It took TV Guide and Spike TV money, time and marketing research effort to figure out what Desperate Housewives casting agents knew instinctively (and Sex and the City agents did not): Men will watch chick shows if the chicks on those shows are sufficiently hot.

NEWS FLASH: MEN LIKE FOOTBALL AND SEXY WOMEN ON TV

41% WOULD SUBJECT THEMSELVES TO HOUSE ARREST RATHER THAN MISS A FOOTBALL GAME; 53% WOULD STAY LOST WITH KATE; NEARLY HALF WOULD RISK THEIR HEALTH TO GET PROBED BY GREY'S ANATOMY'S DR. IZZIE STEVENS

March 10, 2008 (New York, NY) -- According to a national study of men by Spike TV and TVGuide.com, men are willing to subject themselves to all manner of unpleasantness for the sake of sports and their favorite female TV stars. The full results are posted on www.tvguide.com/spiketvmenstudy.com and www.spike.com/tvguidemenstudy.com and in the March 17th issue of TV Guide magazine (on newsstands Thursday, March 13).

Nearly half (41%) of respondents would subject themselves to a week of house arrest rather than miss the broadcast of an NFL game between two undefeated teams, while 53% would brave polar bears, creepy people and mysterious smoke monsters to stay stranded on the Lost island with Kate (Evangeline Lilly). Beyond freedom, they are also seemingly willing to risk their health, with 44% saying they would get sick on purpose for the chance to be examined by Grey's Anatomy's Dr. Isobel Stevens (Katherine Heigl).

Beyond their attraction to the sexy actresses in female-skewing TV shows like Dancing with the Stars and Grey's, men are also tuning in to these shows to spend time with the real ladies in their lives. 75% say spending quality time with their spouses or girlfriends plays an important role in their viewing choices, while 42% go so far as to say it plays a very important role.

In association with Spike TV and TVGuide.com, Latitude Research conducted a poll of 800 men ages 18-49, asking them weigh-in on their favorite TV stars and viewing habits. Other findings include:

* Almost half (44%) of men who watch Dancing with the Stars watch for the hot female dancers;

* Gabrielle Solis (Eva Longoria) was rated the "hottest" Desperate Housewife by an overwhelming margin of 56% to 12% for second-place Susan Mayer (Teri Hatcher);

* Men are divided over which CSI beauty they would most want to have an office romance with: 37% of male viewers choose Calleigh Duquesne (Emily Proctor) from CSI: Miami, 34% choose Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger) from CSI, and 27% choose Stella Bonasera (Melina Kanakaredes) from CSI: New York.

* When it comes to Heroes, 35% of men say they would prefer Hiro Nakamura's (Masi Oka) ability to travel through time, followed by 21% desiring Matt Parkman's (Greg Grunberg) ability to hear other people's thoughts. Meanwhile, only 14% preferred an old-school power like Nathan Petrelli's (Adrian Pasdar) ability to fly, and only 7% chose Niki Sanders's (Ali Larter) superhuman strength.

* Prison Break's Michael Scofield (Wentworth Miller) may be smart and tough, but men say they are more fearful of getting on 24's Jack Bauer's (Kiefer Sutherland) bad side than on Scofield's, by a margin of 67% to 33%.

Spike TV/TVGuide.com Male Viewer Preferences Methodology: Latitude surveyed 800 male TV viewers ages 18-49 years of age. Additional research study data is available upon request.