I see what you did there, but I'm gonna play along.
If they weren't catering to different demographics, then maybe?
Honestly, MG/HSH may have seemed like a good idea on paper, but I thought the actual show was a mess...all over the place. I don't think bringing in Peter Marshall or non-soap stars would've helped; it was just too much going on and the inmates ran the asylum.
I haven't watched the VH1 version, but it seems to be the same issue. Too much going on, and just trying too hard.