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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, January 2, 2009

Tube Notes

By Mike Hughes

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

"Deal or No Deal" host Howie Mandel is profiled on "True Hollywood Story" at 9 p.m. on E.

NBC

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TONIGHT'S MIGHT-SEES

Football, all day. Remember when the New Year's Day bowl barrage marked the end of the college season? Not anymore; there are seven bowls left, peaking with next Thursday's Oklahoma-Florida collision. Today, viewers have a triple-header — the Cotton Bowl (Mississippi and Texas Tech) at 9 a.m. on Fox, the Liberty Bowl (Kentucky and East Carolina) at 1 p.m. on ESPN and the Sugar Bowl (Utah and Alabama) at 3:15 p.m. on Fox, after a 2:30 p.m. preview. That last one could be a dandy. Alabama has only lost once; Utah hasn't lost at all.

"20/20," 9 p.m., ABC. The math of motherhood seems to be changing. One woman was breastfeeding a child of 8. Another, enthusiastic about bearing children for other people, was labeled a "serial surrogate" after having 12 babies. This hour (barring a late switch) focuses on that trend and others that it terms "extreme motherhood." That ranges from women risking at-home births to those who say childbirth can be transformed into a pleasant experience; it also includes women who care for "fake babies," complete with all the best accessories.

OF NOTE

"Deal or No Deal," 7 p.m., NBC; then "True Hollywood Story," 9 p.m., E. "Deal" starts by continuing the appearance by an Iowa farmer who is a grandmother; then it has a woman who is a professional drag racer. Afterward, switch to E for a profile of the show's host, Howie Mandel. He had been fading from attention until "Deal" revived him; next Friday, he'll add a second NBC show, playing hidden-camera tricks.

"Everybody Hates Chris," 7 and 8 p.m., CW (Oceanic Digital Channel 93). In the first rerun, Chris saw a shooting, but is reluctant to tell because he wasn't supposed to be there. In the second, he needs an adult to accompany him to Times Square on New Year's Eve.

"Ghost Whisperer," 7 and 8 p.m., CBS. In the first rerun, Gabriel returns, showing Melinda the underworld near her town. In the second, she meets a young girl who may share her ability to talk to dead people.

"Lipstick Jungle," 8 p.m., NBC. Wendy fumes about her husband's plan to tour with Natasha Bedingfield; meanwhile, Victory plans to propose to Joe the billionaire. And Nico is upset by a "new media expert" who may cut into her power base.

"Miss America: Countdown to the Crown" season opener, 10 and 12 p.m., TLC. Cable people keep claiming the Miss America pageant is sort of the consummate reality show. This year, all 52 contestants will live together on the Queen Mary liner. They'll face competitions that may or may not have much to do with the pageant; eventually, the viewers will also have a say, as this short-run series prepares its final 15 for the Jan. 24 pageant.