Last night, we accompanied Stereohyped to a gypsy run of the Debbie Allen-directed Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Broadway show, the first all-black production of the Tennessee Williams classic. It was the first time the cast, which seemingly just began rehearsals, showed before an open-to-the-public house (if the "public" were press or a friend of the cast or crew).

We happened to have watched an episode of Friday Night Lights immediately before departing for the theatre; we ended up sitting in front of the show's Gaius Charles (aka Smash). It was a good omen: The all-star cast all-star performed.

CONTINUED »

ROSIE'S REAL THEATRICS First Will Ferrell, now Rosie O'Donnell. The ex-View chair already kicked off rehearsals for a show based on her own life. [Cindy]

THE GREAT WILL WAY When one Broadway door closes, a window opens. This time it's for Will Ferrell, who's said to be exploring options for an autobiographical show. But don't worry, there will be plenty of time for George Bush impressions. [NYP]

Yesterday, news broke in the New York Times that after 12 years on stage, Broadway's Rent would close. Except culture boy Campbell Robertson wasn't supposed to get the scoop. Rather, a forum member on BroadwayWorld.com, a news and community site for the theatre world, posted the news on the site on Tuesday evening, the night before the Times story ran.

Except it was promptly removed by a forum moderator, and, according to one source with knowledge of the situation, promptly sent the forum member an email about how "BroadwayWorld.com does not post gossip."

Or, for that matter, exclusive news. (The endless threads about Clay Aiken being gay, however, remain.)

To bring the matter full circle: Yesterday's article from Robertson ran the same day Caryn James trumpeted theatre websites like BroadwayWorld.com for forging a new online frontier. Silly, right?

END OF THE WORLD AS WE PREFER IT After 12 years selling overpriced merch and warranting a terrible film spin-off, Broadway's Rent is shutting its doors. Following the closure of Les Miserables earlier this month, Rent's absence leaves us with The Little Mermaid for reasons to hate New Broadway.

Even though Broadway got it together last night, the TV writers strike shows no signs of ending. They've been picketing for so long that we’ve resorted to reporting on the New York Times coverage of the Nikki Finke’s blog.

And as the TV writers continue to not write for TV, CBS’s news writers could strike any day. As a precaution, CBS News has canceled the Democratic presidential debates it planned on hosting for December 10.

Here’s an idea, TV writers, news writers and stagehands: When we renegotiating your contract, how about picking different expiration dates? This perfect storm of entertainment strikes has left us with no evening plans.

One strike down, one to go. After costing the city $38 million in lost tax revenue, the Broadway strike is over. Stagehands and producers have finally reached a settlement and performances will resume tonight. [NYT]

Um yeah, so all the negotiations between Broadway producers and their striking stagehands resulted in, well, nothing. After 13 hours of negotiations, no deal was reached and no new talks were scheduled. The city will continue to lose an estimated $2 million a day as Broadway remains closed.

The only play that will continue is Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical, which people with good taste have been boycotting since its opening.

Thank god the U.S. economy is shit, otherwise New York would be in real trouble.

Last night, negotiations between the League of American Theaters and Producers and the stagehand union fell apart. The producers have canceled all performances through next Sunday. As the talks stand now, there’s no reason to believe that Broadway will be back for Christmas.

CONTINUED »

It's a good thing those Broadway shows are on strike — since it means the little people can benefit from all the free time those actors have.

By little people, of course, we mean the homeless, who will bathe in the cash tips levied at them at Monday night's Celebrity Bartending Night at Frank's on West 16th Street, where Jersey Boys' John Lloyd Young, Spamlot's Christopher Sieber, Legally Blonde's Richard Blake, The Wire's Ernest Waddell, and other Brodway and TV notables will be serving up drinks for the charity Stockings With Care.

Then again, the event is on a Monday night, when most theatres are dark anyhow. So really, there's still nothing good to come out of the Broadway strike. But have fun pouring Patron for poverty!

After media writers had come up with all possible synonyms for strike, theater reporters get to benefit from all their research.

A Broadway “work stoppage” has taken over midtown. Twenty-seven plays have stopped production this weekend as the stage hands began to strike over their contract with the League of American Theaters and Producers.

CONTINUED »

• John Travolta and his Scientologist publicist Paul Bloch insist the actor is promoting Hairspray on Good Morning America simply because they asked first. It's has nothing to do with the Today show (where he castmates are appearing) and that Tom Cruise interview. Nothing.

• J. Lo's camp denies any notion of a split with Marc Anthony.

• Willa Ford set to play the rich, big-breasted blonde who recently died.

• Joe Francis indicted on two counts of tax evasion. Apparently the $3.78 million spent on his home in Punta Mita, Mexico, was not a valid business expense.

• Pink is suffering from the Dixie Chick's effect.

