Access Atlanta > Blog > Archives > 2007 > January
January 2007
Spanx founder returns to ‘Oprah’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Somehow, six years have elapsed since we wrote about Spanx pantyhose founder Sara Blakely’s inaugural appearance on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” In November 2000, the talk show queen elevated the burgeoning footless control-top pantyhose brand to an overnight household name when she proclaimed the product one of “Oprah’s Favorite Things.” A film crew and producers were dispatched to tape a segment with Blakely in her then-small Virginia-Highland-based business.
On Thursday at 4 p.m. on WSB-TV, Blakely returns to “Oprah.”
Only this time, the business owner (who now oversees a $100 million dollar business) will be on stage in Chicago with Winfrey for the start of the all-important February sweeps TV ratings period.
“We got the call in late November and Sara taped the show on Dec. 13,” Spanx rep. Misty Elliott told Buzz Wednesday. “It was a pretty exciting moment. It’s been Sara’s dream. Sara and I are pretty close in age and Oprah has been on TV since we were in high school. She’s really brought up our generation of women.”
While Elliott wasn’t at liberty to provide us with any advance scoop on the show, trolling around at oprah.com online netted us some additional tidbits of information. According to the Website, the show is titled “How’d They Do That?” and touts Spanx as “a brilliant invention that makes women look thinner.”
It would appear that Blakely, 35, who launched her Sara Blakely Foundation here last fall (a $1.5 million dollar charitable organization that benefits young women in South Africa), may have managed to surprise Winfrey on-air during the taping. According to Oprah.com, Thursday’s show includes “a million dollar moment that left Oprah speechless!”
As soon as the show airs Thursday morning in Chicago, Blakely promises to dish all the details with us. Come back to ajc.com on Thursday for all the scoop.
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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Valderrama gets his birthday rolling
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Ten Pin Alley, Atlantic Station’s newest (and well, OK, only) upscale cocktail lounge/bowling emporium isn’t technically open yet.
However, if you’re one of the owners, you’re usually allowed to christen the joint with a private bash.
That’s how “That ’70s Show” actor and co-owner Wilmer Valderrama celebrated his 27th birthday Monday night with a few close friends.
The evening began at Dolce, the Italian eatery Valderrama co-owns with celebrity friends like Ashton Kutcher and “Big Brother” reality TV contestant Mike “Boogie” Malin. The “Big Brother All Stars” winner played host to the host of MTV’s “Yo Momma,” as Valderrama and pals dined on appetizers of burrata cheese, grilled tomatoes and prosciutto, and tuna tartare with fresh avocado chili sauce and won-ton crisps.
Later, as the party made its way to Ten Pin Alley, Dolce chefs dashed over with Valderrama’s faves from the bowling nightspot’s menu, including truffled macaroni cheese balls with white cheddar sauce, zucchini fries with goat cheese tomato fondue, Kobe beef and barbecue pork sliders, and barbecue duck with grilled pineapple sauce.
Afterward, the “Fast Food Nation” actor and pals toasted the occasion with magnums of Cristal champagne. And in case you were wondering, a magnum of Cristal retails for around $500 a bottle.
On Tuesday, there was no immediate word on Valderrama’s cholesterol count.
Ten Pin Alley is due to open to the public this week.
Personalizing the ‘Titanic’ experience
As crowds turn up to “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition” during its multimonth run at the former SciTrek site in Midtown, each attendee is handed a White Star Line boarding pass to the doomed luxury liner. In an effective example of interactivity, each pass contains a biography of an actual Titanic passenger. It’s not until the end of the exhibition when “passengers” learn via a list on the wall whether they lived or perished in the icy Atlantic.
“It’s incredibly effective way of making visitors a part of the experience, and it’s fascinating to watch people, especially young kids, scan that wall at the end of the exhibition,” the exhibit’s Atlanta rep Jonathan Barnes told Buzz on Tuesday. We’ll admit to having a few anxious moments the other afternoon as we clutched our boarding pass at the end of the display. For the record, our passenger, Masabumi Hosono, 42, the only Japanese businessman on board for Titanic’s maiden and final voyage, survived.
Celebrity docket
“Simple Life” simpleton Paris Hilton has filed a federal lawsuit seeking to shut down a Web site that displays personal photos, videos, diaries and other belongings once kept at a storage facility.
The unintentionally hilarious Web site was launched last week, claiming the items were auctioned after Hilton neglected to pay a $208 bill at a Los Angeles-area storage facility. It also promises visitors who pay a fee of $39.97 access to Hilton’s passport, medical records and other legal documents. In the name of research, Buzz on Tuesday forced ourselves to examine photos of a bare-breasted Hilton engaged in hot girl-on-girl action with unidentified females and a snapshot of a portly bare-chested gentleman who reportedly has a kilo of an illegal substance lined up on his torso.
Hilton said a moving company was supposed to pay the storage fees and was “shocked and surprised” to learn her belongings were sold at a public auction.
The lawsuit alleges defendants Nabil and Nabila Haniss paid $2,775 for the contents of the storage unit and later sold the items for $10 million to entrepreneur Bardia Persa, who created the naughty Web site ParisExposed.com.
Hilton’s publicist, Elliot Mintz, said that she would like the site shut down and “would like all of these items returned to her.” It wasn’t immediately clear if this somehow explains Hilton’s absence of undergarments in recent months.
Lloyd Webber to get ‘Grease’-y
In what we’re surmising is a stab at casting classiness, “Cats” composer Andrew Lloyd Webber will slum as a guest judge on the Feb. 11 edition of the reality TV exercise “Grease: You’re the One That I Want,” NBC announced Tuesday.
