USA pushes for 'Smush' gamer

Jellyvision to release CD-ROM version

By JOHN DEMPSEY

USA Network has commissioned a TV series from Michael Davies ("Who Wants to Be a Millionaire") based on a parlor game in which words and names are crunched together into weird combinations.

Tentatively titled "Smush," the half-hour gameshow will premiere on USA at 11 p.m. Monday-Thursday in the fourth quarter. (Movies will run every Friday.) Davies will co-exec produce "Smush" at a studio in Los Angeles with Matti Leshem (ESPN's "2-Minute Drill"). The host is still to be named.

USA give an example of "smushing": Director of "Good Will Hunting," plus a beachside Southern California town, plus a famous White House intern, equals GusVanSantaMonicaLewinsky. Jellyvision, which created "Smush" and will be a partner in the series, plans to release a CD-ROM-version of the game. Jellyvision also created the "You Don't Know Jack" CD-ROM.