anne
saturday tv pageSCOTT D. PIERCE LOGO
TELEVISION
PASADENA, Calif. -- More than a year after "Seinfeld" retired from television, the series may be spawning a spinoff from a most unexpected direction.
Just don't expect to see Jerry or George or Elaine or Kramer or even Newman anywhere in sight. According to actor Phil Morris, his Johnny Cochran-esque lawyer character, Jackie Childs -- who appeared in only a few episodes of "Seinfeld," including the finale -- is slated to headline a comedy that's in development.
"('Seinfeld' executive producer) Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld will be the executive producers/creators of this show," said Morris, who has been co-starring on the now-canceled series "Love Boat: The Next Wave."
Oddly enough, Morris made this rather surprising announcement to television critics in response to a question about the underrepresentation of minorities on the broadcast networks. It was a charge that was leveled at "Seinfeld" itself, and a charge that was not without merit.
"Seinfeld" is one of the many ensemble comedies set in multiethnic New York City that featured an all-white regular cast and a nearly all-white guest cast. Still, Morris defended the show.
(And why shouldn't he, given the chance he may be offered to star in his own series.)
"Those creators were taken to task about not having adequate black representation on a show that takes place in New York City," Morris said. "But the first spin-off, hopefully, from 'Seinfeld' will be 'The Jackie Childs Show.' Not 'The Kramer Show.' Not 'The George Costanza Show.' But my show.
"So what that says is if you're funny, if you're good, if you're strong, you cannot be denied."
Of course, there are no guarantees that the show will ever actually be produced. Morris said that there is "hope" that it will end up on NBC, but the network hasn't actually ordered "Jackie Childs."
In a business where rumors run rampant, no one had heard anything about this project until Morris dropped his bombshell.
And if the show makes it on the air, there's the double-edged sword of being a "Seinfeld" spin-off. Any such series is almost guaranteed to attract a huge audience, at least at first. But the expectations will be so high that it's easy to wonder if any show -- no matter how good it is -- could possibly live up to them.
q q q
"Late Show" host David Letterman has a reputation for being mean to his guests. It's somewhat undeserved -- he gushes over them far more often than he gives them a hard time -- and any meanness is done in the service of comedy.
There's no guest Letterman is meaner to than fitness guru Richard Simmons, whose appearances on the "Late Show" are always worth watching simply because of the friction between host and guest. But it's all part of the act for the man who readily admits that he was once horribly overweight.
"Well, I write all that . . . I think it's funny" Simmons said."I think it's fun to make fun of myself. When you're 268 pounds, you better tell the first joke."
Simmons also confirmed that Letterman isn't an easy person to get close to. Despite the fact that he's appeared on his show dozens of times, the two don't really know each other.
"I've never met David Letterman. I've never met him," Simmons said, referring to any meeting off-camera. "When I'm there, I go in -- they lock me in my room, they come and get me and when I go onstage, I meet him. That's all."
q q q
JANET RENO? The weight-loss king will be hosting his own syndicated show this fall, "Richard Simmons Dream Maker," an upbeat offering in which he (and the show's staff) will grant the wishes of real-life people all over the country. As for the host himself, he too has a dream or two he'd like to see come true.
"One of my dreams is to have lunch with (attorney general) Janet Reno," he said. "I know that sounds silly, but I want to meet her. I love this woman! I love her!"
How odd.