CBS Comedy Has Good Grammer

'Frasier' star will direct 'My Ex-Life'; Brady in CW comedy

Zap2It.com

March 30, 2006

Kelsey Grammer

LOS ANGELES - "Frasier" and "X-Men" star Kelsey Grammer will step back behind the camera soon to direct a comedy pilot for CBS.

Grammer is set to direct "My Ex-Life," about a divorced couple who remain friends. Elsewhere in pilot-land, The CW has ordered a comedy called "Flirt," starring Wayne Brady, and Alicia Witt has left the FOX show "More, Patience," the showbiz trade papers report.

In casting news, "Bernie Mac Show" creator Larry Wilmore will co-star in a CBS comedy and Constance Zimmer ("In Justice") has signed on for "52 Fights" at ABC.

"My Ex-Life," created by Rich Appel ("The Simpsons," "A.U.S.A."), will star Tom Cavanagh ("Love Monkey," "Ed") and Gillian Vigman -- which does not portend well for her current show, ABC's "Sons & Daughters." Grammer, who plays Beast in the upcoming "X-Men: The Last Stand," directed numerous episodes of "Frasier" and also helmed the pilot for CBS' "Out of Practice" this season.

"Flirt," which comes from writer Barry Wernick ("The Stones," "Grandma's Boy"), will star Brady as the only male employee at a women's magazine. It brings the number of comedy pilots at the new network to three -- "Girlfriends" spinoff "The Game" and Nick Lachey vehicle "She Said, He Said" are the others.

At FOX, Witt ("The Upside of Anger," "Cybill") has left the comedy "More, Patience," reportedly over creative differences. Her role, that a therapist who has issues of her own, is expected to be recast in the next few days.

Wilmore, a consulting producer on NBC's "The Office," will play the husband of Christine Baranski in an untitled CBS comedy from "Just Shoot Me" alums Joe Port and Joe Wiseman. The show centers on a young couple dealing with the wife's large family.

Finally, Zimmer will play Christine Taylor's best friend in "52 Fights," a comedy about a couple's (Taylor, Matt Letscher) first year of marriage. Zimmer currently stars on ABC's "In Justice," which has shaky prospects for renewal, and has a recurring part on "Entourage."