Regrettably, the Teen Choice Awards show has never been in the best of taste, as I've lamented over and over. But this year, it's become truly horrific.

Never mind Twilight and Gossip Girl. We're talking about a nomination for infamous gossip blogger and displayer of semi-pornographic photos Perez Hilton -- yes, he of the Carrie Prejean brouhaha, though that's probably the least of his offenses. No, I'm not linking to him. I'm not even giving out his URL, not even with a warning or disclaimer. That's how bad his site is.

And he's nominated for a TEEN Choice Award.

The people behind the TCAs may have finally gone too far with this one. I saw the news on a secular message board where the general attitude is, shall we say, pretty free and easy. And even there, people were shocked and upset.

There's a petition here to remove Hilton's nomination. You can sign it if you want, but Web petitions aren't generally considered very effective. A better move would be to write to Fox and to the show's official sponsor, TeenPeople. I'll be doing it, and I hope you will too. It may have something of the feeling of rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic -- but it's a start. Who knows? This may finally be the tipping point that changes things at the TCA.

(Image © Teen Choice Awards)