Chicago, IL -- No wonder they call it the boob tube: A new survey suggests that 50 percent of Americans admit they've opted out of a social occasion in order to stay home and watch TV.

According to a poll by Cable On Demand, 24 percent of couch potatoes tell their friends they are "simply too busy" to meet up.

-- 11 percent claim they're "...coming down with something."

-- 11 percent simply tell friends, "Ooops! I completely forgot."

-- Finally, four percent try to get out of a previous engagement in order to watch TV by pretending there's a family emergency.

Solve puzzles and create your dream aquarium! Search through a dazzling trip down memory lane.

More Weird News From 2004-03-17 The day's offbeat stories from around the world. • Around The Weird: Bizarre News Briefs • Flash Lites: Rip 'N' Read Pop Culture Recap • Dale Earnhardt, Jr. On Speed Date • 50 Percent Of Americans Ditch Friends To Watch TV • Nicky Hilton Plays It To The Hilt • March Madness Means Lots Of Dough For Dick Vitale • St. Paddy's Day Warning That Will Flip Your Lid • Reality Show Star Biting Hand That Feeds Him • Charity Auctions Off Chance To Pitch Reality TV Producers • Cindy Margolis Gets Animated About History • Low-Carb Dieters Battling Bad Breath   « Current Weird News Stories