Darnell tops reality list; Spike and Fox order pilots

>> Mike Darnell tops THR's 50 most powerful people in reality TV ("Hole in the Wall" not withstanding).

>> As if often the case, a pirated version of David Letterman's McCain diss received more traffic than the official network version.

>> Spike TV orders modern-day odd couple pilot. … Fox orders animated pilot presentation from "Pineapple Express" director David Gordon Green.

>> If you have $400 million handy, you can buy TV Guide Channel (suddenly WWE is looking like a good investment). The brand has been in trouble ever since the increasing use of interactive programming guides made its program-listing scroll obsolete. Somebody needs give the network a cash-infused brand overall to make it competitive with the likes of E! or use it for its valuable cable distribution real estate.

>> Cable news nets scramble to cover Wall Street meltdown: "I have never seen anything like this."

>> Dull choice: Bruce Springsteen to play Super Bowl half time show (would do a predictable "because so-and-so wasn't available" joke, but I'm actually blanking on anybody more mainstream and safe than Spingsteen).