The composer, whose inexplicably successful Broadway hits include “Evita” and “Phantom of the Opera,” will weigh in on the remaining 12 finalists, who are competing to play Danny the slick greaser and Sandy the naive good girl (John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John in the classic 1978 movie version) in the revival of “Grease” coming to Broadway this summer.
The hopefuls — split evenly between guys and girls — will perform songs from Broadway musicals, including (begin massaging your temples now) Lloyd Webber’s shows, in the two-hour episode beginning at 7 p.m.
ON MY iPOD
Poet/author Nikki Giovanni, who signs her latest book, “Acolytes,” at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Ansley Mall Chapter 11: “Kathleen Battle, the Fisk Jubilee Singers, Al Green, Marvin Gaye, John Coltrane, [Thelonius] Monk. It stays on shuffle. Oh, and SOS [Band] and the Gap Band. And I need to put Diana Ross on there. I need ‘Love Hangover.’ [giggling] See, I am old-school.”
Celebrity birthdays
Actress Carol Channing is 86. Author Norman Mailer is 84. Actress Suzanne Pleshette is 70. Singer Harry Wayne Casey of KC and the Sunshine Band is 56. Singer Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols is 51. Actor Anthony LaPaglia (“Without a Trace”) is 48. Actress Minnie Driver is 37. Actress Portia de Rossi (“Arrested Development,” “Ally McBeal”) is 34. Actress Kerry Washington (“Ray”) is 30. Singer Justin Timberlake is 26.
Contributing: Lamar Wilson and news services.
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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Tearful time for Braxton: Son’s autistic
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Part-time Alpharetta resident Toni Braxton broke down during Monday’s telecast of “The View” as she disclosed that her 3-year-old son Diezel has been diagnosed with autism.
The pop star served as the celebrity co-host on the ABC daytime talk show as it dedicated an entire episode to the topic.
“I get so emotional about this,” Braxton told co-hosts Rosie O’Donnell, Joy Behar and Elisabeth Hasselbeck.
Last summer, Braxton, husband Keri Lewis and their two children relocated to Las Vegas, where Braxton is under contract to perform at the Flamingo Hotel through March.
On air Monday, the singer and actress said that she first suspected something was wrong when Diezel was enrolled in school there.
“I could see little red flags,” she said. “He wasn’t advancing at the same level as his brother [Denim]. We got his hearing checked twice. He went to speech therapy. … There were behavior, speech and compliance issues.”
Finally, Diezel was diagnosed with autism last fall.
Braxton said she agreed to go on the autism-centered episode of “The View” Monday to help heighten awareness for other families.
Said Braxton: “That’s why I’m here.”
As the show went into its first commercial break Monday, a tearful Braxton got a hug from O’Donnell, who encouraged her, saying, “You’re doing fantastic.”
Overscene
Rapper-actor Bow Wow chatting with Atlanta Hawks legend Dominique Wilkins at the Hawks-76ers game at Philips Arena over the weekend. Also on hand were Atlanta Thrashers head coach Bob Hartley and Thrashers winger Slava Kozlov.
Celebrity beat
Former Atlantan Allison Samuels’ collection of behind-the-scenes stories — “Off the Record: A Reporter Unveils the Celebrity Worlds of Hollywood, Hip-hop and Sports” (Amistad, $24.95) — touts interviews with some famous locals like Coretta Scott King, Whitney Houston and Janet Jackson. But since it’s not always all about us, when Buzz got her on the phone, we asked the Newsweek reporter to dish about things other than our fair city.
After all, she is the same reporter who once had to tell the now-resurging Eddie Murphy he wasn’t cover material. Oprah Winfrey told her that American students don’t appreciate what they have in terms of educational opportunities. And Denzel Washington felt comfortable enough with her to concede that he passed on a love scene with Smyrna gal Julia Roberts in “The Pelican Brief” because he didn’t want to upset his black female fans.
Before her signing at 7 tonight at Barnes & Noble in East Point, Samuels — a former intern at this newspaper — discussed whether her job at the weekly is basically to cover famous black people:
“[Laughs] Kind of. But it was my decision.
“When I got to Newsweek, there were 100 reporters to cover Jodie Foster and one reporter to cover Babyface. So I thought it was a sensible thing to focus on African-Americans of note.”
For more information on the signing: 404-349-0359.
Help for twin boys
Dr. Stephanie Martin, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, plays a key role in a Sunday episode of a new Discovery Channel series, “Surgery Saved My Life.”
For several months in fall, Discovery cameras followed the journey of Griffin single mom Roxann Moore and her two 6-year-old sons, both of whom suffer from cerebral palsy. Neither was expected to walk unassisted, but Martin found a way to surgically repair John, the first twin, a year ago at Children’s at Egleston. He now walks on his own.
So far, James is not walking, but Martin says he’s now standing. “He has an internal desire that’s unparalleled,” Martin said. “I didn’t know if he’d have enough gumption to get up.”
Martin said watching herself on TV was both “strange” and “humbling.”
She was amused when the filmmakers insisted she go jogging to show she’s active, when in fact she’s so busy with her career and kids, she doesn’t really jog.
She hopes the show will inspire folks to help out Moore, who can’t afford the tuition to send James to a special school.
Discovery is airing the episode at 1 and 9 p.m. Sunday. Be warned: It’s not for the squeamish. There are close-ups aplenty of ligaments, muscles and bone during the surgery.
Sick bay update
Blues legend B.B. King was discharged from a Galveston, Texas, hospital over the weekend, following treatment for a fever, and was “back to his old self.”
The 81-year-old guitarist was “feeling fabulous,” said Tina France, vice president of Lieberman Management of New York. King still plans to perform tonight in Fort Worth, France said.
Celebrity birthdays
Actor Gene Hackman is 77. Actress Vanessa Redgrave is 70. Singer Marty Balin of Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship is 65. Musician Phil Collins is 56. Actor Charles S. Dutton is 56. Comedian Brett Butler (“Grace Under Fire”) is 49. Actor Christian Bale (right) is 33. Actor Wilmer Valderrama (“That ’70s Show”) is 27.
Contributing: Rodney Ho, Sonia Murray and news services
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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Male crooners tune up pipes for MTV show
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
“American Idol” hasn’t been to Atlanta for auditions since 2003, but MTV’s “Making the Band 4” believed the ATL is the place to find the next New Edition or Boyz II Men. The show, produced by frequent Atlanta visitor Diddy, screened more than 300 male crooners at Verve Lounge downtown on Saturday.
The judges were pleased with the a capella performances, saying the talent was better than Houston, Orlando or Los Angeles, the three previous audition cities.
“They came out, they represented, they could sing, they could dance,” said choreographer Laurie Ann Gibson after the first round.
Ultimately, they let through a generous 100 people on Day One but were much tougher Sunday, culling the talent down with a dance routine and singing to backing tracks. Only a handful will go to Hollywood for the semifinals.
Buzz watched a couple dozen of the wannabes perform before the judges. Three things got folks eliminated within seconds: a look they didn’t like, bad singing and forgetting the words.
“Learn the lyrics!” judge Ankh Ra Amenhetep would say over and over.
Among the songs some contestants mauled were “End of the Road” by Boyz II Men, “Can You Stand the Rain” by New Edition and “My Cherie Amour” by Stevie Wonder.
Michael Woodard of Palm Beach, Fla., had gotten cut in Orlando and came to Atlanta to try again. Gibson remembered him from the previous audition, noting, “Eye of the tiger, heart of a lion!” She then had him take off his choker, thinking it was constricting his singing.
The choker-less Woodard started tentatively but ended strong. The judges gave him a second chance. “You’ve got to get your energy up,” she advised. “I need more eye of the tiger!”
Fugees popular
Clarkston’s Fugees youth soccer team got a warm welcome at the Coastal Georgia Soccer Assocation tournament in Savannah this past weekend.
News of The New York Times’ recent story about the team and a subsequent $3 million movie deal had everyone in Savannah asking, “Where are the Fugees at?” said Beth Wasdin, tournament program director.
“Several have called wanting to have them over for dinner,” she said. “They’re like the most popular team here.”
Savannah residents came out with handmade signs welcoming the team, which is made up of refugee children from many countries, including Kosovo, Bosnia, Somalia, Sudan and Iraq.
New York Times reporter Warren St. John plans to write a book about the Fugees, and the proposed movie will follow the struggles of coach Luma Mufleh, 31, in building the team and finding a permanent soccer field to use in Clarkston.
St. John, taking a break from reporting, was cheering the team on at the tournament. He declined to discuss statements by the mayor of Clarkston, who issued a release saying that the Times article had taken comments out of context. “I’m confident our story is accurate,” St. John said.
Mufleh clarified previous reports, saying the $500,000 from the movie deal will not go to buy real estate for a soccer field but instead will go to the Fugee Families Foundation, which will help not only with soccer, but with the greater needs of refugee families, such as education, health, employment and affordable housing.
Whitney’s prizes
That classy publication the National Enquirer picked up a few baubles from the recent Whitney Houston auction in New Jersey and is giving them away as prizes to lucky readers. The former Alpharetta resident had allegedly owed a storage facility more than $150,000. Among the prizes: pink silk-floral-print cropped pants by Dolce & Gabbana, an elegant white, crystal-studded belt and a thin crystal belt with matching choker.
The tabloid lawyers included this disclamer: “Not affiliated, sponsored, endorsed or associated with Whitney Houston.”
High Five
Top 5 search terms on Yahoo
For the week of Jan. 22
1. Paris Hilton
2. Britney Spears
3. Internal Revenue Service
4. Beyoncé Knowles
5. Lindsay Lohan
— Yahoo!
Late night jokes
“Is everyone excited about the Academy Awards? Helen Mirren was nominated for a tremendous role. She plays a stubborn, out-of-touch queen … I believe it’s based on the story of Elton John.”
— David Letterman
” A recent survey of drivers and their distractions found that 68 percent of drivers eat meals while driving; 73 percent talk on the phone while driving. Here’s the scary part: 98 percent filled out the survey while driving.”
— Jay Leno
Celebrity birthdays
Actor John Forsythe is 89. Actor Tom Selleck is 62. Talk show host Oprah Winfrey is 53. Actor Nicholas Turturro (“NYPD Blue”) is 45. Actress Sara Gilbert (“ER,” “Roseanne”) is 32.
Contributing: Reagan Walker and news services.
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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Panda cub learns how to play hostess
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Cribbing a page from the successful playbooks of the Georgia Aquarium and the High Museum of Art, Zoo Atlanta will soon begin offering online ticketed reservations for its new star, Mei Lan, the baby panda.
Zoo fans will have an opportunity to “make an appointment to see Mei Lan,” zoo spokeswoman Susan Elliott told Buzz on Thursday night during a cocktail party for the feted furball.
Alas, the start of the program won’t coincide with warmer temperatures but will rely instead on Mei Lan’s growth.
“Once she feels more comfortable being outside for longer periods of time, we’ll begin to offer the online time-ticketing as an option,” Elliott said. “It could be as early as the next few weeks. We’ll just have to see.”
And while she wasn’t exactly old enough to drink, little Mei Lan did toddle out briefly Thursday night to say hello to her guests before bedtime. About 250 well-wishers turned out for the “Shout for Joy!” gathering.
Chinese lanterns and a generous supply of portable heaters helped to guide chilled guests to the panda habitat and the large heated tent erected for the occasion.
