It's not really related to anything in the news; Stephen Merchant never fails to make me laugh (he looks like a Nick Park character come to life). Looking at this line up, I think this will be the last laughs I get for a while. While I would like to think that my Chuck Todd petition (166K+ at the time of writing--thank you for your participation!) has gotten through to the people of NBC News, it's quite clear that David Gregory remains defiantly toeing the corporate line, inviting the media-dubbed most powerful man in DC, Ted Cruz. If we had a functioning fourth estate at all, Ted Cruz would be considered the most ridiculous man in DC. If we had a functioning fourth estate, we would have at least some Democratic balance to this ridiculously Republican heavy Sunday the day before the government shutdown. If we had a functioning fourth estate, we'd know that this government shutdown is due to the bratty tantrums of a few right wing nut jobs being financed by big money. But sadly, petition or no, we don't have a functioning fourth estate. So, it's up to you and me to keep an eye on these jokers and remind them continually that we expect them to do their damn jobs.

ABC's "This Week" — Iran's foreign minister, Javad Zarif; former President Bill Clinton. Roundtable: ABC News political analyst Matthew Dowd, former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol, and New York Times columnist and Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman. Retired U.S. Army Ranger Jeff Struecker.

NBC's "Meet the Press" — Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas; Roundtable: Republican Congressman from Idaho Raul Labrador; former Republican Governor of Utah Jon Huntsman; former White House Press Secretary during the Clinton administration Dee Dee Myers; and author of the new book “Tip and The Gipper,” MSNBC’s Chris Matthews.

CBS' "Face the Nation" — Sens. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Dick Durbin, D-Ill.; Reps. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and Chris Van Hollen, D-Md. Panel: Wall Street Journal's Jerry Seib, Washington Post's David Ignatius, CBS News Foreign Correspondent Clarissa Ward, and CBS News rPolitical Director John Dickerson.

MSNBC's "UP with Steve Kornacki" - Guest list not provided.

MSNBC's "Melissa Harris-Perry" - Guest list not provided.

CNN's "State of the Union" — Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo.; Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash. Republican Senator John Barrasso and Former Vermont Governor and DNC Chief Howard Dean. Panel: former White House Chief of Staff John Podesta, Former U.S. Congressman Artur Davis, Washington Post Columnist Ruth Marcus, and CNN Commentator Ben Ferguson.

CNN's "Fareed Zakaria GPS" - U.S. National Security Advisor Susan Rice; Ciamak Morsadegh, the only Jewish member of parliament in Iran; Somali President Hassan Sheik Mohamud; Turkish President Abdullah Gül.

CNN's "Reliable Sources" - Guest host: Brian Stelter of the NY Times. CNN commentator Ryan Lizza, Politico’s Manu Raju, and The Guardian’s Ana Marie Cox; AMC President and General Manager Charlie Collier; Time Magazine’s James Poniewozik and the Huffington Post’s Mo Ryan; author Allen Salkin.

"Fox News Sunday" — Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.; Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Tim Kaine, D-Va. Panel: Brit Hume, Fox News Senior Political Analyst; Evan Bayh, Former Democratic Senator from Indiana; Kimberley Strassel, Author, Member of The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board; Juan Williams, Fox News Political Analyst.

So what's catching your eye this morning?