One of the worst sub-genres of the oxymoronically named genre known as reality television is the “follow the D-list celebrity” category.

Comedian Kathy Griffin’s Bravo show is actually called My Life on the D List in which evidence is compiled on a weekly basis as to why she made the cut.  Other reality show D-listers (often fading celebrities who were once higher on the fickle Hollywood scale of fame) have included the late Anna Nicole Smith, Kirstie Allie, Danny Bonaduce, Hulk Hogan and the ensembles featured each season on Celebrity Rehab.

In the frantic race reach the absolute depths of voyeurism it really has become hard to rise above or, rather, sink below the competition but Endemol USA, the company that has given us such reality “classics” as Big Brother, Gay, Straight or Taken and Kid Nation, is taking a good try with a new D-list show it is currently shopping to the networks.

Called Lost and Found, the proposed show will feature actor Ryan O’Neal and his estranged actress daughter Tatum as they attempt to reconcile after Tatum moves into her father’s Malibu home.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I hope Ryan and Tatum work out their differences and rebuild their relationship (just like I root for the gang on Celebrity Rehab to get clean and Kirstie Alley to lose weight), I just don’t think they need to (or should) be subjected to the counterproductive strains of constantly rolling cameras and Neilsen ratings. If they’re sincere in their efforts to heal their rift, I urge them to do it in private.

Just over a year ago, Farah Fawcett‘s brave fight against cancer was captured on film for a documentary that aired on NBC. While I have no doubt Farah was sincere in trying to use the film Farah’s Story to convey a positive message, her death did take on a show businessy stagemanaged quality that was a bit unsettling to watch.

And when her death on June 25, 2009 was essentially upstaged in the media by the same- day death of Michael Jackson (deemed the bigger star) the sad ending took on an ironic twist that a Hollywood scriptwriter would be hard pressed to match.

The reality is Farah’s life and death was just as significant as Michael’s and no more so than the many other anonymous people who died that same day or any other day. Fame is not the measure of a successful life.

And Ryan and Tatum’s hoped-for reconciliation will not be made more real because it’s the subject of a so-called reality TV show.  Again, I’m rooting for them — but not their proposed show.