The evening served as a thank-you for the many corporate folks and civic leaders who helped to originally bring the pandas to Atlanta. Honorary chairs included three men who were all instrumental in the international exchange program: former President Jimmy Carter, former U.N. Ambassador and Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.
During his brief remarks, Carter (who attended with his 7-year-old grandson, Hugo) informed the crowd that negotiations to bring two giant pandas to Atlanta date back more than 20 years.
Smiling, Carter cracked: “There was an extraordinary amount of money involved. … But we have realized the ultimate dream.” In exchange for his efforts, Carter and Hugo had a few private moments to gaze at Mei Lan through the glass.
“Hugo was delighted,” Carter said. “He’s even missing ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ to come out and see Mei Lan tonight.”
Mayor responds to NYT story
As promised, a statement from Clarkston Mayor Lee Swaney made its way to Buzz Central on Friday. Five days after a prominent New York Times story on the Fugees, a refugee youth soccer team, and its ongoing challenges to playing ball in Clarkston, Swaney is challenging several of the story’s charges. (Clarkston was largely depicted in the article as a good old boy Southern town averse to diversity.)
This week, the movie rights to the story were acquired by Universal Pictures.
Via the statement, Swaney said: “There is a misconception that the Fugees team and soccer in general is banned in the city of Clarkston parks. Please be assured that this is not the case and the Fugees have been practicing on Armstead Field since October 2006. The New York Times reporter repeatedly confuses Milam Park Field — which is dedicated to Little League baseball and unsuitable for soccer — with Armstead Field, which is where the Fugees continue to play. The only limitations we have ever placed on either Armstead Field or Milam Park Field are to restrict the usage to children only.
“We are deeply disappointed in the tone of [reporter Warren] St. John’s article. The report is factually inaccurate and several statements are taken out of context — apparently to present a more dramatic story and arrive at his own conclusions.
“We are very proud of the Fugees’ success, which is a positive outcome from Clarkston being among the most culturally diverse cities in Georgia. The Fugees represent the best of what the human spirit can accomplish by overcoming oppressive conditions in their native countries and coming together in their new community to achieve success through the power of sports and teamwork.”
An e-mail sent to St. John from Buzz seeking comment did not immediately garner a response.
Sick bay
Blues legend B.B. King remained hospitalized for a low-grade fever Friday in Galveston, Texas, following the flu but was in good condition, his management agency said.
The 81-year-old guitarist and singer was expected to be discharged today, a hospital spokesman said. His agency said he plans to perform Tuesday in Fort Worth, Texas.
“He’s doing great,” said Tina France, vice president of Lieberman Management of New York. “He’s in good spirits and cracking jokes.”
King had been scheduled to perform Thursday at the Grand Opera House but was admitted to the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, said Paul McCarthy, a nurse administrator.
King, who has a history of diabetes, was taking antibiotics for a 100-degree fever, France said.
Stork report
It’s a girl!
CNN chief medical correspondent-neurosurgeon-professor Dr. Sanjay Gupta and his wife, Rebecca, welcomed their second child Thursday. Sky Anjali Gupta weighed in at 6 pounds, 9 ounces.
Celebrity birthdays
Saturday: Actor James Cromwell (“24,” “Babe”) is 67. Actress Bridget Fonda is 43. Actor Alan Cumming (“Spy Kids”) is 42. Country singer Tracy Lawrence is 39. Rapper Tricky is 39.
Sunday: Actor Alan Alda is 71. Singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan is 39. Rapper Rakim is 39. Actor Elijah Wood (“The Lord of the Rings”) is 26.
Contributing: news services
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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Clarkston’s soccer dispute heads for film
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The announcement issued Thursday by Hollywood trade paper Variety probably won’t increase tourism in Clarkston.
Universal Pictures has netted the rights to make a big-screen version of a story in last Sunday’s New York Times. The lengthy article by Warren St. John chronicled the struggles of the Fugees, a youth soccer club made up of international refugees from Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo, Burundi, Congo, Liberia, Somalia and Sudan, who now live in Clarkston.
Universal shelled out “$2 million against $3 million for the rights” to the St. John article, according to the trade bible. St. John is also set to turn the story into a book. And the studio snapped up the life rights to the team’s coach, Luma Mufleh.
Placed by resettlement agencies, the boys were banned from playing on a grassy field in the local town park. Last summer, Clarkston Mayor Lee Swaney famously fanned the flames of controversy when he told the AJC: “There will be nothing but baseball and football down there as long as I am mayor.”
If Universal has its Hollywood way, however, the future could be looking less muddy for the 9- to 17-year-old players. As part of the movie deal, the studio has agreed to finance a new soccer field for the players via a $500,000 check.
According to Variety, a bidding war erupted this week on the Left Coast over the story. Columbia Pictures, DreamWorks and Disney vied for the rights before Universal emerged the winner.
Since the film is at least two years away from hitting your local megaplex, Clarkston’s Swaney and any longtime residents resistant to multicultural change, who will inevitably be cast as the villains of the piece, still have time to change the current town slogan: “Clarkston: Small Town, Big Heart.”
A call placed to Clarkston City Hall seeking comment from Swaney was not immediately returned. Buzz was told a news release will be forthcoming, however.
Battle of the briefings?
Flipping through the press kit for this Saturday’s Honda Battle of the Bands (which showcases the best marching bands at the nation’s historically black colleges and universities) at the Georgia Dome downtown, we came upon a curious event.
At 2 p.m., an “African-American Press Briefing” is scheduled. And it’s the only press briefing listed. We rang up the event’s media rep Ronald Childs for details.
“Nobody is being excluded,” Childs explained. “Since the event now attracts press attention from the BBC, NPR, The New York Times and other big media outlets, we just wanted to do something special for media representatives from smaller presses and the college publications. But anyone can attend, I want to make that clear.”
