CBS Gets Revenge on ABC by Revealing New 'Dancing on the Stars' Reality Show

ABC/ADAM TAYLOR

CBS might be a tad sore from being denied a temporary restraining order against ABC's The Glass House. The network was unable to convince a judge last week that it likely would succeed in its claim that the new ABC reality show infringes the copyright of Big Brother. And even though the ABC show hasn't done well in the ratings, CBS is not letting this one go.

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On Wednesday, the network sent out the following funny press release that announces a new show called Dancing on the Stars. (Get it?) CBS says this show will be an "exciting, ground-breaking and completely original new reality program" where contestants win prizes by busting a move in a legendary Hollywood cemetery.

The press release in full is below. Give the PR department credit for creativity. We'll update with ABC's reaction if we hear anything. ...

From: CBS Communications Group Releases

Subject: A COMPLETELY ORIGINAL AND NON-DERIVATIVE ANNOUNCEMENT FROM CBS

CBS ANNOUNCES DEVELOPMENT OF “DANCING ON THE STARS,"
AN EXCITING AND COMPLETELY ORIGINAL REALITY PROGRAM THAT OWES ITS CONCEPT AND EXECUTION TO NOBODY AT ALL

Los Angeles, June 21, 2012 – Subsequent to recent developments in the creative and legal community, CBS Television today felt it was appropriate to reveal the upcoming launch of an exciting, ground-breaking and completely original new reality program for the CBS Television Network.
 

        The dazzling new show, DANCING ON THE STARS, will be broadcast live from the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, and will feature moderately famous and sort of well-known people you almost recognize competing for big prizes by dancing on the graves of some of Hollywood’s most iconic and well-beloved stars of stage and screen.

 

        The cemetery, the first in Hollywood, was founded in 1899 and now houses the remains of Andrew “Fatty" Arbuckle, producer Cecil B. DeMille, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Paul Muni, Benjamin “Bugsy" Siegel, George Harrison of the Beatles and Dee Dee Ramone of the Ramones, among many other great stars of stage, screen and the music business. The company noted that permission to broadcast from the location is pending, and that if efforts in that regard are unsuccessful, approaches will be made to Westwood Village Memorial Park, where equally scintillating luminaries are interred.

 

        “This very creative enterprise will bring a new sense of energy and fun that’s totally unlike anything anywhere else, honest, " said a CBS spokesperson, who also revealed that the Company has been working with a secret team for several months on the creation of the series, which was completely developed by the people at CBS independent of any other programming on the air. “Given the current creative and legal environment in the reality programming business, we’re sure nobody will have any problem with this title or our upcoming half-hour comedy for primetime, POSTMODERN FAMILY."

 

        “After all," the spokesperson added, “people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones."