Coolio, the gays and the mob

Who knew Coolio was a mad whiz in the kitchen? Not us.

Following in the now-well-trod footsteps of fellow music stars who are (over) exposing their families to the world of reality TV, the Grammy-winning rapper launches his own show, "Coolio's Rules," in a few weeks (Oct. 28). And one of the first revelations is that Coolio's about to become a caterer. Who knew? Apparently not his teenage kids, who just aren't that into it.

Show timing isn't all the coincidental. The father of "Gangsta's Paradise" has a new record, "Steal Hear," plus a tour. That's a lotta Coolio. What remains to be seen: if the show will draw in eyeballs. What's it doing on the Oxygen network anyway?

In other newsy bits today...

Kathy Griffin has to be loving this trend -- movies about the gays and their kids. Remember the standup bit she did on the Emmy-winning "My Life on the D-List"? You know, the one jabbing at adoptions by gay couples that went over like a lead balloon? It might've been the only time the gays ever turned on her, and it was not pretty.

Says the L.A. Times about "Breakfast With Scot" -- "What's not to like? It's like Adam Sandler's 'Big Daddy' with gay people, or 'Two Men and a Tween.'"

Plus: hockey dad! Line up, Kathy, the movie opens Friday.

"Sopranos" lite? Emmy-winner Walter Hill ("Broken Trail," "Deadwood") will direct a two-hour pilot for Spike TV about the Irish mob in Boston. Never mind that there's already a mighty fine Irish mob series (based in Providence) called "Brotherhood." Can't have too many Mafia shows around the dial, right? Or can we?