Five-year extension for ‘Bert Show’ star
Bert Weiss, the head of “The Bert Show” on Q100, has agreed to a new five-year deal that will keep him on the station into 2012, according to John Dickey, executive vice president at Atlanta-based Cumulus Broadcasting, which owns the top 40 station.
Management “made an extremely compelling offer for him to stay with the company,” said Weiss’ agent, Bob Eatman. (Weiss is on vacation and couldn’t be reached for comment.)
“The Bert Show,” which has been on Q100 since 2001, regularly outperforms the rest of the station in the ratings and had strong fall numbers, finishing top five in two key demographic groups: 18- to 34-year-olds and 25- to 54-year-olds.
Eatman said Weiss was actively recruited by other radio stations in Atlanta and outside the market. Dickey claims Star 94 chased after Weiss, but Star General Manager Mark Kanov denied that assertion.
The other three core members of “The Bert Show” — Jenn Hobby, Melissa Carter and Jeff Dauler — are under separate contracts.
Sick bay
Actress Nicole Kidman was taken to a hospital Thursday after the Jaguar she was driving crashed during downtown Los Angeles shooting of the science-fiction thriller “The Invasion,” police said.
Kidman was examined at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and released a short time later. She returned to work Thursday.
Kidman plays a psychiatrist who unearths the origin of an alien epidemic, and she was filming a scene depicting an escape from zombielike characters who are on the hood of her car.
Or as Buzz commonly refers to it, Friday night.
Overscene
“Big Brother” reality TV contestant Mike “Boogie” Malin at Cirque du Soleil’s “Corteo” at Atlantic Station being reprimanded by an usher for using his BlackBerry during Wednesday night’s performance. Malin is a co-owner of Dolce, a new Atlantic Station eatery. We’re told that Malin somehow resisted the urge to “CrackBerry” during Act 2.
Celebrity birthdays
Actor Paul Newman is 82. Actor David Strathairn is 58. Singer Lucinda Williams is 54. Guitarist Eddie Van Halen is 52. Comedian Ellen DeGeneres is 49. Guitarist Andrew Ridgeley (Wham!) is 44. Actor Paul Johansson (“One Tree Hill”) is 43. Gospel singer Kirk Franklin is 37. Country guitarist Michael Martin of Marshall Dyllon is 24.
Contributing: Rodney Ho, Elizabeth Cobb and news services
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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Spice may lose its new chef, get new owner
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
With practically every news cycle of late, a different, more salacious rumor regarding Midtown’s Spice restaurant trickles into Buzz Central. So, on Wednesday we rang up owner Bruce Patterson to try to separate fact from fiction. “We’re open, we’ve been open, and we’re staying open,” Patterson told us jovially while whipping up a gourmet feast in his home kitchen.
Whether the Juniper Street dining destination’s future includes Turner South “Home Plate” celebrity chef Marvin Woods, however, is less certain. Last summer, Patterson successfully lured Woods to the property to inject some flavor into the 6-year-old restaurant with his Low Country-Island-African-influenced dishes. Woods officially debuted in the Spice kitchen last fall to mostly positive reviews.
But in recent weeks, Woods has been a vapor trail. “Marvin’s on a break,” Patterson confirmed. “He’s hasn’t formally resigned, and he hasn’t been terminated. He’s on a leave of absence.”
Attempts to reach Woods via his cellphone and e-mail by Buzz were not successful. Patterson said about 50 percent of Woods’ menu remains intact at Spice, “but we’re not featuring Marvin in any of our new advertising.”
One of the wilder rumors of late involves Atlanta rapper-actor Ludacris as a potential buyer of Spice. Patterson confirmed that “people representing Ludacris have been in touch, but there is no signed deal on the table.”
Reps for the rapper-actor strongly hint to us that Luda may be interested, but no deal has been struck.
Patterson told Buzz he owns both the business and the lucrative property at 793 Juniper St. Since he first gutted the former crack house and turned it into a heat-seeking eatery, the neighborhood has gone decidedly upscale, boasting a flurry of other restaurants and boutiques. “I don’t know that we were solely responsible for [the redevelopment], but I’d like to think that Spice helped,” Patterson said.
‘Runaway Bride:The Musical’
Twenty-one months later, the Runaway Bride drama still keeps running. Thanks to Duluth’s Red Clay Theatre, plans are, er, afoot to stage “The Runaway Bride,” tagged as an “unauthorized rock opera.” Writer Jamie Heck, a Duluth resident, said the musical will not be a satire or spoof of the nonwedding between Jennifer Wilbanks and John Mason in April 2005.
Rather, Heck said, the plot revolves more around the community’s reaction to that week’s events — Wilbanks’ disappearance, the search, her return — that turned Duluth into a national soap opera.
Heck said that Wilbanks’ and Mason’s characters will have minor parts and, for legal reasons, won’t even be named. He has not spoken with the parties involved, he said.
“I really want it to be a good story about the community,” Heck said, “and a positive story about the community without it being sappy.”
The musical is scheduled to premiere in October.
A Deen taste test
Paula Deen’s boys are in Atlanta this week filming segments for the second season of their popular Food Network series “Road Tasted.” Savannah’s the Lady & Sons restaurant managers and TV hosts Jamie and Bobby Deen spent Tuesday at the Atlanta bakery of Breadwinner, a brother-sister-wife-owned business started by Geoff Melkonian, his sister, Wendy, and his wife, Katie.
For more than seven hours, the Deens and the Melkonians filmed segments, whipping up loaves of the family’s signature Papa Don’t Peach and Better Than a Bubble Bath Mocha Chocolate Chip breads. The baked goods are available locally at Souper Jenny in Buckhead, Metro Fresh in Midtown, Muss & Turner’s in Smyrna and online at getloafed.com.
