• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, September 1, 2005

To paraphrase former NBC executive Warren Littlefield: The things that scare us make the best TV shows - which is something programming executives should consider in this age of un-funny sitcoms.

Socially inept, ego-centered characters on "Seinfeld," or central gay characters on "Will & Grace" don't seem much like scary material now. But at one time they did strike fear in TV network executives who believed that, in turn, viewers would fear them as well.

Now there is a scary sitcom idea - floating around for sometime -- that no network has the stomach yet to schedule. It's about terrorists. In this case, it's about a bunch of bungling terrorists, in a proposed series called "The Cell."

Too sensitive for America, you say? Remember "Hogan's Heroes" was able to script in bungling World War II Third Reich German soldiers in a sitcom. Viewers are always scared. But that's where laughs can be the greatest.

Executives say the appropriateness of risky subjects has to do with time. The longer the stretch between the real events and the actual entertainment, the easier it becomes for society to accept. The problem is the reality of terrorists is still very strong. It's been only four years since Sept. 11 and just weeks after the London bombings.

The premise is a cell of Islamic terrorists sent to Chicago by a network resembling Al Qaeda. In one episode, their murderous boss flies in from Afghanistan and chews them out for spending lots of the organization's money without blowing anything up.

In another episode, a shy terrorist who has a job as a bike messenger falls in love with a neighborhood florist who turns out to be Jewish. A pal terrorist looking to raise his confidence says: "You're bright, you're funny, you're talented... Who made the best nail bomb in training camp? You did!"

We may not be advocating terrorist-themed sitcoms just yet. But, we understand the concept of comedy and that means laughing at serious things.

Woody Allen said it best. All you need to do is double everything.

For instance, Jesus Christ on the cross isn't funny.

But two Christs on crosses fighting for a parking spot in Manhattan is hysterical.