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'Secret Lives':
B-listers sing and twirl

New CBS reality series takes a lighter approach

By Diego Vasquez
Apr 8, 2008

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Tonight CBS launches yet another new show in the 10 p.m. Tuesday timeslot, but this time it’s a low-cost, low-risk reality show, as opposed to the high-profile dramas like Ray Liotta’s “Smith” that have failed here the past few years.

The new show is “Secret Talents of the Stars,” hosted by “Dancing with the Stars” season one runner-up John O’Hurley.

The conceit is exactly what it sounds like. B-listers like George Takei (“Star Trek”), Malcolm-Jamal Warner (“The Cosby Show”) and Marla Maples demonstrate unexpected talents, everything from rapping to tap dancing to trapeze flying.

Voters will determine two semifinalists in the first two weeks, and they will compete for two finals positions. Then another cycle will begin with another eight celebrities, and the final four from each group will compete on May 22 in a live finale to become the champion.

Certainly “Dancing” and the recent “Celebrity Apprentice,” which produced the franchise’s most-watched finale in years, prove that viewers like to watch stars embarrass themselves, but the short life of NBC’s 2006 bomb “Celebrity Cooking Showdown” proves they won’t watch just any celebrity reality show.

They prefer shows with a strong focus that put celebrities in different or uncomfortable situations and show how they react. “Secret,” with its jumble of odd talents, doesn’t fit that criterion.

Also, the show airs in an odd hour for a reality program. Most reality shows air at 8 or 9, as they’re more family oriented, less adult fare.

Still, “Secret” can’t do much worse than what had been airing at 10 on CBS this year, the Jimmy Smits drama “Cane” and the Skeet Ulrich drama “Jericho,” both of which drew lower than a 2.0 rating in their final episodes.

A look at this week’s top TV draws
TUESDAY, APRIL 8
Time	Network	Program	Description
7 a.m.	NBC	“Today” (N)	Melora Hardin and Marilu Henner both guest.
8 p.m.	CBS	“NCIS” (D)	It’s back, but how will it perform against “Idol?”
8 p.m.	Fox	“American Idol” (R)	The final eight go through another round of performances.
8 p.m.	NBC	“The Biggest Loser” (R)	It’s the last week on campus, and final four must train on their own.
9 p.m.	Fox	“Hell’s Kitchen” (R)	Can Ramsay keep ratings at last week’s level?
10 p.m.	CBS	“Secret Talents of the Stars” (A)	Series premiere. Among other things, Clint Black performs comedy and George Takei sings country.
10 p.m.	FX	“The Riches” (D)	Dahlia starts to realize that living an honest life isn’t as easy as she thought.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9
Time	Network	Program	Description
7 a.m.	ABC	“Good Morning America” (N)	Laurence Fishburne and Cokie Roberts both make appearances.
7 p.m.	ESPN2	“Major League Baseball” (S)	The Phillies take on the Mets at Shea Stadium.
7:30 p.m.	Fox	“American Idol” (R)	A host of big-name celebrities make appearances for the now-annual “Idol Gives Back” episode.
8 p.m.	CW	“America’s Next Top Model” (R)	A clip show of what’s happened so far this cycle.
9 p.m.	CBS	“Criminal Minds” (D)	What at first appears to be a rash of suicides in Pittsburgh might actually be mass murder.
9:30 p.m.	ESPN	“NBA Basketball” (S)	The Suns and the Spurs face off as the teams jockey for playoff position.
10 p.m.	MTV	“If I Were King” (A)	Examining Diddy’s career as a fashion designer.
THURSDAY, APRIL 10
Time	Network	Program	Description
6 p.m.	ESPN2	“College Hockey” (S)	A semifinal in the NCAA men’s Frozen Four.
8 p.m.	Fox	“American Idol” (R)	This week’s results show, a day late due to last night’s “Idol Gives Back.”
8:30 p.m.	NBC	“30 Rock” (C)	Jack finds a ratings hit in the reality show “MILF Island.”
9 p.m.	CBS	“CSI” (D)	Catherine looks into a murder of a 3-year-old near a comedy club.
9 p.m.	NBC	“The Office” (C)	Jan and Michael throw a dinner party in the show’s post-strike return.
10 p.m.	ABC	“Eli Stone” (D)	Katey Sagal guests as a partner looking into why the firm is losing high-profile clients.
10 p.m.	NBC	“ER” (D)	Sam finds out that Gates and Julia aren’t a couple anymore.
FRIDAY, APRIL 11
Time	Network	Program	Description
7 a.m.	ABC	“Good Morning America” (N)	Chef Wolfgang Puck guests, as does Lee Woodruff.
4 p.m.	ESPN	“Golf” (S)	Second-round coverage of The Masters, from Augusta, Ga.
8 p.m.	CBS	“Ghost Whisperer” (D)	Melinda confronts a blogger who knows her secret.
9 p.m.	NBC	“Miss USA” (A)	The 57th annual event, hosted by Donny and Marie Osmond.
10 p.m.	CBS	“Numb3rs” (D)	Charlie trains with the FBI in hopes of learning to defend himself.
10 p.m.	Versus	“NHL Hockey” (S)	Coverage of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, teams TBD.
SATURDAY, APRIL 12
Time	Network	Program	Description
3:30 p.m.	CBS	“Golf” (S)	Third-round play from The Masters, the year’s first major.
3:30 p.m.	Fox	“Major League Baseball” (S)	Either Yankees-Red Sox or Rockies-Diamondbacks.
7 p.m.	ESPN	“College Hockey” (S)	The college hockey national championship game, won last year by Michigan State.
8 p.m.	Fox	“NASCAR Racing” (S)	The Subway Fresh Fit 500, live from Phoenix.
9 p.m.	Lifetime	“The Memory Keeper’s Daughter” (M)	Based on the best-selling novel by Kim Edwards.
11:30 p.m.	NBC	“Saturday Night Live” (C)	Ashton Kutcher hosts, Gnarls Barkley provides the tunes.
SUNDAY, APRIL 13
Time	Network	Program	Description
2:30 p.m.	CBS	“Golf” (S)	Final round of The Masters, won last year by Zach Johnson.
3:30 p.m.	ABC	“NBA Basketball” (S)	Big game between the Spurs and Lakers in L.A.
8 p.m.	ABC	“Oprah’s Big Give” (R)	The final three each head home, and John Travolta makes an appearance.
8 p.m.	Fox	“The Simpsons” (C)	The fam takes in a country singer who owes back taxes.
9 p.m.	ABC	“Desperate Housewives” (D)	Some of Katherine’s secrets flutter around Wisteria Lane.
10 p.m.	Comedy Central	“Night of Too Many Stars” An Overbooked Concert for Autism Education” (A, C)	Benefit concert hosted by “Daily Show’s” Jon Stewart.
10 p.m.	FX	“Dirt” (D)	Season finale. An overweight TV star tries to prevent showing up on the cover of the magazine.
A = awards show or special, C = comedy, D = drama, DD = daytime drama, G = game show, K = kids, M = movie, N = news/documentary, R = reality, S = sports, T = talk/variety show.