Odd Couple

We did a triple take when we heard about a projected remake of “Love Me or Leave Me”--the musical bio of ‘20s singer Ruth Etting: Imagine Quincy Jones and Robert De Niro teaming to co-produce and co-direct for MGM. And imagine De Niro teaming to star with . . . Whitney Houston!

Since Etting was white --played by Doris Day in the original, back in 1955 (opposite Jimmy Cagney as hubby-manager Martin (Moe the Gimp) Snyder)--we wondered how they’d pull this one off.

Turns out that it’s the storyline--as opposed to the real people--that’s being considered. But, says a rep for Jones’ office, it’s all in the planning stages, “and nothing’s going to happen on this project until at least 1989.” To date, per the rep, Houston has been too busy singing to sign any film contracts.

Not that a number of producers aren’t trying to come up with something for Houston:

Guber-Peters has a rock musical of “Cinderella” in the works for her. “But it’s on hold,” said a spokesman. (Guber-Peters once talked about starring Houston in “Noise in the Night,” about black rock ‘n’ rollers in the ‘50s, but it’s now back burner.)

And there’s been buzz about Houston possibly doing “Tar Baby” from Toni Morrison’s book, or possibly the movie of “Dreamgirls.”

But a rep for Houston insists that, as yet, “there’s absolutely nothing official--there’s just been talk.” Thus far, Houston’s only acting has consisted of an episode of NBC’s “Silver Spoons”--playing herself.