situation comedy

If you don't count Hank -- and I'm trying to erase the two episodes I saw from my memory banks -- ABC has had a pretty good year launching new comedies. In fact, if you go back to the spring, you can add Better Off Ted to Cougar Town, The Middle and Modern Family.

Why then would ABC be giving Nicole Richie a new sitcom? I just don't see where she's worthy of a show, let alone that she has the star appeal or talent to carry a situation comedy.

Perhaps ABC has some take on The Simple Life star that I'm missing. She's cute, yes. She's not a complete airhead judging by what I've seen of her on talk shows. But, really, aren't there better actresses -- stars -- who are more viable for a new comedy series? Stars will more talent than celebrity to their credit.

I've been pretty down on a lot of the stuff NBC has done about the new fall season, especially the Jay Leno experiment. But here's something that strikes me as a smart move. NBC is streaming the pilot of Community on Facebook. It's sans commercials and free for anyone who's a Facebook user who's willing to become a fan of Community. Or they can send a link from the fan page to friends, or place it on their Facebook profile.

Marketing-wise, this makes a lot of sense. The demographic NBC is targeting is the Facebook generation. And just the idea of seeing something before it previews anywhere else -- on your laptop for free just by going on Facebook -- is easy as pie.

Can you write? Do you think you know what makes people laugh? Have you ever tried banging out a sitcom script? If the answer to these questions is yes, yes, and yes, you might want to read on. Fox TV is teaming with the New York Television Festival (NYTVF) in creating a Comedy Script Contest. Wannabe writers are invited -- hell, encouraged! -- to enter an original comedy pilot for a potential Fox sitcom series. The winner (or winning team if you collaborate with someone) will be awarded $25,000 and a development deal with Fox to turn the pilot into real, honest-to-God TV show.

Considering the pitiful pros passing as live action comedy on Fox these days -- Til Death, Back to You, Unhitched -- you might think this contest was an act of desperation. It's not.