TV Guide Online: You're CBS's newest star. How'd that happen?
George Lopez: I just know that Les Moonves had to approve me, and he did. I'm a big fan of Les's. I like what he's done with the network.

TVGO: Do you see this as a sign of progress?
Lopez: It's a huge thing because no wants to promote other people on other networks because it's so competitive. Every time you hear "George Lopez" in a [CBS promo for the Latin Grammys] it's a promo for my [ABC sitcom], because it's called George Lopez. So I just think that's great.

TVGO: Speaking of George Lopez, ABC used your comedy to plug the hole left by Roseanne's short-lived reality show. Were you honored?
Lopez: I love Roseanne and I always have. I saw the show and I liked it. I mean, I like Roseanne as a character. It's unfortunate that that didn't work out for her, but I'm glad that I was able to jump in and fill the spot. We're having a great summer. We've cracked the top 20 in reruns, we're moving to Friday to kick off ABC's [new] TGIF [lineup] — we're primed!

TVGO: You're going to be one of 11 comedians participating in the Sept. 21 Emmys. What will you be doing?
Lopez: Believe it or not, I think they've given an Emmy to a reality show. And I'll be introducing a segment on reality. I've got about a minute-and-a-half. I can get about five [jokes] in in a minute-and-a-half.

TVGO: Will this be like Last Comic Standing?
Lopez: I don't think we're going to [try and] outdo each other. I think when you get comedians at that level, everyone is kind of experienced and it's just about not dying. It ain't about killing each other, it's about you not dying.

TVGO: Do you see the gig as an audition to someday host the show yourself?
Lopez: I would like to look at it like that.

TVGO: What will you do to stand out?
Lopez: I have an ability to say things that most people get in trouble for. The reality is, Latino products are more popular than [Latino] people, so I've got to speak out. And it's done in a sense where it's not divisive; it's inclusive. We just want to be included with everyone else. I mean, when I read polls in newspapers it's always black and white. We're one of the largest minorities, and they need to open up that pie chart.

Jon Lovitz was a cult fave as irascible movie reviewer Jay Sherman on the animated series The Critic. Now, this former Saturday Night Live regular is sparing the silver screen, instead turning his evil eye on reality TV shows!

"I don't like them that much," Lovitz plainly tells TV Guide Online. "But, the first Bachelor I thought was pretty fascinating. That I really got into. I couldn't believe that the women were taking it this seriously and crying over somebody they didn't know. Even after six weeks, you couldn't know the person.

"It is ridiculous," the 46-year-old actor adds. "I couldn't believe it, but I liked seeing that house they were at because I'd seen it before and I thought, 'Oh, I wanted to buy that house!'"

Lovitz's new movie, Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (opening Friday), spoofs Fox's Celebrity Boxing in its opening scene. He's got a gripe with that show's concept, too. "I think it is kind of humiliating," he says. "I look at it from an actor's point of view and it's like, 'They have to do it [for money].' But then, Manute Bol did it because he doesn't care and he's doing anything to raise money for his country. So then, it's kind of noble."

What would the cranky critic like to see on reality TV? "Well, [men] just want to see a bunch of girls in one house — and in the shower. That's what they want to see, and I did a survey on that." Somebody oughta tell this guy about Paradise Hotel.

If you watch NBC's "Must See TV," you've seen those Peacock promos likening Coupling to its Thursday night lead-in, Will & Grace. Having screened the pilot episode of this British import — debuting Sept. 25 at 9:25 pm/ET — we agree its got the racy part down, at least. Talk about raunch-o-rama! A couple negotiates sex in a bathroom stall, a woman titillates men with tales of girl-on-girl action... and you should hear the stuff they had to cut.

"Yeah, it does deal with some subjects that maybe are a little unusual," says exec producer Phoef Sutton. "I mean, we're after Will & Grace. To me, it follows the same sort of envelope-pushing, if you want to use that word, that Will & Grace does. I don't think it's outside the pale of that."

Britcoms adapted for American broadcast TV often can end up homogenized and lame. But Coupling co-creator Beryl Vertue — who helped dream up the Brit version — insists that won't happen here: "I would be irritated if it was really watered down hugely, just for the sake of it, as though America can't watch television because they're all at church or something."

Back to that spicy scene in the men's room. At a vital moment, the randy Steve (Jay Harrington) is obliged to pause the passion, stepping out of his stall to ask some guy if he's got a spare condom on him! "I think it's interesting," Vertue points out, "that Phoef had to rewrite that bit about the condom [from the original Coupling's script]. Because in the U.K., in every restroom of any hotel or restaurant, there's a condom machine. And as you don't appear to have all those, he had to re-write the joke."

Have any of the cast ever asked anonymous folks for prophylactics? "I've called it out," laughs Colin Ferguson, who plays Patrick.

"And if I never have," adds Rena Sofer, who plays Susan, "I sure know how to do it now. So I find it informative!"