UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. — A lot of CNN and Court TV viewers are put off by Nancy Grace's abrupt, overbearing, self-righteous, know-it-all TV manner.

She's worse in person. Much worse.

The only thing worse than someone who exploits tragedy for TV ratings is someone who claims to be doing the world a favor while they're at it. Which, believe it or not, was Grace's response to questions wondering if coverage of the Scott Peterson trial was overdone.

It was particularly telling that she didn't even understand the question.

"The proof is in the pudding. A lot of networks were covering, for instance, the Scott Peterson case, but that didn't make a dent in the ratings. . . . I feel very strongly that there is a huge appetite and a desire to know more about what's going on in the courtroom," Grace said.

Yes, well, that wasn't what she was asked. The question was whether the wall-to-wall coverage of that particular case exploited a tragedy, and claiming that it's justified by the ratings misses the point entirely.

And Grace, who has always been more of a performer than a journalist, took great offense when it was suggested that perhaps 24-hour-a-day coverage of a single, sensationalized murder might be excessive.

"You're focusing a lot on the Laci Peterson case," she said, going on a bizarrely conceived attack to defend herself. "There was a lot of coverage of it. But I'm concerned with your viewpoint that somehow it was wrong to focus on the Peterson case. It was not wrong."

The host of Court TV's "Closing Arguments"; host of the "Nancy Grace" show that debuts tonight at 6, 9 and 11 p.m. on Headline News; frequent guest and guest host on "Larry King Live"; and a woman who thinks ratings justify exploitation actually argued that "as a victims' rights advocate" she was using the trial as a "vehicle" to "spotlight domestic violence."

Gee, maybe I'll mention Laci Peterson in every column so I can do my bit, too.

"While some people may scoff at coverage of Laci Peterson, Laci Peterson was a symbol of an epidemic in this country," she asserted more than a bit aggressively. "And if somebody has got a problem with me pointing out domestic homicide, that's their can of worms, OK?"

Oh, yes. Anyone who watched coverage of Laci's disappearance and Scott's trial knows it was one, big public-service campaign.

If this seems harsh, Grace clearly demonstrated that her version of the truth can change. Rapidly.