'My Big Redneck Vacation' hits Hamptons

THE SHOW "My Big Redneck Vacation"

WHEN | WHERE Saturday night at 9:30 on CMT

REASON TO WATCH Tom Arnold, mostly.

WHAT IT'S ABOUT YEEEhaw! The Clampets (real name) of Shreveport, La., have taken a paycheck from CMT and headed up to the Hamptons -- East Hampton, that is. Swimmin' pools . . . movie stars. Four couples -- Chris 'n' Aimee, Doug 'n' Wendy, Jared 'n' Michelle, and Tommy 'n' Tammy -- and about a dozen of their young'uns (give or taken a young'un or two, no one's really keeping count) spent last summer in a $4-million compound where the livin's easy, and the fishin' hole's just out back. Whee doggy! I do believe the locals call that Three Mile Harbor. Who cares? As long as the catfish is good.

MY SAY The plague of hillbilly reality is upon us. Once the flyover country of the small tube, rednecks are now everywhere and they are hot. Some of the offerings (and only some -- we haven't got all day) are "American Hoggers" (A&E), "Lizard Lick Towing" (TRUTV), "Swamp People" (History Channel) and "Hillbilly Handfishin' " (Animal Planet). Along with "My Big Redneck Vacation," they share accents, attitude and origination south of the Mason-Dixon Line.

But "Redneck Vacation" is a bit different -- the fish-out-of-water comedy with Tom Arnold pop-ups to remind viewers just how outta water these Hamptons Hillbillies are. Last week's premiere, along with the other companion/newcomer, "Bayou Billionaires," were seen by around 700,000 viewers -- modest, but still the highest number in CMT history for an original series.

Saturday night's episode wasn't ready to be reviewed, but really: If you saw last week, you get the idea. This clan is big and boisterous and couldn't care less that the hunting season ended in the winter. Too bad for the deer or raccoon passing through the backyard. They like their beer cold and they like their meat exotic. Shopping at a butcher, Tammy asks for fresh "nutria rat." Up pops Tom: "And I thought nutria rat was sweet, but without all the calories of the other one."

BOTTOM LINE Arnold, as usual, is funny with the right touch at the right moment, while the Clampets are the Real McCoys. The locals, however, do look like they are all in on the joke.

GRADE B+