Opinion: Congress hears Obama tonight. So what else is on?

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So you think you can speak?

President Obama‘s prime-time news conferences/speeches haven’t quite had the same TV ratings as they once did, especially since having to compete with Fox’s ‘So You Think You Can Dance.’

Well, there’s another one tonight -- this speech to a joint session of Congress at 5 p.m. Pacific (8 p.m. Eastern, 1 a.m. Thursday GMT).

[Updated 1:03 p.m.: An earlier version of this post gave an incorrect time for the president’s speech.]

And wily Fox is again electing to air the dance show on the East Coast instead of Obama’s healthcare reform talk. (In L.A., viewers will see ‘King of the Hill,’ a cartoon about a conservative family living in Texas.)

Fox News will carry Obama’s speech to Congress along with the major networks, including NBC, ABC, CBS, and news channels MSNBC and CNN.

Obama is expected to try to regain control of the debate and tackle a variety of issues and criticisms of the program that have hindered its progress through the legislative bodies controlled by his own Democratic Party.

Many may wonder ‘what else is on?’ You know we’ll have complete coverage on The Ticket, including the transcript, for you to catch up on anytime.

So here are a few notable viewing alternatives:

‘Cash Cab’ (Discovery Channel) -- Worried about how you’ll pay for health insurance? What if the next time you got into a taxi, you were given ...

... the chance to answer trivia and win hundreds of dollars. That’s the premise of this game show. Put us down for a cab ride and a public option.

‘Jon & Kate Plus 8’ (TLC) -- Here’s a tip: If you plan on having eight kids, you’re going to want to have health insurance.

‘Cheech and Chong Still Smokin’ (Comedy Central) -- For some Californians, the end-all health remedy is that magical herb so beloved by Cheech, Chong and hippies everywhere. This will no doubt be a much funnier alternative to Obama’s speech, man.

‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ (Nickelodeon) -- All of this healthcare policy chatter can take a toll on your psyche. This is heavy stuff, people. Instead, let’s just unwind with a nice, wholesome cartoon. This particular episode is about the Squidward character’s recovery from a bicycle accident.

Yikes, hope he had insurance.

-- Mark Milian

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