Mark it down, the only time you'll see me endorse a reality show

The Baby Borrowers, premiering Feb. 18 on NBC.

I have a severe aversion to reality television – partially because the term itself is incorrect, but mainly because I hate devoting time to something that ends up making me feel dumber for the experience.

Now, I’m not saying you’re dumb if you like American Idol or Survivor, but look at those shows like this: How “real” are they? Sometimes, I think I could convince a surly Brit, a washed-up Laker Girl and Randy Jackson (who?) that I can sing well enough to warrant a record deal.

As for Survivor, comedian Daniel Tosh has found the best perspective: “We wonder why other countries hate us – we have a game show in our country called Survivor. That's a game in our country. Where you can win a million dollars for surviving in a place where people already live. Do you realize what kind of message that sends? Not a good one. ‘Excuse me, I’ve been here for 60 years. May I have some bread?’ Ha ha ha ha, no! We’re Americans! This is a game! We don’t have our cell phones! This is hard!”

Sorry. That’s an hour a week I can spend sleeping - if my son will allow it.

Which, by the way, is the impetus of my desire to see The Baby Borrowers.

Last night, my son Brody went to sleep at about 10:30 p.m. Awesome for him, considering it’s usually 11:30 or 12 before he finally konks out. My initial reaction: More sleep for me. His initial reaction: Uh-uh. He’s up at 11:30 screaming his head off, awake until a little after 12. Up again at 2 screaming his head off, awake until a little after 3. Not our most harrowing evening, mind you, but rather frustrating when I was expecting an extra hour or two of sleep.

The Baby Borrowers pits a teen pair, both of whom think raising a kid is easier than something they consider to be very easy, against a tiny child. OK, that makes it sound more like a fight. So the teenagers have to basically play parents to the kid for a certain amount of time - if NBC bases that length of time on the British version of the show, it will be four weeks. Kids that won’t sleep, kids spitting up, kids that won’t stop crying, kids with the bathroom routine of a very small child (because there’s nothing nastier than that) – they’ll experience it all, with nannies and the toddlers’ parents nearby in case of emergency.

If you’re dealing with a teenager or young adult who is acting cavalier about the prospect of having and caring for a child, chances are you’ll want to suggest they watch this show.

It’s one of the only times I can remember TV producers coming up with a “reality” concept that might actually make a positive change in a person’s life. Maybe not along the lines of Extreme Home Makeover, one of the best do-good shows I’ve ever seen.

If the Hollywood writer’s strike is going to continue (and rumor is there is light not connected to a train at the end of the tunnel), we’re going to be swamped with more and more “reality” shows. At least it looks like one network might have finally stopped appealing to the lowest common denominator.