Gay-Themed Sitcom Family Style and A TV Return for Carol Burnett, all from producer Amy Poehler

Various media sources report that actress/comedienne Amy Poehler is just as busy behind the scenes as in front of the cameras these days, with two new projects wending their way through the Hollywood pipeline.

As the half of America who did not vote for the president-elect try to come to grips with the election results, the half who fret about the country turning its back on diversity can take heart in the proposed sitcom. Tentatively titled Family Style, the show revolves around a Miami male couple running a restaurant and dealing with intergenerational issues in their families. There is no word yet on stars or when or where the program might appear.

The same can be said for Poehler’s other project, said to be a “musical comedy” starring Carol Burnett, whose ’70s series, The Carol Burnett Show was a staple of the American viewing diet through most of “the Me Decade.” The show won multiple Emmys, and was considered a sterling example of wholesome family entertainment at a time when networks and freedom of speech advocates were waging a public war over whether television should codify a period of time (7 to 9 p.m.) as “family viewing” time. Even though her show was considered squeaky clean, Burnett’s over-the-top characters and the interplay between her supporting cast engendered a long-standing affection from many in the gay community.