Is Sarah going Gosselin?

There's been a lot of talk lately about "Sarah Palin's Alaska," a new program coming to TLC that, according to producer Mark Burnett, "brings together one of the most fascinating figures of our time with one of the most wondrous places on earth." Burnett is responsible for "Survivor" and "The Apprentice," both big, lucrative hits, so maybe he's earned the right to engage in promotional hyperbole.

Here's the thing, though: Why TLC? While the fact that the acronym stands for "The Learning Channel" has provided ample fodder for Palin critics to snark about whether the cameras following the former governor will be able to pick up images of Russia, or whether viewers will get to see footage of Palin reading every magazine and newspaper that's put in front of her, the choice of this particular Discovery network is interesting given Burnett's glowing, Alaska-heavy description of the show.

Don't get me wrong; I love TLC. In fact, I'd like to take a moment to share with you some of the TLC programming I've found most enlightening, as well as some of the lessons (see? Learning!) I've taken away from my viewing experiences:

"Jon & Kate Plus 8" -- Probably TLC's most popular product, "J&K+8" spent five seasons following the adventures of a couple who, in their early 20s, conceived twins and then sextuplets through fertility treatments. The titular parents' marriage disintegrated last year after the family became incredibly wealthy and dad Jon Gosselin started running around with college girls.

Lesson learned: Life is unpredictable. Anyone watching the show in its early years would probably have guessed that Kate, with her unrealistic expectations and total lack of patience for Jon's imperfections, would have ended up the villain when things finally fell apart. Instead, she became the poster child for the wronged woman (at least until Elin Nordegren and Tiger Woods hit the tabloids).

"L.A. Ink" -- A reality show about celebrity tattoo artist Kat Von D, who experiences all kinds of interpersonal drama as she opens up a new shop in Los Angeles, doing things along the way like inking Lady Gaga's lower back and setting the Guinness record for tattooing the greatest number of people in 24 hours.

Lesson learned: Your mother was wrong. You can get stars tattooed on your face and still be a success in life.

"Toddlers & Tiaras" -- Another reality show, this one about little girls competing in "full glitz" pageants -- the kind in which contestants sport spray tans, wiglets, rhinestones, bouffant hairdos and dental appliances called "flippers" (to cover up the gaps where they've lost baby teeth) and mothers stand in the middle of the hotel ballrooms where the events are being held and shout out "Sparkle, baby!" while their daughters walk the stage. Not to be confused with "Little Miss Perfect," a nearly-identical program on the We network.

Lesson learned: It takes all kinds.

"Say Yes to the Dress" -- This (you guessed it!) reality show goes inside Kleinfeld's, the legendary New York bridal boutique, as brides from around the country visit to find their dream wedding dresses. I have been banned by my fiancé from watching any further episodes following a four-hour "Say Yes to the Dress" marathon after which I began to think it would be reasonable to spend $10,000 on a gown that I will wear for only a few hours and then put away forever.

Lesson learned: Every groom has his limits.