Smith and Sandra See Souls in Silver Lake
Sandra Bernhard doesn't shy away from anything, and her fans know that no matter what she's doing, she'll bring her own hilarious dose of biting, bitchy intelligence and style to the project. So to find out she's going to be Miss Cleo on Silver Lake, a new pilot in development, is welcome news to the faithful. Set in the bohemian Los Angeles neighborhood of the same name, the supernatural Silver Lake will star Kerr Smith (everyone's favorite gay teenager from Dawson's Creek) as a record store owner who communicates with the dead, and Bernhard as the psychic who helps him out. Of course, what he does with the dead once they start talking is anyone's guess. And yes, it sounds just like Tru Calling. And sort of like Joan of Arcadia. And close in tone to the sadly cancelled Wonderfalls. Who said Hollywood had no original ideas left?
Ross the Intern Gets a Promotion
Bubbly Tonight Show intern Ross Matthews, whose infectious exuberance has turned him into an audience favorite and regular fixture on Jay Leno's show, will finally realize his dream of hosting his own series. The de-facto gay cable network, Bravo, has ordered a pilot for The Ross Show! featuring Matthews, who quickly went from being a behind-the-scenes intern to a giddy celebrity-befuddling presence on the red carpets of movie premieres. On his new show, the hyperactive Matthews—that exclamation point in the title is there for a reason—will do more of the same: hang out with the famous, try his hand at unusual jobs, and visit exotic places, while also hosting a segment in which viewers will have their wishes granted. But here's the question: will his own interns get their wish to be on camera, too?
VH1 Has Gaydar
Playing It Straight, the reality dating show in which gay men try (for big bucks) to trick a young woman into choosing them as a romantic partner, has an heir to its throne of deception. VH1 has ordered a pilot for Gaydar, a reality/game show where celebrity guests try to figure out whether contestants are homo or hetero. Brian Dunkleman (formerly of American Idol) will host the show, and comedian Scott Kennedy will be a permanent panelist on the series. Panelists will have to guess the sexual orientation of contestants by participating in various games designed to reveal clues. Celebrities with good gaydar—and really, if they work in Hollywood, they must have some—whose deductive skills pay off will win a donation to a selected charity.
Big Cast Gives Happy Endings
Don Roos, gay writer/director of The Opposite of Sex, begins shooting his latest feature, Happy Endings, any minute now, and the large ensemble cast has finally been set. Joining the already-attached Maggie Gyllenhaal, Lisa Kudrow, Jesse Bradford, and Bobby Cannavale will be Laura Dern, Tom Arnold, Jason Ritter, David Sutcliffe, and Johnny Galecki (Kelly Preston is still in negotiations to join). As reported here, the film will spin three related stories of Los Angeles residents entangled in each other's lives. In fact, very entangled: a father and son date the same woman, people get blackmailed, and a young woman's boyfriend may or may not be performing the title's 'happy endings' on his massage clients. Of course, given the unconventional plot twists of Sex (which also starred Kudrow and Galecki), none of this sounds all that shocking. Look for more of Roos' trademark caustic comedy and a probable 2005 release.
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