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THE BUZZ

Diane Werts; Glenn Gamboa; Robert Kahn

October 8, 2006

Classic competition: i takes a vintage view

Look out, Nick at Nite and TV Land. I see some competition in the land of reruns - er, "classic television." And make that "i" lower case, as in the i network operated by Ion Media Networks, which used to be the family-oriented Pax network (locally on WPXN/31).

Now, instead of offering low-budget new productions like "Sue Thomas, F.B. Eye," this broadcast bottom-feeder is regurgitating old-time (er, "vintage") prime-time hits including "The Monkees" (a Saturday marathon Oct. 7 from 8:30 to 11 p.m.). Also getting marathon treatment are "The Partridge Family" (Oct. 21) and "Amen" (Oct. 28), joining such already-airing reliables as "Charlie's Angels" (weeknights at 9).

They're all part of a deal between Ion and Sony, formerly Columbia, which has a sizable vintage TV library (275 series) and, unlike most studios, no corporate-sibling outlet suitable to air it. Universal has USA, Sci Fi, Bravo, Universal HD and the nascent Sleuth channel; Paramount has its Viacom brethren (including Nick at Nite/TV Land), Warner has the Turner channels, Disney has ABC's cablers, Fox has FX. When the old Pax network essentially gave up on original production, Sony, whose sole cable outlet is game-filled GSN, was in the wings waiting to spring.

Not that i is exclusive. It's made another deal with Warner Bros., whose TBS channel apparently has aired the likes of "Mama's Family" as many times as it could stand. "Mama" has moved to i (weeknights at 8), along with "Kung Fu" (Sunday at 6 p.m.) and "Welcome Back, Kotter" (Saturday, 8:30-11 p.m.).

Other oldies are on the way. Check the lineup at ionline.tv/schedule.

-Diane Werts

We need a little Christmas now

Do they know it's not Christmas? Hard to tell.

Though retailers are, more or less, sticking to the idea that the holiday shopping season starts after Halloween, the music industry will roll out big Christmas albums on Tuesday - including holiday music from James Taylor, Bette Midler, Brad Paisley, Mary Mary and Lindsay Lohan's little sis, Ali. Albums from Sarah McLachlan and Wynonna Judd will soon follow, along with the usual loads of compilations, most notably "Now! That's What I Call Christmas, Vol. 3."

The push for these albums will come at a more traditional time, but there's a bit of a rush to get into the stores, since November is already jam-packed with high-profile releases. With CD sales down about 5 percent this year, retailers are hoping music fans will pick up holiday music as stocking stuffers when they come into the stores for the hits from Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson, or recent albums - from Tony Bennett and Ray Charles and the Count Basie Orchestra - that reach older audiences. Considering how important the next three months are to the music industry, it is looking at any idea that will make this holiday season a happy one.

- Glenn Gamboa

For Bosco, the Shaw must go on

If anyone writes a play about Philip Bosco's life, perhaps they'll call it "The Shaw Thing. " When Bosco opens Wednesday in the Roundabout revival of "Heartbreak House," it will mark the ninth time the former trailer-truck driver from Jersey City has appeared on Broadway in a play by George Bernard Shaw.

While this new "House" has Bosco playing the straight-shooting patriarch Capt. Shotover, he earned a Tony nomination for the 1983 revival of the same drama in a different role. Both productions are notable for stellar casts: In the first, he co-starred with Rex Harrison, Rosemary Harris, Amy Irving and Dana Ivey. The new revival for the Roundabout Theatre Company also stars Swoosie Kurtz, Byron Jennings, Laila Robins and Lily Rabe.

Bosco earned his Actors Equity union card 51 years ago in a Washington, D.C., summer stock production of Shaw's comedy "You Never Can Tell," which he did on Broadway in 1986. His other GBS credits on Broadway include "Mrs. Warren's

Profession" in 1976, "Man and Superman" in 1978 and "Major Barbara" in 1980.

Says Bosco: "Shaw's plays are glorious for actors, as he gives them beautiful language to speak and he's brilliant in his analysis of things. Also, his political spectrum is along the lines of mine. It's a picnic and a holiday to do his work."

-ROBERT KAHN

QUOTABLE

'I can't do a crunk record, and I'm not shooting anybody, so I can't do that kind of music. This is a vulnerable album, meant to make you feel good.'- DIDDY, on why you won't be hearing the party-hearty brand of Southern hip-hop on his new album, "Press Play," to Billboard