There's something about the guilty pleasures of summer television viewing.

Growing up, summers meant mostly lots of reruns.

But in recent years, network programming executives have discovered there's an audience for quick and cheaply produced original series.

And sometimes, bad TV can translated into a mildly entertaining diversion.

For the past three weeks, NBC has given us the chance to watch former Illinois First Lady Patti Blagojevich and other contestants on the NBC reality show "I'm a Celebrity. . .Get Me Out of Here" "struggle with jungle life" (ahem, for the benefit of the cameras and ratings).

During Tuesday's live elimination round, viewers bounced Blagojevich, sending her back to the Windy City.

Not a bad showing for the gal, referred to by her castaway/castmates as "Peppermint Patty," considering she made it right up Wednesday night's grand finale broadcast 2which included crowning actor Lou Diamond Phillips as "King of the Jungle."

When you think about it, along with the headlines that have dogged both Patti and former governor-hubby Rod Blagojevich as he awaits his trial, her ousting is an "out of the frying pan and into the fire" foray.

The first time I wrote about this show was in my June 1 column.

Here we are near the end of the month and I must say, I have a different view and understanding of Patti.

Given the company she was made to keep in Costa Rico, stuck with Phillips, "American Idol" contestant Sanjaya, Stephen Baldwin and brother Daniel Baldwin, among others, she came across as very level-headed, next-door neighbor-like, rather than the foul-mouthed, modern-day Lady Macbeth described by the media because of her wire-tapped phone conversations.

Sure, she used some camera time to seek sympathetic support, while making jabs at political cronies like Lt. Gov.-turned Gov. Pat Quinn and former Ill. State Treasure Judy Baar Topinka, whom she hinted had a "crazy old aunt" quality. These wisecracks came between the mud wrestling, swimming with baby alligators, and eating tarantulas.

But in her defense, why not make the most of the opportunity (one where she reportedly made as much as $100,000 an episode as well as funds for a children's cancer charity.)

She shed more than a few tears along the way, sharing such details as Quinn pulling the security detail from their North Side home just three minutes after the vote to impeach her husband came through (she said the state troopers doing security even cried). She also offered the fact that she drives a 21-year-old car, and that the root of hostility toward her husband came after they vetoed moving to the governor's mansion in Springfield.

I must admit, making the experience of watching this show even more entertaining was the inclusion of supermodel Janice Dickinson as part of the cast.

Dickinson, 54, received lots of camera time, all of it deserved, from her funny faces and expressions and complaining. Plus her references to former beaux Sylvester Stallone and moving moments after she explained why she was eating prunes

She was over the top and not afraid to even lampoon herself (for example, winking at the camera while shouting at Baldwin not to bother her when she's busy because "When a supermodel is doing her makeup, the world stops!"). I hope to see and hear more from Dickinson.

I liken my addiction to "I'm a Celebrity. . .Get Me Out of Here" to my one for NBC's really bad, yet "trainwreck fascinating" "Hit Me, One More Time Baby!" during the summer of 2005, where viewers voted on performances by C-list singers from the 1980s like Tiffany, Vanilla Ice, and Flock of Seagulls."

And given the decent ratings this time around, NBC seems to know secret of success for silly summer replacement programming.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at philip.potempa@nwi.com or 219.852.4327.

Today's Celebrity Birthdays

Movie director Sidney Lumet is 85. Actress June Lockhart is 84. Singer Eddie Floyd is 72. Actress Barbara Montgomery ("Amen") is 70. Singer Carly Simon is 64. Keyboardist Allen Lanier of Blue Oyster Cult and keyboardist-saxophonist Ian McDonald of Foreigner and King Crimson are 63. Actor-comedian Jimmie Walker is 62. TV personality and former Miss America Phyllis George is 60. Singer Tim Finn of Split Enz and Crowded House is 57. Keyboardist David Paich of Toto is 55. Actor Ricky Gervais is 48. Singer George Michael is 46. Actress Erica Gimpel (TV's "Fame," "Profiler") is 45. Rapper Candyman is 41. Guitarist Sean Kelly (Sixpence None The Richer) and actress Angela Kinsey ("The Office") are 38. Bassist Mike Kroeger of Nickelback is 37. Actress Linda Cardellini ("ER," "Scooby Doo") is 34. Actress Busy Phillips ("ER," "Dawson's Creek") is 30.