"True Beauty" another TV travesty

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - The Ashton Kutcher-ing of television continues with ABC's "True Beauty," a pandering show that finds the actor who gave us "Punk'd" and "Beauty and the Geek" serving as one of eight executive producers.

"True Beauty," which in fairness also spreads the blame to Tyra Banks and her production company, feels very much like a reality show parody until you come to the stunning realization that everybody is -- against all reason -- serious.

Six gratingly earnest gorgeous babes and four cloyingly narcissistic hunky dudes get to live together in an L.A. mansion. The threadbare gimmick involves attempting to push beyond the shallow cosmetic sheen that drives these unscripted doltfests to uncover the "inner beauty" of the contestants, which host/judge Vanessa Minnillo repeatedly assures is what's really important.

Along with co-judges Cheryl Tiegs and Nole' Marin, Minnillo works clandestinely to judge everyone's character based on capturing selfish, boorish or insecure acts on hidden camera. If they fail to open a door for a guy carrying coffee, they're deemed pond scum.

The woman who was sent packing at the end of Monday's first episode, Hadiyyah-lah, was less than pleased to be labeled a hopeless bitch with an imperfect jawline. But as those who might return to watch all eight weeks of "True Beauty" will understand only too well, it's the facial imperfection that's the far bigger TV sin.

Whomever survives this grueling assessment of body and soul receives an undisclosed cash prize and a spot in People magazine's 100 Most Beautiful People issue.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter