Will Matthew Perry's new "Go On" be a hit show for the former "Friends" star at long last? Bill Cobbs tells us that NBC is "giving us the feeling that, hey, we love you and we want to see you do well and make this a good show."

Cobbs plays George, the blind member of Perry's "life transitions" therapy group in the tragi-comedy, premiering in its regular timeslot tonight (9/11), in which Perry's a hotshot sports radio show host whose wife recently died. The beloved 78-year-old actor of "Night at the Museum" and "The Muppets" fame has a string of movies on the way, including "Oz, the Great and Powerful." But he's happy to be focusing on "Go On" and his recurring role, "given the great cast and the way they're writing this. It's quite different, quite a different thing, which is great."

The series also happens to mark the third time Cobbs has played a blind character. He drew inspiration from writer James Stovall, who penned the best-selling "The Ultimate Gift," which was made into a film with Abigail Breslin, Drew Fuller, James Garner and Cobbs among the cast. Stovall "is blind, but when you meet him, you have no idea that he is blind. He looks right at you. And you can sit and talk to him for awhile before your realize he is blind," Cobbs relates. "He has a marvelous spirit and great take on humanity. I thought about that in terms of George, and I was very touched that the writers paid attention to what I had to say about that. They have been really great about incorporating ideas that you bring and talking about things. We have this great cast, and I think it's the same way with all of us."

Viewers will find out a lot more about George and the other group characters as the show, created by former "Friends" executive producer Scott Silveri, continues on, says Cobbs. "In the beginning, it seems like just a single joke, but now the characters are really developing along the lines of what the writers envisioned."

A BRILLIANT LUSTER: "Dancing With the Stars" champion Kristi Yamaguchi will be watching this season's tournament of returning winners from the sidelines. "I wasn't actually asked to do it, so that made it easy to decide," the Olympic figure skating star tells us with a laugh. "But it's going to be a fun season to watch, and interesting to see some of the champions pitted against each other."

Yamaguchi has a packed agenda without the show, including the launch of her new Tsu.ya line of women's activewear that was unveiled at Lord & Taylor last week, three upcoming NBC skating specials, her philanthropic foundation and her life as a wife and mom. "I'm not sure it would have been feasible anyway," she says of "DWTS."

Come Nov. 18, viewers will see Kristi host a family-themed ice extravaganza featuring skating stars and their children, with performances by Jewel. There are also "a holiday, Christmas-themed show, and a Valentine's Day romance show" in the works, she says.

She started work on Tsu.ya (her middle name and her grandmother's name, which she says translates to "shiny, or luster") more than a year ago. "Ultimately, I really wanted to create a lifestyle brand that helps sustain my Always Dream Foundation, which focuses on early childhood literacy — being inspired by companies like Newman's Own and Tom's Shoes that have great products but yet give back to the community. So I've been looking for the right avenue to step into that, and women's activewear was a natural fit," she says.

Yamaguchi's Foundation is 16 years old, and its accomplishments include the creation of a playground that's accessible to able-bodied and disabled children alike in her hometown of Fremont, Calif.

Her smart-looking line is available at Lord & Taylor and online. Yamaguchi says she wanted it to "have versatility — pieces women can work out in but also wear to run around town and do errands. The years of wearing skating costumes and, you know, having a feminine side to my style of fashion, I wanted to see that infused into women's activewear."

Her husband has been with her in New York for the launch. "He's my licensing agent, so he's been instrumental in this," she notes. Their two children are at home in California "with Grandma. They just went back to school."

As far as a return to reality TV, "Who knows? If the right thing comes along, I'm open."

To find out more about Stacy Jenel Smith and read her past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.