If stupid people want to go on so-called "reality shows" and embarrass themselves, that's their right. But when stupid people — and stupid producers and irresponsible networks — embarrass children who have absolutely no choice in the matter, then they've crossed a line.
And that line has been crossed in the second season of "High School Reunion," which premieres Sunday at 8 p.m. on the WB/Ch. 30.
Two of the participants are a divorced couple — Gabe and Denise, the parents of two young children. And the fact that they arrive with different agendas quickly becomes obvious.
"If all my dreams could come true, there would be me, Gabe and our kids living happily ever after," Denise says.
"I definitely didn't come here to try to make up with Denise or fix our relationship," Gabe says.
The producers obviously knew this, which is pretty cruel to Denise. But that there are two young children sitting at home who, one way or another, are going to hear about how their father arrived at the house and ignored their mother, who are going to hear that she wants to rebuild their family and he doesn't, is far worse.
But that's minor compared to what's next. The producers add three women who were sophomores when the others were seniors specifically to stir up trouble with Gabe and Denise.
Heather C. describes the three — Heather F., Amanda and Stacy — as "just trash, basically. . . . I think those girls have no class, period." And it's hard to argue with that.
It seems that Gabe was dating both Heather F. and Amanda at the same time he was dating Denise. And, according to Heather F., having sex with both her and Denise.
"Gabe and I were dating, supposedly exclusively, and I get a phone call from Denise letting me know that she's pregnant with Gabe's child," Heather F. says. "I knew it was a lie. They went ahead with the wedding and Denise did have a baby a year and a half later. Denise might be certifiably crazy."
"Denise fabricated a lie about being pregnant so that she could marry Gabe and she could win. It was a game to her," Amanda says.
The three "sophomores" go on at some length about how Denise faked the pregnancy — with no evidence. They accuse her of threatening Heather's life — with no evidence. (Denise denies that.)
"Denise was a little psycho," Amanda says. "She did things that normal people don't do."
"There was nothing I wanted more than to turn around and rip her head off," Heather F. says.
Imagine being Denise and Gabe's children and someday finding out about all of this. Imagine finding out that your father hugged Heather F., the woman who has said such horrible things about their mother, on national television.
Apparently, nobody bothered to imagine that.
Some of the other reunion-goers do express fear for Denise's feelings. Louanne in particular tries to intervene. But when she tells the sophomores that Gabe and Denise are working on their relationship, the three laugh derisively.
But nobody mentions those kids. Heather F., who is well aware that Gabe and Denise have two children, actually says, "I want to laugh like she laughed at me because she's divorced with two children from Gabe, her high-school boyfriend who had two other girlfriends. I don't want to yell at her. I want to laugh at her."
Congratulations, Heather. You may be the most horrible person in reality TV history.
If no children were involved, all of this would be childish, petty, vicious and nothing short of cruel. Given that there are children involved, this verges on child abuse.
The WB, the producers and everyone involved should be deeply ashamed.
E-mail: pierce@desnews.com