Remote patrol

Amazing. They found this guy, W. Earl Brown, who looks just like the larger-than-life rock star Meat Loaf. He's the star of "Meat Loaf: To Hell and Back" (8 p.m., VH1), a TV movie that VH1 says was made with "the full cooperation of Meat Loaf." Well, if you're gonna go that far, why not just have Meat Loaf play Meat Loaf? That, however, is about my only complaint with this interesting and sympathetic portrait. The story begins in Dallas, where young Meat must endure taunts about his weight - not only by schoolmates but also his own father. By acting and singing, he transforms himself into a 300-pound entertainment giant, starring in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" and making the seminal theatrical-rock classic "Bat Out of Hell." Later Meat wears out his voice, sending his career into a tailspin. Thus begins the familiar riches-to-rags-to-riches-again cycle that regular viewers of VH1 will recognize from practically every edition of "Behind the Music." And speaking of which, a "Behind the Music" devoted to the career of Meat Loaf follows the movie at 10 p.m. @ART CAPTION:The real Loaf @ART:Photo >>>