‘Popstars 2’ Adds Men to the Mix

Perhaps it is mere coincidence that the title “Popstars” sounds an awful lot like the brand name “Pop-Tarts.” But the two certainly share many attributes, such as being packaged for quick consumption and containing a certain amount of flakiness.

And both can be addictive, which is why the series is back for its second season with an hourlong premiere tonight at 8 on the WB (part-owned by Tribune Co., owner of the Los Angeles Times).

The premise: A bunch of crazy 18-to 25-year-olds line up for their chance to become part of a prefab pop group, the “next big thing” as it were. The twist this time is that men and not just women are in the running.

Voyeuristic hilarity and drama ensue, as the hopefuls see their dreams of fame either brought one step closer to reality or squashed by the judges, who size up groups of contestants with comments like “nobody has a cute personality” with hushed gravitas.

In contrast, the young men and women of “Popstars 2” tend to be high-strung and hammy, at least when the camera is on. Win or lose, there is a lot of crying--one wonders if Kleenex might want to be a sponsor.

There are also moments when you wish an earplug manufacturer would join the show’s corporate fold. As tonight’s episode traces the first day of auditions in six U.S. cities, be prepared to listen to countless a cappella renditions of Nelly Furtado’s “I’m Like a Bird,” Joe’s “I Wanna Know” and “Say My Name” from Destiny’s Child.

What separates all this from karaoke night at the local bar is, of course, the real chance at stardom. Last season’s competition begat the five-woman group Eden’s Crush, which came up with the top-selling single “Get Over Yourself.”

But lest we get too wrapped up in the pursuit of fame, we have the comments of 23-year-old Lian Ellis of Mount Vernon, N.Y., upon which to draw. For her, Plan B is attending Cornell Medical School: “So if [the audition] doesn’t pan out, then I guess I’m going to be a doctor, you know, saving lives. I mean, it’s not a bad option.”