What is this world coming to?

Former New York Governor and politician Eliot Spitzer, who was infamously found to be a client in a prostitution ring, seems poised to become this generation’s answer to Marion Barry. If he can make a political comeback similar to Barry’s has yet to be seen, but he will be making a comeback on the small screen. News media company CNN has announced Spitzer, joined by journalist Kathleen Parker, will begin co-hosting a roundtable discussion program on the network.

Prior to this announcement, Spitzer had contributed to Slate.com and filled in on-screen at MSNBC, as well as made guest appearances on CNN.

Oddly enough, Ashley Dupre, the “escort” whose services Spitzer patronized, has also found a new home in the world of journalism and now writes a sex and relationships advice column for the New York Post.

Is the news really getting that boring? What does it say about us when global (and supposedly credible) networks believe they can increase ratings by hiring the subjects of tabloid fodder?

Seriously, it’s almost as if CNN hopes to bait late-night talk show hosts into writing punchlines for “Client 9″ (bait they will probably be more than happy to take).

We seem to have lost our sense of true news and replaced it with “journal-tainment.” It’s time to realize the rewarding of less-than-respectable behavior promotes that behavior and the widespread publication/exploitation of it. What’s next? Bernie Madoff teaches a financial seminar live from prison? Al Gore does a documentary on therapy entitled, An Inconvenient Massage? O.J. Simpson writes a horror film? I could have inserted a Tiger Woods joke here, but that would just be too easy.

Certain reports have it said Spitzer agreed to take less than $1 million. While this is considerably less than his co-host’s cool million, Spitzer at least has the common sense to take what he can get.

Creating a buzz seems to be a trend at CNN, as there is much speculation that America’s Got Talent judge Piers Morgan will replace longtime television host Larry King.

Let’s hope the ratings increase before the network chooses to go this route.

Spitzer’s yet-to-be-titled show is set to debut this fall.

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