Live in 'Fear'

The gross-out show "Fear Factor" returns to NBC schedule in December, oozing onto Tuesdays at 7 p.m. on Dec. 6.

The upcoming season includes a multiple-episode arc with reality-show has-beens, including "Amazing Race" horror couple Jonathan Baker and Victoria Fuller, "Real World" floozy Trishelle Cannatella and "Real World"-turned-pro wrestler Mike "The Miz" Mizanin, "Apprentice" losers Craig Williams and Tana Goertz, "Survivor" losers "Johnny Fairplay" Dalton (one of the biggest villains on the show) and Twila Tanner, and a pair of "American Idol" losers — Anthony Fedorov and Utah's own Carmen Rasmusen.

I don't know who's giving Rasmusen career advice these days, but if you want to be taken seriously as a singer, this is not the thing to do . . . even though Donny Osmond did it, too.

NBC HAS ORDERED three more episodes of "Three Wishes," but it's not a huge vote of confidence. That brings the total to 16 — six short of a full season.

FX CANCELED the drama about the war in Iraq — "Over There" — the show was good, the ratings weren't.

CBS IS FLIPPING "Close to Home" and "Threshold" on its schedule for a couple of weeks. "Close to Home" airs Friday at 8 p.m. this week and next; "Threshold" moves to Tuesday at 9 p.m. on Nov. 22 and 29.

That's not a good sign for either show.

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E-mail: pierce@desnews.com