Bowled Over

Talk about counterprogramming! HBO retaliated against the Super Bowl Sunday by airing . . . “Ishtar.”

Well, the strategy didn’t pay off. Of all the viewers with cable TV, 8% watched “Ishtar” and 92% watched something else.

That’s “horribly bad,” said an HBO rep. “In fact, based on our research, it’s laughable--which is not what the movie is.”

You can decide for yourselves: HBO will again air “Ishtar,” Tuesday at 10 a.m. and Friday at 6 p.m.