'Sopranos' Star Has Business to Take Care Of on HBO

Which is to say the suits didn't come right out and ask whether Stewart wanted their 12:30 a.m. time slot in 2009, when either NBC's "Late Night" host Conan O'Brien will replace Jay Leno as host of "The Tonight Show," per O'Brien's contract, or Leno will stay on and O'Brien will take the reported $40 million the network would owe him for going all Never Mind on him.

The publication said the "slow and easy" approach mirrors Zucker's successful play to snare Meredith Vieira to replace Katie Couric on "Today."

Of course, it also mirrors the kind of conversation you can legally have with someone who's under contract to another network. "Daily Show" anchor Stewart's contract with Comedy Central is up next year.

Meanwhile Jimmy Fallon went on Howard Stern's show yesterday to remind people he has a talent-holding deal with NBC, presumably to take over O'Brien's 12:30 a.m. hosting gig.

Which, ironically, is what Stewart had with CBS lo these many years ago, in taking over the post-David Letterman time slot when Tom Snyder bowed out.

Only CBS decided to let Stewart's hold lapse and went instead with that dweeb Craig Kilborn, who was at that time host of "The Daily Show," causing Comedy Central to hire Stewart to replace Kilborn, and the rest is history.

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Rosie O'Donnell confirmed Bob Barker's comment at the Daytime Emmy Awards on Friday that she is meeting with the producers of "The Price Is Right" to discuss the possibility of taking over for Barker as host.

"I believe they're going to have a meeting with Rosie," Barker said backstage at the trophy show, where he won his 19th Emmy.

"R u going to?" one of Rosie's fans asked her on O'Donnell's Web site yesterday.

"Yes this week," she responded.

Barker, who retired last week from the gig he's had the past 35 years, said Friday he had no doubt O'Donnell was up to the job, but added, "Whether they want a lady host, I don't know. . . . As far as I know, they've only auditioned men."

The list of possible replacements had included Todd Newton of the E! network, Mark Steines of "Entertainment Tonight," George Hamilton and John O'Hurley.

Another Rosie fan online asked her whether she'd take the job.

"If asked i will do my best, i love that show," she wrote back.

One of Rosie's detractors, going by the name Kami, weighed in, saying she'd "just emailed CBS and let them know of a 50 state sponsor boycott [if] they put you on to host 'TPIR.' " Kami added, "No way that you are going to gay that good show up."

"Kami kami kami poor sad kami, the only thing i want to gay up is u," Rosie shot back.

CBS declined to comment.