By Romeo San Vicente
Davis and Louis-Dreyfus envision 'Sellevision'
One left behind "Sex and the City", the other "Seinfeld". Now Kristin Davis and Julia Louis-Dreyfus look ready to join the cast of "Sellevision". For those of you who aren't thoroughly Augusten Burroughs-obsessed, "Sellevision" was the book "before" the book, the novel that author wrote prior to becoming a literary It Gay with the memoir "Running With Scissors" (coming soon to the big screen, starring Julianne Moore, as Romeo previously reported). The novel is being adapted by Mark Bozek, who also plans to direct the feature, in which a fictional home-shopping network known as Sellevision endures public scandal when one its hosts suffers a breakdown. Both actors are still negotiating deals to star, but the sell-by date is approaching fast – the Florida-based shoot is scheduled to start in February.
Portia de Rossi's 'Dead' career
Now that Romeo no longer has to resort to tired euphemisms for describing "Arrested Development" star Portia de Rossi's sexual orientation (thanks, Ellen!), he can just skip to the stuff that matters, like the lovely comic actor's upcoming project, "Dead & Breakfast". The former Miss Mandy Rogers will join David Carradine and "Six Feet Under"'s Jeremy Sisto in this horror comedy about six friends who stop for the night at a small-town inn. When the owner and chef wind up dead, the group is not only suspected of killing them, but they also fear for their own lives as the townsfolk become possessed by murderous evil spirits. The comedy, Romeo assumes, will come in the form of silly mutilations and snappy zombie banter. Look for the sure-to-be gory goofiness sometime later in 2005.
McNally makes 'Some Men' sing
Never accuse Terrence McNally of not being ambitious. His latest play, a musical called "Some Men", will feature approximately 40 characters, all connected in varying degrees, whose task it will be to sing the 20th-century history of the American gay male. Recently part of the Sundance Theater Institute Lab, "Some Men"'s current cast includes Don Amendolia ("Cloud 9"), Stephen Bogardus and John Glover (both of "Love! Valour! Compassion!"), Darius de Haas ("Kiss of the Spider Woman"), Malcolm Gets ("Amour"), and Pam Isaacs ("The Life") as part of a group of women and men attending a same-sex wedding. The story revolves around the wedding guests reflecting on gay life from the era of World War I to the near-future, using popular American songs as historical background. Romeo just hopes they skip the "Y.M.C.A." sing-along.
Martha's post-prison prospects
When America's most misunderstood jailbird, Martha Stewart, is free to fly again in the spring, gay audiences addicted to her iron-fisted brand of homemaking will once again have something to set their TiVo to. Stewart's newest venture – brokered in a deal she had to sit out, being locked up and all – will be a daily, hour-long show on NBC, produced by "The Apprentice"'s Mark Burnett. The new program will differ from Martha's previous program, "Martha Stewart's Living", by being taped in front of a live audience and featuring celebrity guests. Meanwhile, there's also speculation that if and when The Donald grows tired of firing aspiring executives, Stewart might be the kind of prime boss-lady material the show would need to keep ratings cooking. Either way, plenty of good things are waiting for Martha just beyond the prison gate.
