Howie Mandel

Washington-- --If memory serves, March Madness began this year with a huge controversy over the inclusion of so many teams from mid-major conferences ... and CBS basketball commentators Billy Packer and Jim Nantz courageously defending the sense of entitlement that has developed among the elite programs around the country. The argument over who really deserves to be in the 65-team field for the NCAA tournament is intrinsic to the event -- and explains how Selection Sunday has become a major television landmark -- but the argument that the Missouri Valley Conference couldn't possibly deserve as many berths in the Big Dance as the ACC was something entirely different.

WHEN YOU THINK OF THE SAVE-A-Heart Foundation Inc., which raises money for cardiac equipment, the phrase "good for a laugh" doesn't leap to mind. But that was exactly the point of the foundation's fundraiser, "Howie Mandel -- A Night of Outrageous Comedy." And judging by the conversation at the post-concert dessert reception (which Mandel did not attend) Save-A-Heart achieved that goal. On the Lyric Opera House mezzanine, folks noshed on desserts and compared notes on the show. Most were blown away by Mandel's exuberance.

Auditions continue in Tampa, Fla. and we're off to a great start with a kiddie dance troupe called The Untouchables. They previously auditioned for the show with a bigger group, but the size proved problematic. Now they're back with fewer people and the cutbacks have payed off. I mean, not only are they super lively and precise, 8-year-olds are lifting and spinning one another above their heads! Judge Howard Stern, who has said at least three times this season that he normally fast forwards through the dance acts when he watches the show at home, calls them “captivating” and tells the cute, younger dancers that puberty is their “worst enemy.” “Shirley Temple didn't listen to me,” Howard says.

Tonight's first live show in New York begins with a half-hour countdown full of outtakes, bloopers and behind-the-scenes clips of the judges. There are some pretty memorable moments of Nick Cannon panicking on a speedboat and Howard Stern and Sharon Osbourne trying to remove a blackhead from Howie Mandel's ear. "My God, it's huge!" Sharon says. "It's got a face!" "I gotta get a second opinion," Howie says, distressed. "I'm gonna talk to the judges from 'The Voice.'" Soon, it's time for the performances.

64 Diane Ladd Actress 58 Garry Shandling Comedian 53 Joel Coen Movie director 52 Howie Mandel Game show host 43 Don Cheadle Actor

The networks have yet to even finish introducing all their fall programs, and already the first new series in a wave of counterprogramming arrives tonight on NBC in the form of 1 vs 100, another win-$1-million game show. The genre has been good to the network with Deal or No Deal, the series that gives away briefcases full of money, emerging as a surprise hit in the spring - drawing as many as 18 million viewers a night. Hosted by Howie Mandel and airing twice a week, Deal has continued its winning ways this fall.

Poor ticket sales led to the cancellation of last night's "A Night on the Town" jazz concert at the Pier Six Concert Pavilion. Approximately 800 tickets for the event, which was to have featured James Ingram, Patti Austin and George Howard, had been sold, according to Pier Six spokesman Kevin Brown. At least 3,000 needed to be sold for the show to break even.The renovated pavilion opened less than two weeks ago with a new capacity of more than 4,300. Concerts by Hall & Oates, John Denver and Howie Mandel/Dennis Miller have drawn well, Mr. Brown said, while one of the two Patti LaBelle concerts last weekend was "disappointing," drawing less than half of capacity.

Fox has another good idea gone bad premiering Sunday night. It's a sitcom set in a funeral home which, as fans of "The Loved One" can testify, is actually a perfect place for black humor and social commentary."

Baltimore magician (and self-proclaimed "world's youngest escape artist") Spencer Horsman slipped out of a straightjacket and avoided almost certain death on last night's episode of "America's Got Talent. " Horsman, a 26-year-old who runs the South Baltimore bar Illusions with his father, had "America's Got Talent" host Nick Cannon strap him into a straight-jacket. He then hung upside down, between a set of metal jaws with nasty looking spikes, held open by a rope. The rope was set afire, and Horsman had a minute and 20 seconds to escape before the jaws clamped shut on him. "Do not try this at home," Cannon warned as Horsman's escape began.