The frightening little "spongmonkeys," as they're called, are the brainchildren of a BBC producer, who introduced them on his website.

Whether you feel the ads are freakish, funny, or puzzling, there's actually some smart thinking happening here. Unlike beer commercials with gassy horses, this actually tells you a little about the sandwiches as you gaze at the little guy with a pirate hat strumming his/her guitar. And who isn't curious now about that hallowed pepper bar?

The Showtime cable network is looking for a few good Charlotteans to be part of its new reality show, tailor-made for an election year. You don't have to sing, but you must be eligible to vote to get a shot at being on American Candidate, which will narrow down a national field of contestants and try to "identify an individual who has the qualifications and qualities to be President of the United States."

The show will conduct local auditions in Charlotte, and 10 will be picked to videotape their "political platform" in preliminary auditions to be held later this month. The winner of American Candidate will win $200,000 and a national TV appearance to "address the nation" after the series ends. If you're interested, contact regional producer Joey Popp at 704-334-3322 or e-mail at AmCandidate@aol.com by March 12.

Like any other self-respecting Charlottean and Sex and the City fan, we were hurt by the banjo pickin' Southern stereotype in the grand finale episode. The plotline had a Charlotte, NC, couple visiting character Charlotte and her hubby in the hopes that an adoption could happen between the couples. Good news: a thorough CL investigation of a videotape of the show reveals that the actors portraying our fictional townspeople had all of their gol-durned teeth. Stay tuned. . .and shame on you, Sarah Jessica.