By Jim Knippenberg
Enquirer staff writer

Comedian and former Cincinnatian Katt Williams (The Tracy Morgan Show, Friday After Next,) will record his act at the Taft Theatre in September for the first comedy special starring an African-American performer to be filmed in Cincinnati.

Williams - he also has roles in the new Damon Wayans film Behind the Smile and a still untitled Martin Lawrence movie - says he was approached by several markets that wanted to host the taping, but decided on his hometown because, "a city that can laugh together can last together and grow together."

Joe Torry will host the program that includes several still unannounced guest stars.

Thirteen-time Emmy winner - and fellow Cincinnatian - Alphonzo Wesson III will direct and co-produce. The special will tape at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 25. Tickets are $25.50-$28.50 at Ticketmaster and the theater box office. It has not yet been announced where or when it will air.

Get real

Executive producer Mike Fleiss (Bachelor, Bachelorette, High School Reunion) is resurrecting Gilligan's Island as reality TV. Honest. The show is casting a real life skipper, first mate, movie star, professor, farm girl and millionaire couple. Once the show's producer (and former Cincinnatian) Esther Frank completes the casting, the show will strand them on an island and make them work together trying to get off.

Episodes of the show, to air on TBS, will be modeled after situations on the original show. And just to be sure they get it right, Fleiss and Frank have recruited Sherwood Schwartz, producer of the original Gilligan, and his son Lloyd, as co-executive producers.

Most roles are cast, but Frank is having trouble finding a millionaire couple (Thurston and Lovey Howell) willing to junk the comforts of the mansion and join the fun. Interested? Go to www.gilligancasting.com or call (888) 634-4550.

Baby Outback

Four-month-old Maggie Ann Yelton, daughter of Chad (Cincinnati Zoo public relations) and Shannon Yelton, makes her TV debut at 9 p.m. Sept. 7 on the Discovery Health Channel's Amazing Birth Series.

Turns out Maggie was born at 11:05 April 30 in the front seat of a Subaru Outback outside the ER entrance to St. Elizabeth Hospital. The whole thing was caught on the hospital's security cameras.

"Shannon's first contraction occurred at 10:42 p.m. at our home in Villa Hills," Chad says. "And 23 minutes later (11:05 p.m.) we had our second daughter. As I say on the show, 'Now I have three impatient women that I live with . . . in a good way'."

If you miss it the first time around, it repeats at midnight Sept. 8 and 4 p.m. Sept. 12.

'Hotseat' farewell

Today is the last day for Hotseat (7:30 a.m. Sundays, Channel 9). The lively discussion of public affairs was canceled because Good Morning America is expanding and eating up its time slot.

Attorney and Sesh Communications (Cincinnati Herald) co-owner Eric Kearney and Enquirer columnist Peter Bronson, two of the original five panelists (consultant Aaron Herzig, Judge Fred Nelson and former Cincinnati magazine editor Kitty Morgan were the other three), will do the show with attorney and new panelist Leslie Ghiz and former panelists Herzig and Kathy Y. Wilson of City Beat.

Today's topics, besides some memory-sharing, are the city's possible smoking ban, prosecutor Mike Allen admitting to an extramarital affair and the Kerry/Bush campaigns.

Channel 9 GM Bill Fee made the announcement on last week's show. Despite many years in the TV business, it was his first time ever in front of a camera. Fee also told Bronson he's looking to bring the show back next year.

Musical farewell

And another last call: Monday is the season's last concert in WNKU-FM's (89.7) popular Studio 89 series. The show, live with an audience full of guests, airs at 9 p.m. Mondays on 'NKU and 1 a.m. Sundays on KET. Concert guests get in free on a first-come basis.

Blues/rock guitarist Chris Duarte and singer/songwriter Carrie Newcomer.

To celebrate the end of this year's season and to accommodate all the people who want to get in, the station has moved the concert to Northern Kentucky University's Greaves Concert Hall. Get your free ticket by visiting www.wnku.org or by calling (859) 572-6500.

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E-mail jknippenberg@enquirer.com