Tony the Tiger

If you haven't already heard, tonight is the premiere of "Teach"...the new A&E show that follows Tony Danza going back to school as a teacher. Since my talented friend Erin Kelly was one of the producers, SPOILER ALERT, I'm probably gonna love it.

But that's not the only reason.

I'm a sucka for second chances. No, I don't mean a career 'comeback' for Danza. I'm pretty sure he can probably sit around in chairs made of gold from his "Taxi" and "Who's the Boss" residuals alone. (Even at gold's current price! Ladies, sell that ex-boyfriend jewelry asap. You can finally cash in on the remnants of that horrible relationship you cried over!)

I digress. Back to second chances.

Anyhoo...Tony went to school to be a teacher, but then went off and became Tony, that affable tv chap that many of us grew up with and loved. He could coast on that forever, but instead, at a whisker shy of sixty, he's taking a chance and, as he says, taking the road not taken.

And isn't that a great message to send to the very kids he's teaching? Not to get all preachy and Oprah-ish on ya, but seriously, by going 'back to school' he's saying it's never too late to try something new, and that's, uh...one to grow on.

Tony's reign on the touchy feely sitcom world may be over (heck, the touchy feely sitcom is over) but by taking a chance and stepping inside the classroom, he teaches a far bigger lesson than he ever did as a fictional ex-boxer-turned cab driver OR as a manny.

As himself, he's teaching the most important lesson of all:

YOU's the boss.