Fred, Frank, Tom, and Ted sit at their usual place at the counter of the Hullahoo Bar for their Friday night drinks with friends and not-so friends. The subject is TV panels.

‘You ever notice how the female panelists always sit cross-legged?” Fred initiates.

“Yeah,” Frank responds. “You wonder how they avoid getting cramps. I’d like to see what they do with their legs during the commercials.”

“I bet some physical therapist comes by to rub their calves,” Tom says.

“You ask yourself why they’re always sitting cross-legged in unison,” Ted says. “Are they hiding something?”

“You ever noticed how the male panelists sit?” throws in Cindy. “Always wide-legged.”

“Oh, they do,” Melissa croons. “With their hands folded at the groin. I wonder if they’re hiding something, too.”

“And some are thumbing their fingers at the same time while they’re pontificating.” Mary scoffs.

“Gross,” Cindy judges. “Why don’t they sit at tables so we don’t have to watch that exhibitionism?”

“It’s because male viewers like to see nice legs,” Mary retorts. “They’re not interested in what they’re saying.”

“Sure,” Tom interjects. “Some females wear their skirts so short that you see way up their upper thighs instead of hiding them.”

“I’m all for sitting at tables,” Melissa says. “Not all female panelists have nice legs. That’s discrimination.”

“Then the viewers will focus on too much facial makeup,” Frank says, “Ever noticed those dark lines under and above their eyes to hide wrinkles or a hangover?”

“Ever noticed those guys with black colored hair and grey beards?” Cindy shoots back.

“Why shouldn’t males have the right to paint their hair to look younger?” Fred asks. “Women paint their hair for that reason all the time.”

“We do because if we don’t you guys go look for younger blondies,” Mary says. “It’s all in the eyes of the beholder. Painting our hair works for us.”

“Painting your hair while leaving your beard or mustache greying is preposterous,” Cindy insists. “It shows you’re having your mid-life crisis.”

“So table or no table doesn’t make a difference,” Fred concludes. “That’s a level playing field.”

“Oh, and then you have those false teeth,” Melissa deposits. “Amazing how different those guys look with their instasmiles. They can’t stop laughing  broadly to show off how much they paid for it, regardless of the sordid issues they’re harping on.”

“That brings me to the facelifts,” Ted says. “Nancy Pelosi’s multiple facelifts. Or Kerry’s endless botox looks. And those of other celebrities. Panels feel forced to ape the anti-aging trends. It’s absurd.”

“Every woman has the right not to look her age,” Melissa says. “It’s all your males’ fault. You men go astray as soon as we get wrinkles.”

“Hear, hear,” Fred says. “I repeat there’s no difference between tabled panels and legged panels. That was what we were arguing about.”

“I suggest that all panelists, females and males, wear pants,” Cindy offers. “That solves the issue.”

“Right,” Frank pummels. “So they all can sit wide-legged.”

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