Ryan Seacrest: Icon, Non-Scientist, Pipe

"Obviously," snapped Mizrahi.

"Wow -- I made a good decision," Harbert marveled from the podium.

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Winter TV Press Tour 2006 had not begun auspiciously.

More than 100 of the Reporters Who Cover Television, from around the country and even Canada, descended on Loopyville West this week to spend two weeks discussing Ideals and the Future of Television at the gorgeous old Ritz-Carlton, Huntington Hotel.

It was a homecoming of sorts for the group, which for a decade had held its semiannual confab at the Huntington, chatting up suits and celebs in freezing ballrooms by day, dining on the networks in the Horseshoe Garden at night -- followed, weather permitting, by a little late-night viewing from room balconies of TV celebs swimming and engaging in other activities in the pool.

But, as with so many other beautiful relationships -- Brad and Jen, Jessica and Nick, Renee and Kenny -- this one began to crumble and about three years ago reporters decided to take their business to a hotel across the street from a Hooters in Hollywood. Monday night, at the National Geographic Channel Check-In Party, they celebrated their return to the site of so many happy, happy times.

The next morning the tour officially got underway when Billy Ray Cyrus and his 13-year-old daughter, Miley, got up onstage to hawk their new Disney Channel series, "Hannah Montana." It's about a girl who, unknown to her fellow students, lives a double life as pop singer Hannah Montana, entertaining legions of prepubescent fans with songs written by her manager-dad.

It's hard to focus on Ideals and the Future of Television after you've just watched a clip of Billy Ray Cyrus -- who will now try to do for the Neo-Prince Valiant with Tips and Streaks what he did in the '90s for the mullet -- singing:

I like to sing,

I like to dance,

But I can't do it with poopy