Somebody Give Cloris Leachman a Television Sitcom!

Cloris Leachman is going through her second childhood on national television.

Viewers of ABC's hit TV series Dancing With The Stars tune in to see stars work their butts and feet off to choreographed dance. It's fun. I watch to see dancing action. However, veteran film and television actress Cloris Leachman, a gloriously perky 82 years young, not only keeps up with dancing queens a fourth her age, but she's brought opponents, the judges and the audience tears of laughter with her antics.

This season producers even brought in comedian Jeffrey Ross - the first to get the ax and be voted off. We can't know how much he'd have made us laugh, but with Cloris Leachman around fans are in agreement she's the new comedian. Leachman isn't the best dancer, she'd be first to admit the fact, but in a pure entertainment capacity, the octogenarian more than delivers.

Older Americans seem to be more invisible than ever. Republican presidential candidate John McCain would be the oldest man elected to the oval office, but besides him, it's hard to point to senior citizens making any kind of popular or media splash. With Cloris Leachman's energetic and engaging display of dancing daffiness, she's set a new bar for the golden girls out there in America.

Speaking of Golden Girls, that's about the last time we've seen a more mature set of American women have any real creative power on television. You could point to Desperate Housewives as an example of older women succeeding to the delight of weekly TV audiences. Though the average age of Desperate Housewives actresses probably hover around 45, so Leachman has a good thirty seven years seniority on those wacky gals.

Leachman's track record for contributing to groundbreaking, award winning television is impressive indeed. She's won eight Emmy awards for her TV work and was most notable in the classic Mary Tyler Moore as Phyllis Lindstrom. Her character was spun-off into a show which lasted two years. Cloris Leachman proves we can be vibrant well past traditional notions of retirement. A sitcom with her at the helm may not be Friends or Seinfeld, but would certainly showcase an original, funny lady.