PASADENA, Calif. -- Prepare for the return of Mr. T, who will offer his own advice on TV Land's "I Pity the Fool" (10 p.m. Oct. 11), the anti- "Dr. Phil." Imitating guests on "Dr. Phil" at a press conference yesterday, Mr. T whined, "What's wrong with me 'Dr. Phil'?"

	Barbara Nitke "I Pity the Fool," starring Mr. T, premieres Oct. 11 on TV Land. "I'll pull no punches" in dispensing advice to "fools," he said at a news conference yesterday. Click photo for larger image. Related article Rob Owen's Tuned In Journal

"You're a fool!" Mr. T said, reverting to his usual persona. "That's what's wrong with you!"

Unlike "Dr. Phil," which brings guests into the studio, Mr. T will go to where people have difficulty.

In the series, Mr. T will attempt to "change people's lives in cities with fools to pity," according to the announcer in a promo reel. If this all seems a stretch for the head-busting star of the 1980's series "The A-Team," Mr. T offered reassurances.

"I still like busting down doors and beating up the crooks. Mr. T. is my alter ego," he said. "I'm really a humble, library-type guy."

(And, he pointed out, on "The A-Team," "I liked the fact we shot up thousands of bullets, but we killed nobody.")

"I bring more than just being tough," Mr. T said. " 'A-Team' gave me the platform to meet people. I grew up in the ghetto, but the ghetto didn't grow up in me. Why? Because I loved and respected my mother. My mother taught me good things."

Mr. T, who mentioned his mother at least a half-dozen times in his 45-minute press conference, said that although he's qualified to beat up people, he's also prepared to offer straight-shooting advice.

"I talk about what I know," he said. "I'll pull no punches."

Mr. T, who said he stopped wearing gold chains after Hurricane Katrina, still has his mohawk, but that may not last.

"I'm getting kind of old, so the hair is falling out, so I'll let nature go its course," he said. "Even if I'm bald, my mission will be the same."

'South Park' restored

On the cusp of its 10th season (beginning Oct. 4), Comedy Central has finally scheduled a second run of the long-missing "South Park" episode that mocks Tom Cruise and Scientology for next Wednesday.

Series creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, who have waged wars with Comedy Central over the past year regarding the Cruise episode and a Mohammad episode, began their Comedy Central press conference with Parker joking, "There can't be any questions on Tom Cruise or Scientology or 'South Park.' "

Stone said getting the Cruise episode on the air was no problem; it was only after it aired that controversy erupted.

Published reports speculated that Viacom, which owns Comedy Central and Paramount Pictures, refused to air the episode again for fear that Cruise would not promote Paramount's "Mission: Impossible III."

The pair threatened not to work for Viacom again if Comedy Central didn't rerun the Cruise episode.

"It's tough to go to work for people who you think may be holding one of your episodes hostage," Stone said. "But that's water under the bridge because it's going back on the air."

The Mohammed episode was harshly critical of the Fox animated comedy "Family Guy," but Parker said they may not be the only ones who have disdain for "Family Guy."

"The day after that episode aired, we got flowers from [the writers of] 'The Simpsons' and calls from 'King of the Hill' [writers] saying we're doing God's work," Parker said.

As the 10th season approaches, the pair have no plans to make another "South Park" movie, mostly because they prefer working in TV where they can make an episode in five days and put it on the air on the sixth.

"TV is so much better than movies," Parker said. "By the time you're editing a movie, you've lived with a joke for two years.

"We live one week and we're already bored with them. And the people in TV are nicer."

'Office' Webisodes online

The first two summer Webisodes from NBC's "The Office" are now online (www.nbc.com/The_Office/). The story follows some of the show's supporting characters as they try to locate $3,000 that have gone missing.

"It is not an accounting error," says Angela (Angela Kinsey), one of the accountants. "Well, it's not my accounting error."

Oscar (Oscar Nunez) suspects boss Michael, saying in the past he's claimed to take clients to lunch but submits a receipt from J. Crew.

The Webisodes, with a new one posted every Thursday, keep the same tone as the hilarious prime-time series.

HBO updates

The last batch of episodes of "The Sopranos" has been delayed until later in 2007 (probably March) due to James Gandolfini's recent knee surgery.

The second and final season of "Rome," HBO's uber-expensive period drama, will debut in January 2007.

"The Wire" returns Sept. 10, but each new episode will debut on HBO On Demand six days before its cable premiere.

A new season of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" may air in 2007, though it's not yet a done deal.

Channel surfing

KDKA morning meteorologist Rebecca Hower gave birth to a baby boy, Jacob William, last Thursday, weighing in at 8 pounds, 10 ounces. ... "American Idol" star Kelly Clarkson will tape a concert for HBO, scheduled to air in February 2007.