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2 Georgians in running for sexiest vegetarian
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Atlanta singer-songwriter Gene Owens has some hunky competition for the title of North America’s sexiest vegetarian, but he says, “I think I’ve got the Canadians beat.” Sponsored by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, the contest accepted photos of nonmeat-eaters from around the continent and narrowed the field to 10 guys and 10 gals.
The photo of Owens, 25, of Atlanta’s Candler Park neighborhood, was sent in by his girlfriend, and he was surprised to make it to the finals.
Also in the running is Woody Brown, 25, who works at a Gainesville mental health and drug rehab facility. The full roster of green-loving pinups, whom PETA describes as “sultry soy boys and Tofutti cuties,” can be seen at the Web site goveg.com, where readers can vote for their favorite herbivore.
Brown, who is also a musician, said his bandmates in the Modern Society have picked on him fairly harshly for the contest, but they’ve also urged fans to generate votes.
Chasing Sir Elton’s record
UK singer/songwriter James Blunt has reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with the single “You’re Beautiful.” Blunt becomes the first British artist to reach the summit since Elton John achieved the feat in 1997 with “Candle in the Wind 1997/Something About the Way You Look Tonight.” That song spent 14 weeks at the top.
Copy of amendment on view
Of the 13 copies of the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery, made and signed by President Abraham Lincoln, a few remain in private hands, including one on display through Sunday at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site. “As far as documents in American history that are owned privately, this is the Holy Grail,” said Ryan Raynor, standing next to the document in its elaborate wooden frame, on display in one of the site’s galleries.
Raynor’s company will auction the document this month in Raleigh. The fading manuscript is signed by Lincoln and more than a hundred lawmakers, including James Garfield (then a representative, later president), Thaddeus Stevens and Charles Sumner.
Inmate art goes to Ripley’s
Ripley’s Believe It or Not was in Atlanta recently, stocking up on prisoner crafts to add to its 22,000-piece art collection. The assorted items, including purses, rugs, wallets and jewelry boxes, were made painstakingly from folded cigarette packages by anonymous inmates. “I can’t imagine how many packs of Camel cigarettes one would have to smoke,” said Amy Slotin, whose Buford company auctioned the items last month and can’t say what prison might have hosted the makers.
“It’s a shame to think that someone who can make something so beautiful out of nothing is wasting their time in prison.” The last time Edward Meyer, vice president of exhibits and archives for Ripley’s, bought at a Slotin auction, he came away with a high-priced lock of Napoleon’s hair. Ripley’s also has hair from George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe. Napoleon’s? “A chestnut brown,” said Meyer.
Celebrity fondling
Scarlett Johansson wasn’t amused when fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi groped her on the red carpet at January’s Golden Globe Awards, but she’s willing to forgive him.
“It was definitely in poor taste,” Johansson told the Los Angeles Times. “I’d been prepping for two hours with hair and makeup and getting dressed. And the first interview I do, someone who I have never met before fondles me for his own satisfaction.”
Mizrahi, who was doing pre-show interviews for the E! cable channel, created a flap when he groped Johansson’s breast and peeked down Teri Hatcher’s dress.
“Mostly, I was thinking, ‘Oh, my God. This is happening on live TV,’ ” Johansson recalled, adding she didn’t buy the openly gay designer’s explanation that he was trying to determine how her dress was put together.
“Like he doesn’t know how a dress works,” the 21-year-old actress said.
Alba wants respect
Jessica Alba is demanding that Playboy pull its March issue, saying she didn’t agree to be on the cover and that the image may mislead readers into thinking she appears nude or partially nude in the magazine.
The cover shows the 24-year-old actress in a bikini, next to the headline “25 Sexiest Celebrities.” Besides demanding that Playboy stop distributing the March issue, Alba is asking for “monetary settlement” for damages to her reputation and career.
In a letter obtained by the Smoking Gun, Alba’s lawyers told Playboy the magazine used a photo of Alba meant to promote the movie “Into the Blue” without her consent. Sony Pictures, which owns the image, sent a separate letter alleging that Playboy initially offered to pay Alba to pose for the cover of the issue. When her publicist refused, Playboy resorted to using “false pretenses” to obtain the promotional shot, according to the letter.
A Playboy spokeswoman said Alba was placed on the cover after being chosen “sexiest star of the year” by its readers.
Celebrity birthdays
Today: Celebrity weight-reducer Chastity Bono is 37; actress Patsy Kensit (“Angels and Insects”) is 38; actress Patricia Heaton (“Everybody Loves Raymond”) is 48; movie director Adrian Lyne (“Flashdance”) is 65.
Sunday: Model Niki Taylor is 31. Actress Eva Mendes (“2 Fast 2 Furious”) is 28. Actor Jake Lloyd (“Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace”) is 17.
Contributing: news services. If you have a tip, call 404-526-5688 or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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