Rosie to host “‘The Price is Right?’
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“The Price Is Right” needs a host, and Rosie O’Donnell is interested. Very interested.
The 45-year-old said on her blog recently that she was meeting with the “Price” people this week and that she “sure would” accept the job if they offer.
“I LOVE THE PRICE IS RIGHT,” she wrote, the capitalization underscoring her feelings.
CBS and FremantleMedia North America, which produces the hit game show, have been seeking a replacement for the venerable Bob Barker, who retired this month after 35 years as the show’s host.
Among those reportedly in the running are Todd Newton of the E! network, Mark Steines of “Entertainment Tonight,” George Hamilton and John O’Hurley. But Barker said O’Donnell is his pick.
“She knows the show,” he said backstage at the Daytime Emmy Awards on Friday, June 15. “There’s no doubt in my mind she could do the show. Now, whether they want a lady host, I don’t know. I’ve never heard that discussed. As far as I know, they’ve only auditioned men.”
Vivica Fox has it “‘Cover’-ed in film about gay man who infects wife with HIV
High on the list of “cool actresses who deserve better breaks” is the effervescent and sexy Vivica A. Fox, who has consistently dazzled in movies as varied as “Kill Bill,” “Ella Enchanted” and “Booty Call.”
She’ll soon be seen in “Cover,” a melodrama about a church-going wife and mother who discovers not only that her husband is living a secret gay life, but that he has also infected her with HIV.
This is the sort of material that could loan itself to homophobic hysteria, but with actor-turned-director Bill Duke (“A Rage in Harlem”) at the helm, there’s cause for confidence that the film can explore a relevant societal phenomenon while maintaining a sense of sympathy toward its gay characters.
The drama is expected to hit theaters later this year.
Nathan Lane returns to Broadway with “‘November’
When theater fans hear about Nathan Lane returning to Broadway, they’re more like to think about musical comedy than about the profanity-laden, alpha-male drama of playwright David Mamet.
But this unlikely duo will pair up for “November,” a political comedy about one day in the life of fictional American president Charles Smith, a harried commander-in-chief.
Gay Tony-winning director Joe Mantello will oversee the production, and his previous intersections with both men make him perfect for the job: Mantello directed Lane in both the recent revival of “The Odd Couple” and the acclaimed “Love! Valour! Compassion!” and was also the man behind the successful 2005 revival of Mamet’s “Glengarry Glen Ross.”
Previews for “November” begin in December with an official Broadway opening on Jan. 17.
Elvira to launch search for her successor on Fox Reality
Despite her obvious appeal for straight men, the bosomy and hilarious Elvira has always been a major gay icon, from her double-entendre-heavy humor to her dedicated presence at gay Pride festivities nationwide.
But the hundreds of requests for Elvira personal appearances are too much for just one Mistress of the Dark, so she’s launching “The Search for the Next Elvira.”
Premiering in October on Fox Reality, the show will feature 13 contestants who will do their best to look and vamp like Elvira. Viewers will vote for the winner, who will be named on the show’s live finale airing Halloween night.
Given Elvira’s famous decolletage, it’s probably a given that the gals in this competition could probably mow down the skinny women over at “America’s Next Top Model.”
Documentary focuses on Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld
If you saw the fascinating Sundance Channel documentary miniseries “Signe Chanel,” then you know that Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld is a larger-than-life presence, to say the least. From his bejeweled fingers to his oversized sunglasses, this couturier should always be followed by cameras.
American audiences will get another peek into his life with “Lagerfeld Confidential,” a new documentary slated to open this October in the United States.
The film goes behind the scenes at Chanel and shows Lagerfeld working with intimate friends like Nicole Kidman and Princess Caroline of Monaco (while being just a bit vague about his love life and other personal details).
A hit at this year’s Berlin Film Festival, “Confidential” will be released by Koch Lorber Films, who will also bring it to DVD and TV in 2008.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition, June 22, 2007.