When it first came to the screens, PopStars was innovative, something new to watch on TV. It was a logical extension of the docusoap style of TV programme, where you got to see warts and all "documentaries" but following a selection of characters, so there was "people appeal" or some such bollocks. They were innovative too, so every channel started doing them. Then PopStars came along, got the huge ratings for being something new and - gasp! - interesting. So the channels all ran with that as the new big thing.

  But since PopStars we've had SoapStars, Pop Idol, PopStars US, Pop Idol US, Popstars Australia, and there's probably even Pop Stars Outer Mongolia too, but I haven't heard of it. And now we've got Popstars:The Rivals, and fuck me dead, I've had enough of it. If I'm totally honest, I'd had enough of it by the end of the first Popstars - everything since then has just lowered my tolerance even more.

  In fact, there's now only one of these shows that interests me at all, and that's for the simple fact that it'll be seriously fun - in the US, they're planning on doing one of these where the public votes for it's favoured Presidential candidate. OK, it's for the Independent Party, but I think the repercussions from that one have the potential to be fascinating - and it fits in beautfiully with the concept of the President being "of the people" from the Constitution. And let's face it, it's got to be a chance for something better than the current cowboy clown. In fact, I hope we do the same programme here - I could do with a laugh as Tony Blair gets voted out of office by a candidate that has been picked by TV viewers.

  Of course, it's a process that strikes me as eminently dodgy - kind of like giving TV companies access to government, and a whole situation remarkably similar to Neal Stephenson's novel "Interface", and there's also the issue of who gets to judge the entries and so on, but it would still be TV that would at least be interesting.

  And at the end of the day it's got to be better than finding out whether some sobbing teenager's got into the final fifty to possibly become part of the band, better than hearing the knobber judges tell everyone how they know the best, and knocking dreams into dust, all for popular TV. Of course, it might be fun if one of them broke down, drew a weapon and killed the judges, all because they were desperate for any form or fame or infamy.

  Maybe that's the way this will end - choosing the people's psychopath, the favourite mass murderer, the funniest lunatic, the most efficient teacher, even the "people's charity" for the year.