Second Coming

TV's ''Joan of Arcadia'' isn't the only venue where God appears in unlikely forms to spread the word to a bewildered mortal. There's also the ''Oh, God!'' movies. Back in 1977, God appeared to supermarket clerk John Denver in the form of a cigar-puffing old man in a sailor cap (George Burns). Now, in a forthcoming remake, God will take the form of an openly lesbian daytime talk show host. Variety reports that Ellen DeGeneres is teaming with Jerry Weintraub, who produced the 1977 movie and its two sequels, to play the Supreme Being in the remake.

Weintraub tells Variety that DeGeneres approached him with the idea of starring in an updated ''Oh, God!'' ''Ellen is a strong comedienne and she has always done material about God and questions about God,'' he said. ''She will help us with the writing, and using her will allow us to do a proper 2005 view of 'Oh God!' that is hip and modern.'' There's no director or screenplay yet, much less a costar to spread the Gospel According to Ellen, but Weintraub hopes to shoot the film next summer during DeGeneres' annual hiatus from her talk show production schedule.

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