Showbiz Commentary: Heidi Oringer

April 10 — -- I contemplated whether or not to bother getting up today, figuring eventually, the way things have been going, the day would be canceled.

I thought perhaps John Ashcroft or someone from network television would interrupt regularly scheduled programming to tell the world, "Wednesday's been canceled this week."

Why did I think something this absurd? It might have been the cough syrup with codeine that got me on this track, but really it's because just about everything else with a scintilla of value has been ended, concluded, finalized or canceled over the past few weeks.

There's the relationship between Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake. First swirling rumors, then denial, then confirmation: Two of today's youngest musical icons ended their torrid romance (if it can be torrid without consummation).

Timberlake has recently been seen at strip clubs with the rest of his boy band pals. Spears has been seen shopping solo where she once only shopped with him. Why? Were their grueling tour schedules keeping them apart too often? Was it the unexplained "irreconcilable differences?" Maybe he just figured he could find a gal with a bod, a belly ring and the desire to give into a penchant for hot sex. (Maybe if he's on the prowl, he can go after a songstress who actually sings during live concerts … just a suggestion.)

For whatever reason, the Britney/Justin romance is over. Now, I certainly didn't think this was the do-all and end-all of relationships. I thought that about Tom and Nicole and boy, was I flattened on that one, but I did think this one might just make it down the aisle. I figured perhaps young, foolish love would prevail and we'd see a flashier, more star-powered and far more believable set of nuptials than that of Liza Minnelli and David Gest. However, it was not to be. They ended it.

Once and (Never) Again

Onward to television, where they've hacked away at just about any program that has substance. ABC's Once and Again was canned.