BEVERLY HILLS -- The producers behind ABC's hot potato reality show Welcome To The Neighborhood told the Sun yesterday that they were devastated at its eleventh-hour withdrawal from the schedule.

"I'm extremely disappointed that the series couldn't be seen at this time," said Tony Marsh, who created the show along with producing partner Jay Blumenfield.

Both men were at the network press tour yesterday to promote their new reality series that did make the schedule: UPN's R U The Girl, a star search series featuring TLC survivors T-Boz and Chilli.

Originally scheduled to start right after ABC's spectacular summer hit Dancing With The Stars, Neighborhood was apparently spiked after special interest groups in the U.S., who were given a sneak peek, objected to the show's content. The series was a social experiment, pitching white families next to black families, homophobes next to gays, etc.

In the end, everybody reportedly got along, but the getting there was a rough ride, exposing how keenly felt some prejudices remain in American society.

In short, not your average, brainless, summer reality show. Disney-owned ABC caved to outside pressure and the show was yanked.

Reluctant to go into any details about the decision, both Blumenfield and Marsh stressed that ABC was very supportive and that they'd be happy to pitch their next idea to the network.

It wasn't network politics so much as U.S. politics in general that doomed the series, they suggested.

Both would still love to see the series air so that viewers could judge for themselves whether the content was too explosive.

"I think this show is really important and really valuable," said Blumenfield. "I'm very proud of it."

Could the series someday air in Canada, where the political climate is perhaps less polarized? "It's out of our hands," he said.