Don't Mess With Taxes

That's what ABC television thinks we want and/or need. It's the premise of its program UN-BROKE: What You Need to Know About Money, airing today, Friday, May 29 at 9 p.m. Eastern, 8 p.m. Central.

The network says the show will provide viewers the basics on finance via an "unconventional look at the fundamentals of everyday finance." Unconventional means that celebrities will be doing the schooling. Presumably they are rich and famous. Otherwise, why would you want to hear from them?

I know for sure that some of the Un-Broke folks are doing just fine financially: Will Smith, Samuel L. Jackson and the Jonas Brothers. And who doesn't want to get money management tips from teen heart throbs?

But, hey, if ABC can deliver on its promise to provide "all the facts about credit cards, mortgages, stocks and bonds, investing and 401(k)'s, in a fresh new format combining information and humor," who am I to criticize? I doubt they can do it "all" in just an hour, but with way too many folks making major financial decisions with minimal information, any attempt to educate and lend some basic guidance is welcome.

Mellody Hobson, financial correspondent for Good Morning America and President of Ariel Investments, is the program host. "The economic crisis was a harsh wake-up call that we can't keep doing the same thing in the same way," said Hobson. "To me, that meant taking a fresh look at my own approach to financial education. This will make people laugh while they learn."

Among the features that ABC hopes will be fiscally informative as well as entertaining are:

• Will Smith getting down to basics with a boardroom full of corporate finance executives.
• Samuel L. Jackson appearing as a bestselling author of self-help books and who is "Broke as Hell and Not Going to Take it Anymore!"
• The Jonas Brothers teaching screaming teenage girls the mysteries of the stock market.
• Seth Green explaining mortgage fundamentals.
• Cedric the Entertainer talking back to credit cards.
• Christian Slater and Rosario Dawson discussing the importance of investing in a 401(k) retirement plan.
• The E*Trade Babies chatting online about money from their high chairs.

Hmmm. No mention of taxes. Will could talk about his early career tax troubles. But then ABC is giving them just one hour. A tax tutorial can be the sequel!

So, as they say, check your local listings.and mark your viewing calendar. Or at least set your Tivo or DVR.