CONTINUED »

• Keith Richards should be exempt from any kind of health ban there is. The man is practically half dead anyway- let him have his fun. [CNN]

• It's true, unfortunately. Ashlee Simpson will lip sync her way to the Broadway stage. We'll safely assume Joanna Coles gave her comp tickets to her assistant. [Star]

• Beyonce treating Jay-Z like a fashion accessory means only one thing: she’s ready for the big leagues. [NYM]

• Elton John thinks we’ve forgotten how weird he actually is. Well, this will serve as a reminder. [CNN]

• Gene Simmons wants to show the world what a good Jew he is. [AOL]

As Martin Short gears up to open his "one man" show (read: it comes with an ensemble cast) to Broadway on August 17, he's currently previewing Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me to theatre queen insiders. And it was during Wednesday night's performance that he revived – if only for one night – the career of Chris Noth. In the character of Jiminy Glick, Short brought a seemingly unsuspecting Noth out of the audience and up on stage for a rather lengthy bit filled with improv. It turned out to be one of the best moments of the show — but no worries when Fame opens up to all theatre-goers: there's plenty more funny even without Noth. And maybe Parker Posey's got an evening free to fill in.

• Because Axl Rose has not yet become a living joke in the UK, when Guns N Roses performs, people show up. [NME]

• Does anyone else think that coupling Ludacris with a girl's high school basketball team is a bad idea? [MTV]

• As much as radio listeners want to hate Paris Hilton's new song, they just can't. We don't feel so alone now … but this is the most Paris affection we've had to repress since we found ourselves liking her perfume. [NYDN]

• When a Wailer joins a Marley on tour, we expect nothing but good things, great music, and a whole ton of weed. [Billboard]

• Pondering the fate of musicals? That sounds so fun and fabulous. [AP]

Why do we care about Broadway? Duh, because all these celebrities are on stage now. And today they named the Tony Award nominees … which are becoming more and more like the Oscars for the less glamorous actors.

Ralph Fiennes was nominated for "Faith Healer" and Cynthia Nixon got props for her role in "Rabbit Hole." Also, Harry Connick Jr. got "a nod" for "The Pajama Game." (We think that means he was nominated, but we don't speak theater.)

Julia Roberts, who received gently scathing reviews for her performance in Richard Greenberg's "Three Days of Rain," did not get a nomination.

Everywhere agents are sighing and shaking their heads, going "such a pretty face … such a lack of actual talent."

`The Drowsy Chaperone' Leads Tony Nods [Michael Kuchwara, AP News]

• Sometimes, business can be fun to read about. Especially when it is not about the business of newspapers and how the internet is destroying them. [CJR]

• Gothamist encourages our editor to leave the apartment and put her rusty journalism skills to good use. Still unsolved: the case of her craziness. [Gothamist]

• Broadway lets Chicago back in the club. [AP]

• We were upset about missing the Ellies … until we found out they will be serving Ellie-tinis. Now we're pretty much suicidal. [FBNY]

• Whoopi Golberg probably looks prettier over the radio anyway. [ABC]

• Finally, Brooke Burke can stop having nightmares of being attacked by the Burger King guy. We, however, are still traumatized for life. [Adfreak]

Wherein we review something that came across our highly selective path in as few words as possible, to exert the least amount of work possible, hoping to snag a Jossip soundbite in press materials.

British-import The History Boys combines eight hottie young men (the hottest who strips down to his tighty whities in the first act) in a smartly written (but perhaps with too many big words, with one drawn-out scene performed almost entirely in French) dramedy that makes molesting hottie young men while they try to get into Oxford worth laughing at while attempting to comment philosophically on bigger picture motifs like how random events are what creates history.

The History Boys. Currently in previews. Opens April 23. Tickets available via Telecharge.

The History Boys [Official Site]

Hoping to score a Jossip Reviewette? Invite us along.

• Kate Moss has found something better to do with her time than snort coke at clubs or pole dance at Scores. Shop for over-priced vibrators in the village. [Page Six]

• So many writers, and not one can think of a replacement for the most played out word in the media lexicon. [Mediabistro]

• Broadway dancers aren't allowed to let their boobs grow. [Page Six]

• Many tried to put the Sienna Miller and Hayden Christensen rumors to rest — but his "devastated cancer survivor" of a girlfriend seems pretty upset for a situation that "never happened." [R&M]

• Kristen Davis may want to adopt, but she's not currently pregnant. Did anyone explain to her that until she adopts a Cambodian or is in her 18th trimester, nobody cares? [3 am]

• Surprise! Celebs, their handlers, and the paparazzi are in cahoots to bring you Us Weekly's front of the book each week. [WSJ]

• We already gave you Paris Hilton impersonator Natalie Reid's Friendster page. Now become her MySpace pal. [MySpace]

• One day, Mort Zuckerman would like his now 8-year-old daughter Abigail to take over the reigns. Until then, he'll continue to fend off Rupert Murdoch by himself. [NYT]

• Just because those trolls in Starbucks aren't willing to pony up for a T-Mobile wireless subscription doesn't mean you should be stealing other people's open network access. [NYT]

• Jann Wenner wanted Tom Cruise for his May Men's Journal cover. Tom Cruise wanted Wenner's Rolling Stone story about Scientology killed. Jann said no. Tom said no. [NY Mag]

• Jermaine Jackson hoped to cash in on brother Michael's infamy. Until brother Michael found out. [NYDN]

• Macaulay Culkin, published author? We hear he'll be signing copies next week at the Union Square Barnes & Noble. [Time]

• Travolta. Latifah. Hairspray, the movie. [KIRO 7]