The End of 'The Sopranos'? Fuhgeddaboudit

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And if that's not enough good news, CBS yesterday announced that "The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show" broadcast will be back this fall.

CBS offered little other information in yesterday's exciting announcement, except to assure us that it would be a "fashion spectacular . . . infused with a holiday theme, musical performances, red carpet interviews, model profiles and a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the world's most celebrated fashion show."

All great.

CBS broadcast the undies runway shows during the November sweep ratings derby in 2002 and 2003. But the network had nothing to air in fall of '04 because in April the lingerie outfit had decided to scrap the fashion show, in part because "the heat was on the television networks," as Ed Razek, chief marketing officer of Victoria's Secret parent company, Limited Brands, explained in various press reports.

The heat was coming from the direction of our fair city after the national television debut of Janet Jackson's right breast during the Super Bowl in February of '04.

"The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show" had been broadcast for three consecutive seasons, beginning with ABC in 2001. The broadcasts brought complaints to the Federal Communications Commission -- which, of course, puts it in company with the opening ceremonies of the Athens Olympics. No FCC indecency fine was slapped on the lingerie showcase, though the National Organization for Women did pronounce it a "soft-core porn infomercial."

Hopefully, the year off will have rekindled viewer interest in the special, which snagged an average of 12.3 million viewers when it ran on ABC but dropped to 10.5 million in its first CBS telecast and even further, to 9.4 million, in '03.