Skip to content
Link copied to clipboard

CBS3's Carol Erickson makes her Broadway debut

Christopher Durang gives the weather woman a shout-out in "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike."

TWITTER Friends or foes? CBS3 anchor Nicole Brewer (left) and meteorologist Carol Erickson seem pretty chummy in this photo posted on Erickson's Twitter feed.
TWITTER Friends or foes? CBS3 anchor Nicole Brewer (left) and meteorologist Carol Erickson seem pretty chummy in this photo posted on Erickson's Twitter feed.Read more

CBS3 IS HAVING quite the pop-cultural year.

In "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike," Christopher Durang's 2013 Tony Award-winner for best play, there's a shout-out to weather woman Carol Erickson.

The Anton Chekhov-inspired farce is about two siblings, living in an inherited house in Bucks County, whose movie-star sister and her new boy toy come a-callin'. In one scene, Vanya (played on Broadway by David Hyde Pierce of "Frasier") discusses his love for the weathercaster.

The play, which premiered at McCarter Theatre in Princeton, N.J., is closing out its Broadway run at the end of the month. But, never fear, Erickson aficionados. "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike" is part of the Philadelphia Theatre Company's 2013-14 season, running March 21 through April 20.

This isn't the first time CBS3 has been cemented in pop culture this year. The morning team, including Erika von Tiehl, Ukee Washington and Katie Fehlinger, made a cameo appearance in the Brad Pitt-starring, Philly-set zombie flick "World War Z."

Hugh no-no

WIP personality and former Eagle Hugh Douglas drunkenly threatened to beat up and shouted racial slurs at colleague Michael Smith at an event Friday hosted by the National Association of Black Journalists in Orlando, Fla., to raise money for college scholarships.

According to USA Today's "The Big Lead, an inebriated Douglas was trying to get onto a DJ riser. When his "Numbers Never Lie" co-star Smith couldn't help, Douglas threatened him and called him an "Uncle Tom" and a "house n-----."

A call to Douglas was not returned.

Shupak goes literary

Former Fox 29 traffic reporter Jamie Shupak, who grew up in the Philly area, has sold her first book. The current NY1 traffic reporter will release Trans-It Girl in November through Polis Books. The chick-lit novel is based on Shupak's own experiences in love, which she chronicled in her weekly column for Complex magazine. Shupak is one-half of a New York power couple with New York Times media reporter and Twitter superstar Brian Stelter.

'Quiz' show

Ryan Seacrest is on the lookout for those who want to test their trivia mettle on "The Million Second Quiz." The new NBC game show will pit contestants against each other in a giant hourglass structure placed in midtown Manhattan. Think of it as the Thunderdome with exorbitant rent.

Producers will be in Philly on Aug. 18 at McFadden's (461 N. 3rd St.) from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. looking for potential players. Go to millionsecondquizcasting.com for more details.

The show starts Sept. 9 at 9 p.m. and will air nightly (save a break for "Sunday Night Football") through Sept. 19.

This show means that Seacrest now has gigs on NBC, ABC ("New Year's Rockin' Eve") and Fox ("American Idol"). What, no Seacrest love over at CBS?

OUT AND ABOUT

* The very funny Lake Bell ("Children's Hospital," "No Strings Attached") came to Philly last week and chomped on some delish vegan fare at Center City's Vedge (12th and Locust) and Pure Fare (21st and Sansom). Bell is hawking her directorial debut "In a World . . ." a comedy about the male-dominated voice-over world, also starring personal favorite Ken Marino.

DN Members only: Check out our favorite bikini beauties from the first 10 years of Sexy Singles.

On Twitter: @PhillyGossipDN

Online: ph.ly/DNGossip