Magical laffs for Penn, Teller

Duo to star in project for ABC

By MICHAEL SCHNEIDER

In their ABC laffer, Penn and Teller will be Vegas magicians by night and reluctant detectives by day.

Comedy/illusionist duo Penn and Teller have signed on to star in a project for ABC loosely based on their own lives.

Also at the Alphabet, the net has given a pilot production commitment to a relationship comedy from scribe Shana Goldberg-Meehan ("Friends").

ABC has given a script order to the Penn and Teller project. Comedic one-hour stars the duo as Penn Jillette and Teller -- Las Vegas magicians by night. But here's how the show takes a slight twist from real life: By day, the duo become reluctant detectives.

Leonard Dick ("House") is writing the project and will exec produce along with Jillette and Teller. Peter Golden is onboard as a co-exec producer, while Warner Bros. TV is producing.

Penn and Teller have a lengthy TV resume as performers, hosts and actors (mostly playing themselves). Show would mark a return to ABC for Jillette, who recently competed on the Alphabet net's "Dancing With the Stars."

The duo have hosted seven seasons of their Showtime series "Bullshit!," in which they take on myths, conspiracy theories and misconceptions. They've also appeared on shows such as "Babylon 5," "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" and "The West Wing."

Dick's other credits include "Lost" and "The Mentalist," where he's been serving as a consulting producer.

As for the Goldberg-Meehan pilot, multicamera comedy revolves around two sisters at different stages in their romantic relationships. One sister is in a happy, long-term relationship but isn't married; the other gets pregnant -- and winds up quickly marrying her new beau.

Warner Bros. TV is behind this project as well. Goldberg-Meehan will exec produce.

Meanwhile, busy ABC execs just gave a script order to a multicamera comedy from writers Brett Paesel and Marsh McCall.

Untitled laffer, from ABC Studios, centers on Megan McPhee -- a newly divorced woman who, in an attempt to rebuild her life, takes a rather unusual job.

Warren Littlefield is also n board the sitcom as a nonwriting exec producer.