Age-old lesson

Age of Love audiences found out what the rest of us have known for some time: Age does matter. It did again last week when 25-year-old kitten Amanda Salinas beat out 48-year-old cougar Jennifer Braff for the affections of Mark Philippoussis on the NBC reality show. And, ladies, don't be too hard on the guys - it wouldn't stun us to hear that NBC will do the same show with a woman making the final call.

Chef speak

"Jean Phillipe is regal - like a French poodle."

Rock, 30, executive chef, commenting on the proper valet for Hell's Kitchen

Oh, Brother

8 million viewers tuned in Thursday to the live eviction episode of Big Brother 8. That's the largest audience for the series on any night this summer.

Kathleen Marshall finds out Sunday whether reality TV can breathe life into a Broadway war horse. That's when the director-choreographer presides over the official opening of Grease on Broadway. The revival, which cost $10 million to mount, has two leads - Max Crumm, right, and Laura Osnes, left - chosen this year on an NBC reality series, Grease: You're The One That I Want.

"The TV show did exactly what it was supposed to do: find us two talented, young, fresh people to play these parts," says Marshall. "It also has brought a whole new audience to the Broadway show." But can it bring good reviews? Stay tuned.

38.5 million viewers watched four episodes of reality TV for the week ending Aug. 5. The shows, all in the top 10, were:

• 1. America's Got Talent , NBC, 10.8 million viewers

• 2. Singing Bee, NBC, 9.8 million

• 3. So You Think You Can Dance (Thursday), Fox, 9.6 million

• 10. So You Think You Can Dance (Wednesday), Fox, 8.3 million