THIS past fall, ABC tried unsuccessfully to fill the Tuesday night, 8:30 time slot with comedy drivel called "Man Up!"

Now the network's trotting out the misguided and lame "Work It."

Here's an idea. For the spring, rename the slot "We Quit!" and show reruns of anything.

There's little chance they could be worse than the umpteenth retry of the "men in drag" comedy bit at the core of "Work It!"

Get this--things aren't great out in the real world during a recession.

They're so bad that the family of character Lee Standish, who's been out of work for a year, has to finally cancel their daughter's cell service!

No, not that!

Never mind the fact that real people are losing their homes, going hungry or having to choose between food and medicine during today's lean times.

This sitcom family still has its house, a full fridge and a busy suburban lifestyle, even if dad has been searching for work for a year.

One day, as Standish waits to get a physical before he loses his insurance, he overhears a drug rep say that things are hopping in her business. When he inquires about men working in that field, the bimbette replies that male doctors haven't wanted to, ummm, pursue them with the same vigor.

Faced with finding a way to pay for his physical, Standish is about to hock his wife's jewelry when he walks by a mirror on which a dress is hanging.

Seeing his face reflected atop the dress, he has the only thought anyone in that position could have: "I know, I'll dress in drag and become a drug rep!"

Before you can say "gird your male loins," he's decked out in a wig, skirt, strategically padded blouse and heels he can barely walk in.

Oh, how hilarious, a guy dressed up as a woman! Let's all just howl!

As Standish, Ben Koldyke does as much as he can not to totally embarrass himself, but we've seen all this way too many times to care.

In TV's "Bosom Buddies." In too many "Big Mamma" movies. And done so much better by Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon in "Some Like It Hot."

Instead, this TV sitcom, with its lame body part and feminine hygiene jokes, is the only real joke.

Soon enough, Drag Man No. 1 has enlisted Drag Man No. 2, his buddy Angel Ortiz (Amaury Nolasco).

So that's where we'll go every week: to an office where the two men badly dressed as women can battle with an office full of mostly mean, back-biting women.

All are instantly forgettable, and it pushes believability that the guys can't tell their friends and family about their new line of work. Or their girdles.

Decades ago, this might have been novel in a way that was funny.

Now, with people changing genders and cross-dressing in the real world, this show isn't funny. It's sad and more than a bit tawdry.

Rob Hedelt: 540/374-5415
Email: rhedelt@freelancestar.com