Alley will be ‘herself’ on Showtime

Kirstie Alley, whose weight gain since her starring role on “Cheers” has been the topic of tabloid articles and comedians’ jokes, has found a way to make it pay.

Showtime said Thursday that Alley will star in and co-produce “Fat Actress,” an unscripted comedy series in which she’ll play a fictional version of herself, an actress trying to “find work and true love in an unforgiving Hollywood.”

The series, planned for next year, will be created by Alley and Brenda Hampton, the creator of “7th Heaven.”

Showtime also announced that it is developing a comedy series based on the hit film “Barbershop” and has ordered a pilot called “Pryor Offenses,” inspired by the stand-up routines and life of Richard Pryor, who will serve as an executive producer.

Elsewhere Thursday, the Trio network said it has ordered its first original comedy series: “Pilot Season,” a six-episode story about “the making and selling of television,” a sequel to the 1997 film “Who’s the Caboose?” It will star Sam Seder, Sarah Silverman, David Cross, Andy Dick and Jon Benjamin.