NBC Backs Off Britney's 'Grace' Story

NBC Backs Off Britney's 'Grace' Story

Friday, February 03, 2006

02:46 PM PT
Britney Spears will still be guest-starring on "Will & Grace" in the spring. But the stuff NBC said this week about her being Jack's new evangelical sidekick? Never mind.

The network has backed away from the plot details of Spears' episode, which is scheduled to air Thursday, April 13. That could be because the episode has yet to be written. The fact that the description of her character -- a chipper Christian who wants to add a cooking segment called "Cruci-fixin's" to Jack's (Sean Hayes) talk show -- outraged conservative activists might have had something to do with it too.

Following the Tuesday (Jan. 31) announcement of Spears' guest spot on "Will & Grace," which is ending its eight-season run in May, the American Family Association registered its distress at the episode, which it said "mocks the crucifixion of Christ." The group also noted that the episode was scheduled to air the day before Good Friday, when Jesus was crucified.
In the press release disclosing Spears' appearance -- which is no longer on NBC's media site -- the network described the episode like this: "[W]hen Out TV is bought by a Christian television network, Spears is brought on to be Jack's new religious co-host -- until Will (Eric McCormack) and Jack loosen her up. Spears brings her own additions to the talk show when she decides to do a cooking segment called 'Cruci-fixin's.'"

Friday, the network issued this statement: "Some erroneous information was mistakenly included in a press release describing an upcoming episode of 'Will & Grace,' which in fact has yet to be written. The reference to 'Cruci-fixin's' won't be in the show, and the storyline will not contain a Christian characterization at all. We value our viewers and sincerely regret if this information has offended them."

The news comes on the heels of the AFA and other groups taken credit for the early end to another NBC series, "The Book of Daniel," which they said was offensive to Christians. NBC says the decision to cancel the show, about an Episcopal priest (Aidan Quinn) with a gay son, a possibly alcoholic wife and a prescription-drug problem, was based on declining ratings.

The unaired episodes of "Daniel" are available as streaming video on NBC's web site.
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