“Since they built a family business up as well, they were incredibly supportive and humble,” Geoff Melkonian told us of the Deen brothers Wednesday. “They were guys you would totally watch the game and have a beer with. We spent a lot of the day cutting up with them.”
The segments should air in April.
Neither Geoff nor Wendy is exactly a stranger to the spotlight. As a musician for Five Eight and Josh Joplin, Geoff has appeared on “Late Show With David Letterman” and “Late Night With Conan O’Brien.” Wendy, meanwhile, left the taping session this week to don a nun’s habit as Sister Mary Gabriel in “Sister Act: The Musical” at the Alliance Theatre, which officially opened Wednesday night.
Quote of the day
“I’m only going to fly United from now on.”
— Oscar-nominated “Jesus Camp” documentary filmmaker Heidi Ewing extolling the virtues of the airline in The Washington Post Wednesday. Ewing was flying Tuesday when a United pilot announced to passengers that Ewing had scored the nomination.
Celebrity birthdays
Blues singer Etta James is 69. Actress Leigh Taylor-Young (“Peyton Place”) is 63. Guitarist Matt Odmark of Jars of Clay is 33. Singer Alicia Keys is 26.
Contributing: Ken Sugiura and news services
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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Globe-trotting Turner does a slow fade
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
CNN founder and current bison baron Ted Turner’s nonstop schedule temporarily caught up with him last week at the Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation at Lake Oconee.
While delivering brief remarks in front of about 125 Ted’s Montana Grill employees last Wednesday night, Turner “slowly went down to the floor,” according to Turner spokesman Phillip Evans, who was standing nearby. After righting himself, Turner, 68, gripped a podium to steady himself as he finished remarks and was eventually helped off the stage by staffers.
“With back-to-back meetings, fatigue and lack of rest, Ted became a little light-headed,” Evans explained. “He is fine, and there is no cause for concern.”
Last week, Turner was subjecting himself to a typically grueling schedule, recently returning from a trip to Argentina.
Turner was said to be out west Tuesday and not available for comment.
“He was simply just trying to do too much,” Evans told Buzz on Tuesday. “A hotel paramedic checked him out, and he was fine. It was more embarrassing than anything. If there was ever a major health issue regarding Ted Turner, you would know about it.”
Hair’s to friendship
Ten-year-old Avondale Estates resident Amoriah Shaw is once again sporting a shorter haircut to school this week. And thankfully, so is her best friend, Emma Wheeler, 9, of Decatur. Almost four years ago, Amoriah donated her hair to be made into a wig for Emma, who was battling leukemia and losing her hair from chemotherapy.
Now, with her cancer in remission, Emma and Amoriah decided to part with 10 inches apiece during a joint hair appointment at Frost salon in Decatur. They donated the hair to Locks of Love, a nonprofit that fashions wigs for patients experiencing medical-related hair loss.
“Sometimes I reach down to pull my hair into a ponytail and I forget!” Amoriah told Buzz, giggling Tuesday. “It was great to be able to do this with Emma this time. Before, I was sad to see her sick. This was a lot more fun!”
Brains activity on the increase
The Brains, the Atlanta band that flared briefly in the 1980s with the hit “Money Changes Everything” and then flamed out, is returning, in a sense. The guys plan a one-off gig at Club 29 in Decatur on Saturday that will feature Tom Gray (the brain behind the Brains) singing five or six Brains songs, with backing by the Swimming Pool Qs (fellow exiles from the 1980s Atlanta rock scene), with guest appearances by ex-Brainsmen Charles Wolff (on drums) and perhaps Rick Price (on guitar). Gray, who lately gigs with his chamber blues ensemble Delta Moon, is perplexed but pleased about the redux. “The Brains’ site on MySpace, run by our former fan club president, has more ‘friends’ than Delta Moon does,” he said in a recent e-mail. “Somehow forces I don’t understand are converging.”
Stork report
“Prison Break” actress Sarah Wayne Callies (above) is expecting her first child with husband, Josh Winterhalt, her spokeswoman said Tuesday.
The baby is due in late summer, publicist Jodi Gottlieb told The Associated Press.
Callies, 29, portrays Dr. Sara Tancredi on the Fox drama.
Celebrity birthdays
Actor Ernest Borgnine is 90. Cajun fiddler Doug Kershaw is 71. Singer Ray Stevens is 68. Singer Aaron Neville is 66. Singer Neil Diamond is 66. Drummer Keech Rainwater of Lonestar is 44. Singer Pat “Sleepy Brown” is 37. Actress Matthew Lillard (“Scooby Doo,” “She’s All That”) is 37. Actress Mischa Barton (“The O.C.”) is 21.
Contributing: Bo Emerson, Maria Saporta and news services
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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‘GWTW’ trove goes on block
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Fans of the book, film and even the architecture of “Gone With the Wind” will want to circle Feb. 11 on their calendars. That’s when “GWTW” memorabilia of all varieties goes on the auction block in Barnesville.
The sale will take place at the Gone With the Wind Hall of Stars Museum, an antebellum mansion owned by “GWTW” actor Fred Crane, who portrayed Brent Tarleton, one half of the film’s Tarleton twins. Film buffs will recall that Crane, then a young man, had the film’s first piece of dialogue.
Crane, 89, wants to slow down and leave the museum and its many artifacts to others. His dream scenario is to sell the property and everything in it to a sole buyer so the museum can continue.
Autographed items by “GWTW” stars Vivien Leigh, Clark Gable, Olivia de Havilland, Butterfly McQueen, Leslie Howard and others are up for grabs along with memorabilia from other stars like Hattie McDaniel.
A rare first edition of Margaret Mitchell’s novel, originally given as a gift by the author to then-Georgia governor E.D. Rivers, is also being sold.
