Here are two clues about the content of Fox's new sitcom "Living Single," which debuts Sunday at 7:30 p.m. on Ch. 13.
It follows "Martin." And it precedes "Married . . . With Children."If you're familiar with those to trashy shows, 'nuff said. If not, here are some particulars:
"Living Single" is about four young, black women who share a house in New York City. It's supposed to be a younger, hipper "Designing Women," but it was written to appeal to adolescents.
Rapper Queen Latifah plays the leader - the owner of a small magazine. Kim Coles ("In Living Color") plays her cousin, sort of a black dumb blond.
Erika Alexander ("The Cosby Show," "Going to Extremes") is a tough, smart lawyer. And Kim Fields ("The Facts of Life") is a gold digger without much in the way of morals.)
The plot of the pilot surrounds Fields' character's affair with a married man.
And the dialogue is adolescent. There are a plethora of anatomical jokes, sex jokes and low-brow humor. One of the less objectionable examples is a supposed joke Fields makes about how a boyfriend "ate caviar from my cleavage."
There's also an extended debate about men's butts.
"Living Single" has made what it apparently believes is a giant stride for women - they can now be just as sexist and obnoxious as men.
The men in this show include a skunk, a lout and the dumbest, most stereotypical black man on television since "Amos 'n' Andy."
Some progress.
This is not a show for anyone, but particularly not for kids. But then, neither are "Martin" or "Married . . . With Children."
NO SHOWDOWN: The big local battle that loomed between Oprah Winfrey and Phil Donahue won't take place after all.
Deciding that discretion is the better part of valor, KUTV-Ch. 2 is moving "Donahue" out of the 4 p.m. weekday time slot before "Oprah" arrives there on Sept. 7.
As of Aug. 30, "Donahue" is going to swap time slots with the NBC soap "Days of Our Lives." "Donahue" moves to 2 p.m., while "DOOL" jumps to 4 p.m.
As of Sept. 6, "Oprah" debuts on KTVX-Ch. 4 at 4 p.m. (Ch. 4 outbid Ch. 5, "Oprah's" longtime local home, for the rights to the show.)
Hey, if I were programming Ch. 2, I probably would have done the same thing. "Donahue" has been taking some pretty serious body blows from "Montel Williams" in the ratings. Just imagine what "Oprah" might do to him.
And the soap will provide an alternative at 4 p.m.
On the other hand, the folks at Ch. 4 aren't unhappy about this. They see a wide-open field for "Oprah" at 4 p.m.
EXTINCT: There's been no official word from ABC, but reportedly the network has canceled "Dinosaurs."
It isn't on the network's fall schedule, and it was announced as a midseason replacement show, but that isn't going to happen.
LETTERMAN'S BILLS: The guests on the first "Late Show with David Letterman," which debuts Aug. 30, will be Bill Murray and Billy Joel.
Murray was also the first guest on "Late Night with David Letterman" on Feb. 1, 1982.