No Sir Paul, but Plenty of Nostalgia on 'Idol'

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ABC finally figured out how to replace NFL football on Monday nights.

Ballroom dancing!

The debut of the fourth edition of "Dancing With the Stars" this week scared up ABC's biggest Monday 8-10 p.m. audience with regularly scheduled programming in more than 15 years.

That crowd of nearly 22 million also is the dancing competition's biggest debut yet.

The latest launch even trumped that night in October when the show brought back country crooner Sara Evans to give host Tom Bergeron the skinny on why she abruptly pulled out of the competition and filed for divorce from her GOP fundraiser husband.

Because, turns out, one-legged soon-to-be-ex of former Beatle totally trumps two-legged soon-to-be-ex of current Republican.

And, because the producers are no dummies, they saved the nearly-ex-Mrs. Paul McCartney, Heather Mills, until the final few minutes, though Bergeron worked up quite a sweat making sure no one forgot she was on the way:

8:06 p.m.: We've got . . . three world champion sports stars . . . and our first performer with an artificial limb!

9:37: In our first seasons, we have seen a number of people with two left feet. Never anyone with an artificial leg . . . !

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One new series launched like a prince, in the lap of luxury; two others launched like paupers, making their own way as best they could in a cruel ratings world. It's enough to make a gal philosophical.