Tonys derby 2008: No 'Sex' please, we're priggish

Variety reports that WCBS-TV has taken a pass on featuring "Passing Strange" in its pre-Tony Awards special airing June 7. The cast was to perform "We Just Had Sex," but the TV censors said that ditty was inappropriate, especially for the Saturday early evening time slot. The tuner, about indie musician Stew, could certainly have benefited from people tuning in and seeing the cast strut their stuff. The show opened to good reviews in February but has failed to catch on with the public, rarely grossing more than $300,000 a week. (Compare that with the million-dollar receipts earned weekly by "Wicked.")

This uptown Broadway transfer from the downtown Public Theater is already nominated for seven Drama Desk awards, including best musical. And both Stew and Daniel Breaker are among the 69 actors competing for the Drama League performance prize. The league also nominated the show for best musical and it is certain to figure in next Tuesday's announcement of Tony Awards nominations.

Should "Passing Strange" score a best musical Tony nod, producers say the cast will perform two other numbers, "Amsterdam" and "Keys," on the June 15 CBS kudocast. To read the full report in Variety CLICK HERE

(Photo: Belasco Theater)