Perhaps the oddest stuff in the collection? Alligator dress shoes and cuff links once owned by “Superman” actor George Reeves. Reeves (originally credited as George Bessolo), played the other Tarleton twin in “GWTW.” Crane and Reeves struck up a lifelong friendship (Reeves even performed best man duties at Crane’s first wedding in 1940).
According to auctioneers, the mansion in Barnesville — located about 35 miles northwest of Macon — was built in 1849 and served as a Confederate headquarters and hospital during the Civil War. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The sale will start at 11 a.m. under a heated tent.
For more info, www.fsagallery.com and www.atlantaauctionco.com.
Good grades
Predictably, the reporter responsible for WGCL’s strangely appetizing “Restaurant Report Card” segments is thrilled that the state’s new restaurant health inspections will contain both a number and a letter grade.
“It’s great for us since viewers will now actually get a letter grade on ‘Restaurant Report Card,’ ” correspondent Adam Murphy told Buzz on Monday. “It won’t really lessen the impact of what we do at all. If anything, it’ll make things clearer to the consumer.”
The new system should be in place by the end of the year.
Murphy says he was disappointed, however, that unlike South Carolina and California, the state is not requiring eateries to post their inspections at the front door. “That would enable diners to make a decision on whether or not they wanted to eat at an establishment before they ever walk in the front door,” he told us.
But Murphy, a self-professed occasional late-night drive-through consumer himself, is pleased about the new mandatory postings at those establishments. “You wouldn’t believe how many e-mails we’ve received from viewers who wanted that information posted there. Before the change, it really was ‘eat at your own risk’ at drive-throughs.”
Thanks from Urban
Keith Urban praised his wife, Nicole Kidman, and thanked his fans for their support during his three-month stay at a rehab center for alcohol abuse treatment, in a video posted on his Web site.
Urban entered the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, Calif., on Oct. 19 for what he thought would be a 30-day stay.
The 39-year-old country singer, who has publicly acknowledged a former addiction to cocaine, said he decided to stay for three months because he realized that learning to abstain was only part of the process to recovery.
Celebrity docket
Hotel heiress/reality TV star Paris Hilton was placed on 36 months probation and ordered to pay fines after pleading no contest Monday to alcohol-related reckless driving in Los Angeles, a reduction of an original charge of driving under the influence.
Hilton, 25, did not appear in court. The plea was entered by her attorneys, the city attorney’s office said.
Judge Michael Sauer also ordered her to attend an alcohol rehabilitation program and imposed other conditions.
He gave her the option of reducing her probation to 24 months if she completed 40 hours of community service. No immediate decision was made on that option.
Sick bay
Drummer Travis Barker is leaving a European tour with his new band Plus 44 because of an unhealed fracture in his arm.
The former Blink-182 drummer had been on tour despite a fractured right arm he suffered Sept. 9 while filming a video, according to Interscope Records.
Barker, 31, will return to Los Angeles to be treated. The band, fronted by former Blink-182 singer and bassist Mark Hoppus, has not announced a replacement drummer.
Overscene
Lifestyle guru/rug merchant Martha Stewart dining at Watershed in Decatur; “Amazing Race” reality show winner Reichen Lehmkuhl lunching at Einstein’s in Midtown; and nonpracticing “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman” actress Jane Seymour and her “Walk the Line” actor-hubby James Keach at the Crowne Plaza Ravinia in Dunwoody. Seymour’s fave room service order? Coffee.
Quote of the day
“It was pretty disheartening to be objectified like that.” — Actor Leonardo DiCaprio reflecting on his horrid life as a supermodel serial-dating heartthrob after the success of “Titanic” in 1997.
Celebrity birthdays
Actress Chita Rivera is 74. Singer Anita Pointer of the Pointer Sisters is 59. Keyboardist Danny Federici of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band is 57. Actor Richard Dean Anderson (“MacGyver”) is 57.Singer-guitarist Robin Zander of Cheap Trick is 54. Actress Gail O’Grady (“American Dreams,” “NYPD Blue”) is 44. Actress Mariska Hargitay (“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”) is 43. Actress Tiffani Thiessen (“Beverly Hills, 90210”) is 33.
Contributing: news services
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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Cooper is $4M man; Sedgwick closes big ‘Closer’ deal
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Atlanta-based CNN has signed Anderson Cooper to a multiyear deal, doubling his pay to about $4 million a year, according to Broadcasting & Cable magazine.
Also, Atlanta-based cable network TNT has signed “The Closer” star Kyra Sedgwick to a deal that could extend her stay on the show to seven seasons and make her one of TV’s highest-paid actresses, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The trade publication said she will get in the neighborhood of $250,000 to $300,000 per episode. The popular drama, in which Golden Globe winner Sedgwick plays an Atlanta transplant solving crimes in Los Angeles, will return for a third season this summer.
Instant Rock Star
Atlanta bassist and businessman Johnny Colt had just finished a long tour with Train last October and was looking forward to a few weeks off to work on his Thai boxing.
But a week in, former Guns N’ Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke, now part of the CBS reality show-created band Rock Star Supernova, called and said the band (also featuring Tommy Lee) needed help.
Jason Newsted of Metallica had hurt his shoulder when an amp hit him. Could Colt sub for Newsted?
Vacation over and no Thai boxing. Within 24 hours, Colt was in California, quickly learning Rock Star songs. “I’ve been doing this for 18 years,” he told Buzz. “Bass isn’t that hard.”
The band started its official tour last week in Florida but won’t be coming to Atlanta. “Tell [local promoter] Peter Conlon he needs to pay!” said Colt, who also has worked with the Black Crowes.
