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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Variety, thy name is Ellen

DeGeneres
Lynn Elber Associated Press

Ellen DeGeneres is bringing variety back to TV with the help of Kabuki Expert and Flag Man.

They’re among the performers in DeGeneres’ fourth variety special for TBS, “Ellen’s Somewhat Special Special,” which taped at the Chicago Theatre on Wednesday for broadcast later this month.

“I’m really excited about the acts this year,” DeGeneres said before the show, which was to include a Q&A session with the audience and “different things.”

Asked if that meant she would take part in some of the daring stunts, the comedian said it was possible, adding, “Coincidentally, I signed a big insurance policy.”

Others appearing in the special include Lady Antebellum, Australian magician James Galea, Catwalk Acrobats and Nick Cannon. They join Japan’s Kabuki Expert, creators of the clever Matrix Ping Pong video seen online, and Dominic Lacasse, an acrobat known as Flag Man.

Variety has largely fallen out of favor with viewers, but the comedian and “American Idol” judge won’t give up on the concept.

“It just depends on how it’s done,” she said, citing the success of “America’s Got Talent,” the Simon Cowell-produced show on NBC. “You can’t say an entire genre is obsolete.”

“Ellen’s Somewhat Special Special” is set to air Sunday on TBS.

The birthday bunch

Actor Ralph Waite is 82. Kris Kristofferson is 74. Actor Michael Lerner is 69. Peter Asher of Peter and Gordon is 66. Howard “Eddie” Kaylan of The Turtles is 63. Actor David L. Lander (Squiggy on “Laverne and Shirley”) is 63. Singer Todd Rundgren is 62. Alan Osmond of The Osmonds is 61. Meryl Streep is 61. Actress Lindsay Wagner is 61. Cyndi Lauper is 57. Mary Lynn Rajskub (“24”) is 39. Talk-show host Carson Daly is 37.