SILVER LAKE — Jackie Beat puts a drag twist on the popular 1980s sitcom “Who’s the Boss?” with her parody “Who’s Da Boss? Live!” with Danny Pintauro reprising his role as Jonathan Bower.
The original TV series followed Tony Micelli (Tony Danza), who moves with his wise cracking daughter, Samantha (Alyssa Milano), from New York City to Connecticut to work as a handyman-housekeeper for Angela Bower (Judith Light), an advertising executive and single mom, and her son, Jonathan, and Bower’s man-hungry mother, Mona (Katherine Helmond).
Beat’s “bastardized and politically incorrect” parody is “ridiculously dirty” and a musical, too, she says.
The musical parody opens tonight in Silver Lake at Cavern Club Celebrity Theatre inside the Casita del Campo Restaurant. The show closes Sunday.
Jackie Beat puts a drag twist on the popular 1980s sitcom “Who’s the Boss?” with her parody “Who’s Da Boss? Live” with Danny Pintauro reprising his role as Jonathan Bower.
In an interview with Q Voice News, Jackie Beat talks about lusting after Tony Danza, her role as Angela Bower, and working with Danny Pintauro.
Here are some excerpts.
The storyline
“We are doing the pilot episode. It’s all about when Tony and his daughter, Sam, leave New York City and move to the suburbs of Connecticut to work for Angela and her son, Jonathan. But I have completely rewritten it,” Beat says. “It’s now really politically incorrect and filthy, and it’s a musical. Each of the characters is singing a classic song from the 1980s.
The casting
“Well, we have been doing ‘The Golden Girlz Live!’ for a while now, and we just wanted to shake things up a bit,” Beat says. “I always thought Mario Diaz would make a great Tony Micelli. Drag legend Sherry Vine always plays Blanche when we do ‘The Golden Girls,’ so of course she’s playing the slutty grandma, Mona. And I love nothing more than fried blonde hair with black roots and wearing triple shoulder pads, so I make the perfect Angela.”
Danny Pintauro reprises his role of Jonathan
“He’s a long-time friend of ours, so it took no persuading,” Beat says. “We have been talking about doing this for a while, and he’s very excited to play the part of Jonathan with a gay twist. The new script that I wrote really pushes the envelope, and Danny is such a good sport and willing to do anything for a laugh.”
Lusting after Tony Danza
“I think the show’s fans were mostly kids — and a few gay guys like myself who lusted after Tony Danza. He’s just so dreamy,” Beat says. “Every straight woman and gay guy I know had a crush on Tony Danza. I mean, come on. That is some good eatin’.”
Her favorite “Who’s the Boss?” episode
The pilot is a really fun introduction to each of the characters,” Beat says. “But there was also the one where Tony, a one-time professional baseball player, makes a TV commercial. I couldn’t tell you the product. It was either soap or shampoo. All I know is that he is in the shower for a big part of the episode — soaking wet and all soaped-up. Sorry, the perv in me is rearing its ugly head again.”
