Janice
11-13-2003, 01:21 PM
Will & Grace's Leo Problem
by Daniel R. Coleridge
TV GUIDE INSIDER
While stork news is happy news, the pregnancy of Debra Messing spells trouble for Will & Grace. With the expectant mom on a reduced work schedule, Will's writers had to trash episodes they'd penned well in advance. Instead, Grace was hastily sent off-screen — to Cambodia with her hubby, Dr. Leo. What now? Don't ask Harry Connick Jr., who plays Leo, how his limited run on the sitcom will end. He doesn't know!
Here's the rub: NBC has confirmed that Messing's pregnancy will not be written into Grace's storyline. Leo — and Connick — have gotta go, so that means no baby for the Doctor Without Borders and his wife. Connick jokes that he hopes Leo won't just die suddenly. That sounds unlikely, anyway. Too grim. Any other ideas for splitting up Grace and Leo, Harry?
"It has to end somehow," he tells TV Guide Online. "I can't stay on the show! I'm glad I don't have to write it, because I don't know how I'd get out of it. I hope they put it more on Grace — make it more her decision. 'Cause it's gonna be rough, man. I don't think the fans like to see her mopin' around and depressed. Who knows what's gonna happen."
Why can't Connick just stay on Will & Grace, you ask? Frankly, the busy, singing thesp has bigger ambitions than co-starring on somebody else's show. (His guest stint — which was only supposed to be six episodes — has lasted way longer than expected.) Next up, Connick's got his own Thanksgiving special, Harry for the Holidays, airing Nov. 27 at 10 pm/ET on — where else? — NBC. He's also signed a development deal with the Peacock to make his own sitcom. "I'd like to incorporate some music into it," he says. "I'm not sure how. I don't really have any idea what the show's going to be about! I don't even know if it's gonna happen, but if it does, it looks like it'd be a helluva lot of fun."
If it gets off the ground, will the show's title — or the name of Connick's character — have "Harry" in it? "I've thought about it," he chuckles. "I kinda thought it would be cool to call it Harry, but then there's Ed, there's Whoopi... It just seems like there's a lot of that out there. We may end up doin' it. If you have any ideas for a title, let me know, 'cause I'm definitely open!"
by Daniel R. Coleridge
TV GUIDE INSIDER
While stork news is happy news, the pregnancy of Debra Messing spells trouble for Will & Grace. With the expectant mom on a reduced work schedule, Will's writers had to trash episodes they'd penned well in advance. Instead, Grace was hastily sent off-screen — to Cambodia with her hubby, Dr. Leo. What now? Don't ask Harry Connick Jr., who plays Leo, how his limited run on the sitcom will end. He doesn't know!
Here's the rub: NBC has confirmed that Messing's pregnancy will not be written into Grace's storyline. Leo — and Connick — have gotta go, so that means no baby for the Doctor Without Borders and his wife. Connick jokes that he hopes Leo won't just die suddenly. That sounds unlikely, anyway. Too grim. Any other ideas for splitting up Grace and Leo, Harry?
"It has to end somehow," he tells TV Guide Online. "I can't stay on the show! I'm glad I don't have to write it, because I don't know how I'd get out of it. I hope they put it more on Grace — make it more her decision. 'Cause it's gonna be rough, man. I don't think the fans like to see her mopin' around and depressed. Who knows what's gonna happen."
Why can't Connick just stay on Will & Grace, you ask? Frankly, the busy, singing thesp has bigger ambitions than co-starring on somebody else's show. (His guest stint — which was only supposed to be six episodes — has lasted way longer than expected.) Next up, Connick's got his own Thanksgiving special, Harry for the Holidays, airing Nov. 27 at 10 pm/ET on — where else? — NBC. He's also signed a development deal with the Peacock to make his own sitcom. "I'd like to incorporate some music into it," he says. "I'm not sure how. I don't really have any idea what the show's going to be about! I don't even know if it's gonna happen, but if it does, it looks like it'd be a helluva lot of fun."
If it gets off the ground, will the show's title — or the name of Connick's character — have "Harry" in it? "I've thought about it," he chuckles. "I kinda thought it would be cool to call it Harry, but then there's Ed, there's Whoopi... It just seems like there's a lot of that out there. We may end up doin' it. If you have any ideas for a title, let me know, 'cause I'm definitely open!"