If given the choice, most people from Generation X and Y would rather watch the “Grumpy Old Men” movies than stare at those political talk shows.

The two have many similarities.

Crossfire and the McLaughlin Group should be called “The Old Fogie Hour.” The folks on these shows give new meaning to the term boob tube.

These shows are getting paler, staler and male-er by the minute. These shows nearly demand their panelists to have one foot in the grave. So why would anyone want to watch near-dead men bitching anyway? Especially when there’s Playstation 2 and Game Cube to conquer.

Irreverent? No doubt.

But there’s no doubting many 20-somethings’ indifference to the policy and politics in the world around them.

And so the Baby Boomers and some older Generation X-ers wonder why young people don’t vote.

The answer to that question is as flamboyant as Tucker Carlson’s bow tie.

Young people are bored — and they should be.

While it’s true the 18-34 year-old group is a tough little demographic to crack, that doesn’t mean the group isn’t worth drawing appeal.

Many efforts have been made, but few have been successful. MTV doesn’t rock the vote hard enough. Jesse Jackson targets young people but only of certain ethnic groups. His operation Rainbow/PUSH doesn’t push hard enough. Generation Y needs a good shove every now and then, especially when it comes to the voting booth.

Candidates typically don’t pay attention to the younger generation because it doesn’t pay attention them. In other words, we don’t vote; so they don’t listen — it’s a vicious cycle.

The problem lies in the average Generation Y-er’s attention span. Political issues are more involved and can’t be summed up with the quick and smooth video with multiple camera angles the generation is used to.

Politics never make for Must See TV.

But none of this should stop the political world — inside the Beltway and beyond — from trying to reach the Playstation generation.

A politician could appear on a new reality show called Joe Politician, where he or she fights for the adoration of 20 would-be voters in a castle-like setting only to realize in the end that Joe isn’t really a politician.

Let’s lump Richard Gephardt, Trent Lott, Joe Lieberman, Tom Daschle, Bill Frist and George W. Bush together in the Amazon Rain Forest for a televised game of Politician Survivor.

Dare I think it? A reality show with Regis called, “Who wants to be a President?”

Tell George Will, Bill Crystal, Cookie Roberts and George Stephanopolos to get day jobs. The content and council on “This Week” stay about as fresh as as Strom Thurmond.

Other mediums have taken the plunge to appease the younger generation. Both the Chicago Tribune with the publication Red Eye and the Chicago Sun-Times with Red Streak have made attempts at making an impact on the tricky demographic.

Two of the greatest newspapers in the land believe their best interest is served by appealing to this demographic, so there’s no reason why others can’t follow their lead.

The status quo is for old fogies.