Tony Danza, who over the past few years has transformed himself from has-been to sought-after song-and-dance man, will star as Max Bialystock in the Las Vegas production of The Producers, says Extra. The Who's the Boss hunk previously played the role on Broadway.... A few weeks after announcing that Annette Bening would star in the upcoming L.A. staging of The Female of the Species, Playbill says the three-time Oscar nominee will subsequently travel with the play to Broadway next spring — the first time in 20 years Bening has graced the Great White Way.... In case you missed it, Doogie won't be seen roller-boogying in Xanadu. The producers of the problem-plagued production tapped Cheyenne Jackson to replace the musical's injured male lead. — Reporting by Raven Snook
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Miss USA Tara Conner has been secretly rehearsing to star as Roxie Hart in the Broadway musical Chicago, sources tell the New York Post. Word is that Conner's singing is pretty good, her dancing not so much, and her acting "nonexistent." But hey, tickets these days are only, what, $150?... Tony Danza waved his finger and mouthed "Stop" to two (I'm guessing) tourists who were brazenly videotaping his Wednesday performance in The Producers, but to no avail. When the curtain came down, Danza told the astoundingly unclassy pair to "Get the hell out," his rep tells the Post.... Carmen Electra will sing and dance — and presumably wear precious little — as the costar of a magic-variety show with Dutch illusionist Hans Klok, bowing May 12 in Vegas, says Us. You know, I had heard that Carmen could make Klok disappear....
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Only if you're Tony Danza, that is. The New York Post reports that the ex-Taxi driver's chatfest has been permanently muzzled, but his bosses "are afraid [he] will be so upset that he won't be able to go on with the live shows every morning." The rumored plan is that the execs will break the news to him next month over a two-week hiatus and 24 martinis. Okay, I made up the martini part.
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Appearing on CBS' The Late Show on Thursday night, Oprah Winfrey ended her supposed "feud" with David Letterman, going so far as to gift him with an autographed photo of her and Uma Thurman. "I want you to know: It's really over, whatever you thought was happening," Winfrey told the late-night host. In case their first one-on-one in 16 years went sour, Letterman had Tony Danza waiting in the wings as a "stand-in host." Seriously. THIS JUST IN: The OprahMan lovefest drew Late Show's highest ratings since February 1994, luring 13.5 million folks hoping to see Dave get bitch-slapped..
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Never underestimate the power of a televised mammogram, folks: In its second week on the air, The Tyra Banks Show was up 25 percent among women 18 to 49. In related news, Tony Danza will get screened for testicular cancer on his show today. Judith Light will do the honors.
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