reporting skills and voted off one by one.