Ox Notes: January 16, 2008

A new season of American Idol premiered last night, and Reality Blurred discovered that the producers don't care if the contestants already have tons of professional singing experience, as many of this season's top 50 contestants do. So much for AI being a competition for amateurs.

It was only a matter of time, but Oprah Winfrey is getting her own cable network.

After the final four episodes of Supernatural air, fans can keep up with the series through a six-issue comic mini-series, Supernatural: Rising Son.

Ahead of tonight's new episode of Project Runway, TV Guide posted an interview with auf'd designer, Kevin Christiana. Kevin's on-show mentor, Tim Gunn, told People that there's "no amount of money" that could entice him to make over Britney Spears, describing the pop princess's fashion choices as "a repugnant horror show."

Other recent reality show castoffs, Nate & Jen, told Reality TV World that their relationship survived their incessant bickering on The Amazing Race 12. Jen explained to MSN that part of what makes TAR difficult on dating couples is a show rule that teammates must stay within 20 feet of one another at all times.

Variety's Brian Lowry warns networks that, if they think reality shows are serving them so well in the ratings that they don't need to end the strike and get more scripted shows back on the air, they could wind up the TV equivalents of the New York Knicks. Ouch.