Poor NBC

I can't say I'm surprised (nor is anyone really) at the pop culture juggenaut that is American Idol kicking poor NBC right where it hurts: Olympics ratings. But as much as I loathe NBC for foisting Katie Couric on a pre-coffee nation, I do feel a little of their pain. I mean, American Idol, if you think about it, really owes a lot to the tried and true Olympics formula. It's taken much that's awesome about the Olympics coverage - sappy personal interest stories, young 'uns competing their hearts out to make it to the top, color commentary by has-beens in the same field - added a touch more mean-spiritedness (though on a good day I think Bob Costas could wipe the floor with Simon Cowell), and deleted some of the spandex and replaced it with denim. Now NBC, already down, is seeing its own winning format used to trounce it in the ratings game. Poor NBC. As you might have noticed, Pop culture Junkette has a bit of a weakness for the underdog, but even I find it surprising that I feel sorry for NBC, formerly the biggest ratings bully on the block. But really . . . hasn't it suffered enough? Hasn't this goliath already been brought to its knees by being left by all the Friends and getting stuck with Joey? Does it really need to be further humbled by a nation choosing AI over women's figure skating? Can the mighty really fall any farther?