Show Skewers Martha Stewart, With Her Blessing

LOS ANGELES - Can Martha Stewart take a pie in the face - even one she baked herself? Fine Living Network is about to find out.

On Sept. 16, Fine Living will unveil a new original comedy series built around a provocative premise: mocking Ms. Stewart. For a half hour, two hosts will critique - in "candid and often acerbic" language, according to the channel - old clips from her 1990s cooking and craft show. Fine Living, part of the E. W. Scripps Company, calls the series "Whatever, Martha!"

For Fine Living, a fast-growing but small channel available in about 50 million homes, the endeavor comes with a built-in punch line that doubles as an insurance policy. The co-hosts of "Whatever, Martha!" are Ms. Stewart's daughter, Alexis Stewart, and Jennifer Koppelman Hutt, who is the daughter of the chairman of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Charles Koppelman.

Martha Stewart is not widely known for her sense of humor. But she is in on this particular joke. In fact, she created it, dreaming up the premise after watching reruns of "Mystery Science Theater 3000" during a sleepless night. That series, produced from 1988 to 1999, delivered sarcastic commentary about old horror movies, and had blossomed into a cable cult hit.

"They promised not to be mean, and I had to trust them," Ms. Stewart said in an interview. "I'm not going to have a heart attack."

The same may not be true for her publicist, Sheila Feren, who is responsible for protecting Ms. Stewart's public image. During the preparation of this article, Ms. Feren repeatedly said, "Oh, my God. Please tell me this is not happening."

Alexis Stewart said in an interview that the sometimes harsh opinions - nothing is off limits, including her mother's clothes, fastidiousness and habit of mixing sexual innuendo with her household hints - is simply the truth.

"She would say it herself," she said. "Given a drink or two."