The Pussycat Dolls.

PASADENA, Calif. -- Are the Pussycat Dolls empowering role models or skanky 'hos?

The debate raged yesterday at press tour where The CW network presented Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search For The Next Doll.

The idea behind the upcoming talent search series is to audition and find a seventh member of the hottie girl band, famous for writhing to hits like Don't You Wish Your Girlfriend Was Hot Like Me? Among the judges on the show are hip-hop slammer girl Lil' Kim, The O.C. producer McG and Geffen Record chairman Ron Fair.

The panel spent the first 20 minutes of yesterday's session extolling the virtues of Pussycat power. Choreographer Robin Antin, who created the Dolls, said it was "great for women" to get dressed up like a doll. McG said it was "inspirational," "empowering" that these girls "own it" and "are not in the service of any man."

My daughter, not yet 17, would disagree. She thinks these Monkees in thongs have set women back 30 years. When I pointed this out to the panel, well, let's say the mood in the room turned.

McG seemed most defensive, suggesting to another critic that "a gentleman of your age" just didn't get it, or as he put it, "I don't know if you two-way your friends on your sidekick." Fair tried to argue that The Dolls were part of a glorifying the American girl tradition dating back to the Rockettes and Earl Carroll. Fair enough, but pushing the Pussycats as part of some new feminist wave seemed a reach even by Hollywood standards.

McG then brought the house down with his interpretation of the Doll's main message. "Don't you wish your girlfriend could be free and comfortable in her own skin like me," was his read.

Stick that in your sidekick.