The TV Zone

This is significant casting news; and big Long Island casting news.

Bay Shore's own...

Now, Manhasset's own...

LL Cool J - "Ladies Love Cool James," if you must know- will star in that "NCIS" spin-off. Variety had official confirmation this morning. This spin-off will be THE big spin-off of the season. It'll bow as a back-door pilot later this spring - no further details - while the Cool J casting was expected, insofar as he has a deal with the network.

The other shoe expected to drop on this show? Chris O'Donnell, who was also in talks with producers and we now await the press release any minute. In fact, O'Donnell is definitely in the show - he plays a lead named Callen. (Chris? No LI connections that I'm aware of, but he does have a house up in Maine...)

The "NCIS" spin-off was first reported by "EW's" Michael Ausiello last fall, who noted of the impending show: "In a move that will surprise only the brainless..." Yes, brainless or clueless. "NCIS" - spin-off itself of "JAG" - is one of the great surprises of the '08-9 season from heck: A show that gained not a few viewers but a lot of viewers and forced this franchise-spinoff-network-extraordinaire to cook up yet another franchise spin-off extraordinaire.

LL Cool J? Sure - controversial and I guess that's no surprise - but an interesting and pretty energetic guy nonetheless. He has (of course) done a lot of TV, and "In the House" is certainly the most noteworthy credit. But he's done everything else too - besides that platinum career of the '80s/90s that hasn't quite hit that plateau in the '00s, though there have been some big hits too, like '02's "10.") Hard to believe but he has even slipped into CBS's demo - just turned 41.

And did you know? He was born in Bay Shore....

There are a million Cool J clips on Youtube, but darned if I can find one of "In the House" days... He was also in (trivia alert!) "30 Rock," as Ridikolus...

So here's a recent performance from the House of Blues in Anaheim - he's been on tour the last few weeks - and as you watch, consider: This is the next big star of a CBS SHOW. It doesn't just seem to fit...

Here's another ancient clip, that kinda reveals this guy's diversity...He played Capt. Patrick Devo in "Toys." Here's the old trailer...blink and you'll miss Ladies Loves Cool James...

(Above pix: Johnny Nunez/WireImage)

Can you imagine what a strange universe we would live in if one day we all woke up to read (preferably on TV Zone but I won't take it personally if you don't) that "NCIS" actually BEAT "American Idol?"

I don't expect this to happen in my lifetime, but last night - check it out! - the big "N" was seen by 19.2 million viewers to "Idol's" 25.54 million.

Amazing.

Granted, the big "N'"s viewers are all older than "Idol's" viewers by about a century, but that doesn't matter, right? A viewer is a viewer is a viewer... What is going on with "NCIS" anyway? Has Mark Harmon suddenly turned into a good actor?

Just kidding, Mark! You're the best. Seriously. You were even great on "Moonlighting" - 22 years ago. And remember when you were "The Sexiest Man Alive"...and...