'Todd TV' — without the Todd

HOLLYWOOD — I may be just a dumb TV critic, but I'm not as dumb as the folks at FX apparently think I am.

The cable network planned a session at the current Television Critics Association press tour to promote its upcoming reality series "Todd TV." It's an "EdTV"-like format in which a "regular guy" by the name of Todd Santos agrees to let viewers make all his decisions for him.

Appearing before critics to take questions were the show's producers, its host, FX network executives — but no Todd. It was sort of like having a presidential news conference without the president.

Which was more than a bit annoying. But not quite as annoying as the explanations for his absence.

FX president Peter Ligouri insisted Todd is just a "regular guy"; that they're trying to keep him "calm"; that letting him answer questions would "add to his frenzy"; and that "we're not positive Todd can really handle this type of situation."

Um, excuse me? You're about to put him on national television, and you're afraid his mental state is too fragile to handle a few questions from critics?

David Goldberg, the president of Endemol, which is producing the show, said they want to keep Todd "insulated" until the show premieres so he's not "corrupted."

Um, excuse me? FX has been hyping this show to the hilt, running commercials that feature Todd at seemingly every break. Unless he's been locked in a cellar someplace, he's already been corrupted by the exposure.

And, um, excuse me, but FX has been offering one-on-one interviews with Todd to a whole bunch of publications. Which pretty much kills that whole corruption explanation.

I may be just a dumb TV critic, but I know baloney when I'm hearing it. Which is why I, along with several colleagues, walked out of the press conference at that point.

Frankly, I wasn't necessarily all that surprised that FX had a press conference about "Todd TV" without Todd. But I was insulted that the producers and network executives thought I was dumb enough to believe their unbelievable justifications.

Besides, it was kind of fun to make a point by exiting the room.

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