Niecy's racy title a hard sell

STOMACH Full, Penis Empty: A Woman's Guide to a Happy Marriage.

That's what Niecy Nash, the former star of the Style Network's "Clean House," wanted to title her new relationship book, but publisher Simon & Schuster was skittish about getting a book with that name into Walmart.

So, Nash, who celebrated her second wedding anniversary last month with a very tall, dark, handsome electrical engineer named Jay Tucker, renamed her new advice manual, It's Hard to Fight Naked.

"Literally, if the conversation starts getting hot, take off your shirt and start lotioning your elbows," Nash said yesterday with her trademark sass. "There's something about nakedness that calms a man down. It's like music to the beast."

You know this from experience?

"Ask my husband," she replied, airily, as she glanced across Hotel Monaco's rooftop lounge in his direction. "We don't argue because I stay naked."

With a guy who looks like that, who could blame her?

Nash, who appeared on season 10's "Dancing with the Stars" back in 2010, was the guest of honor at a fundraiser for state Sen. Vincent Hughes, D-Philadelphia, organized by his wife, actress/singer Sheryl Lee Ralph.

"I was in her wedding and she was the matron of honor in mine," Nash said of Ralph. "We go a long way back."

"A looong way," agreed Ralph, who co-starred in the original Broadway production of "Dreamgirls" and is best known for her role as the mother in TV sitcom "Moesha." "In Hollywood years, we've known each other forever."

Nash co-stars in TV Land's "Soul Man," featuring Cedric the Entertainer (from WB's "Steve Harvey Show").

Ralph is busy with two new shows, a Showtime series called "Ray Donovan," co-starring Jon Voight (Angelina Jolie's dad), and a Nickelodeon series co-starring Tia Mowery (ABC/WB's "Sister, Sister") called "Instant Mom."

"This is a person I want to see when my back is up against the wall," Nash said of Ralph. "Plus I love the fact that she's married, too.

"You can't have all these [miserable] single women around, OK?" Nash continued. "Because when people are miserable in their situation, they put that on you. You're like, 'Oh girl, I just went to dinner with my husband.' [Miserable people say] 'For what?!' "

A mutual friend introduced Tucker to Nash at a party in 2009. A year later, the couple was engaged. Here's what Tucker said about his initial meeting with Nash:

"As I walked away, she saw another young lady walk up to me and talk to me. So, what happened is that kind of sparked her competitive juices," said Tucker, a General Electric employee. "So we always joke about it, that it wasn't chemistry that initially brought us together but competition."

* Spotted at yesterday's VIP reception for Hughes: Los Angeles-based fashion stylist Anthony Henderson, who recently worked his magic at the Daily News' Sexy Singles photo shoot at the Borgata, in Atlantic City; and Carla Clarkson, a 2010 Sexy Single and owner of the Marki Starr Hair Studio. Clarkson and Ralph are collaborating on a line of hair extensions called Diva Starr Hair.

"Sheryl is really into the whole YouTube craze," Clarkson said about how nonprofessionals provide hair-care advice via YouTube.

"She had me take a look at it," Clarkson recalled. "She said, 'Everybody is selling hair. You're the expert. I'm the celebrity. Let's partner and make this thing happen.' "

Celebrity chef Paula Deen's goose may be cooked at QVC, too.

TMZ reported yesterday that a rep for the West Chester-based TV-shopping network, which carries Deen's signature pots and pans, said that management has "concerns [over] the unfortunate Paula Deen situation." The rep reportedly added, "Please know that QVC does not tolerate discriminatory behavior."

The Food Network dropped the 66-year-old celebrity chef after Deen admitted to having used the n-word in the past. Last week, Deen posted two YouTube videos featuring her apologizing for using racially offensive language.

As for QVC, TMZ reported that officials there said, "We are closely monitoring these events and we are reviewing our business relationship with Ms. Deen. In the meantime, we have no immediate plans to have her appear on QVC."

-TMZ.com contributed

to this report.

Blog: ph.ly/HeyJen