Glee's pilot Tuesday is more than a bit frenetic, but it's also often well-written and sharp, with lines like this all-too-true one: "Fame is the most important thing in our culture now."
Cable news, like talk radio, has coarsened our culture, turning it into a daily sideshow for loudmouths and know-nothings. It's all about the perceived best way to get ratings -- by keeping the pot stirred.