Overscene
Multiple Grammy-winning artist India Arie at the Harmony in Life showcase at Sugar Hill. Not only was the Atlanta R&B singer milling around upstairs at her brother J’on’s 34th birthday party, but she capped off an evening of performances by Russell Taylor, Keite Young and Algebra with an unannounced set.
In between her own songs and a couple of covers (Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” and Ludacris and Mary J. Blige’s “Runaway Love”), Arie admitted to the crowd that this was a warm-up show of sorts for her; she’d taken November and December off. “But I always like to play [in Atlanta] because we kind of grew up together,” Arie said.
Verdict: Atlanta nice
Jonathan Adler, a well-known interior designer and lead judge on Bravo’s upcoming “Project Runway” spinoff “Top Design,” said he loves Atlanta.
“People tell me Southerners are nice to our faces but not behind our backs,” he told Buzz recently. “I find they’re always nice.” With seven retail stores, he’s considering adding one in Atlanta, too.
As for judging a reality show, Adler had no hesitation: “I’m like the primordial muck from where all reality show fans spawn. When they asked me, I said, ‘Totals! I’m there!’ “
Latest Branson venture ready to blast off
Is climbing Mount Kilimanjaro or trekking the deepest jungles of Belize too mundane for you? And do you have $200,000 to spare?
British entrepreneur Richard Branson, who already has helped propel Atlanta businesswoman Sara Blakely into the stratosphere, has a deal for you: a three-hour flight into outer space, 75 miles above the Earth’s surface, featuring at least six minutes of weightlessness. Put down $20,000 now, and you’ll reserve a spot for a flight from New Mexico as early as late 2008.
Two local travel agents (and 46 nationwide) were recently accredited to book flights for people who have a yen for adventure: Janie Bullard of Distinctive Journeys in Powder Springs and Jennifer Campbell of Explorations, a Travel Agency Ltd. in Atlanta.
“Our clients are looking for experiential travel,” said Campbell, who paid $5,000 over five years for the rights to book flights. “People want something different. We’ve been in the sea, land and air. The next place is space.”
Her goal: to get 30 to 50 people to pony up for the experience. She’s already gotten a few interested people.
Bullard, who sends nature photographers to exotic places around the world, said she won’t start doing any real promotion to her clients until after all the agents spend two days at Cape Canaveral, Fla., in early February learning about what the trip would entail.
“In terms of life experience, this would definitely raise the bar,” she said.
Celebrity birthdays
Actor John Hurt is 67. Actress Linda Blair is 48. Actress Diane Lane is 42. Rap DJ-actor Jazzy Jeff is 42. Singer Willa Ford is 26. Actress Beverley Mitchell (“7th Heaven”) is 26.
HIGH FIVE
Top DVD sales for the week of Jan. 9
1. “Snakes on a Plane”
2. “Jackass: Number Two”
3. “The Covenant”
4. “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest”
5. “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby” — Billboard.com
WHAT’S ON YOUR IPOD?
Masi Oka, who plays Hiro on “Heroes,” back tonight on NBC:
“Here I Go Again,” OK Go; “Over My Head (Cable Car),” The Fray; “Move Along,” All-American Rejects; “Crazy,” Gnarls Barkley; “Collide,” Howie Day (“That’s on every TV promo!”); “The Reason,” Hoobastank; “Where Is the Love?” Black Eyed Peas
Guilty pleasure: “Don’t Stop Believin’,” Journey (“We sang that all the time in my college a cappella group.”)
A song that fits his show: “Superman,” Five For Fighting
Contributing: Sonia Murray and news services.
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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With rug’s unveiling, Martha’s got it covered
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Normally, the press folks covering functions at AmericasMart downtown have a fairly serene assignment. Not so, Friday night when folks from Rug Insider Magazine, Rug News.com and yes, Buzz, gathered to chronicle the debut of Martha Stewart Rugs by Safavieh.
Natch, the lifestyle guru herself was on hand to introduce the stylish area rugs that will retail for $6OO to $3,3OO.
At a ritzy private reception at the Capital City Club across the street later, Stewart, clad in a white blouse, tan sweater and leather pants invited us to sit down for a quick chat. Of her new New York Times bestseller, “Martha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook,” Stewart told Buzz: “When I got married I was given a copy of ‘Mrs. Beaton’s Household Management,’ written in 1861. I’ve been working on this update of that book all my life.”
Stewart says when women joined the workforce, housekeeping traditions were lost in the dust.
“I realized young people my daughter’s age had none of this information.” In the 7OO plus page tome, Stewart even provides a cease fire solution on how to properly load a dishwasher.
“I love domestic bliss,” she said. “Hopefully, the dishwasher information can help inspire that. Thankfully, since my divorce, I don’t have any of that worry.”
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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Former DJ gets his shot on ‘Prison Break’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When the Fox drama “Prison Break” resumes at 8 Monday night, fugitive brothers Michael Scofield and Lincoln Burrows have a new nemesis to worry about —Atlanta actor and former Dave FM morning man Steve Barnes.
“I play a Secret Service agent named Drucker,” Barnes said Friday. So far, Barnes has flown to Dallas to shoot two episodes of the addictive drama.
“Essentially, I come in and keep giving [another agent] bad news, and he’s not happy about it.”
Barnes, a big fan of the show, is having a blast.
“It’s a total roller-coaster ride of a show,” he said. “So far, I’m just shooting on a soundstage office set in Dallas. The joke on the set is you don’t want to get a script where you’re running around outside shooting [exteriors]. That usually means you’re dead!”
Barnes’ episodes air Monday and Jan. 29.
One for the books
Like any good publicist, Larry Lowenstein was all about getting ink for his client, not himself. That meant Lowenstein routinely kept us updated on Kennesaw State University, where he served as media coordinator for years. That’s also what makes his new memoir, “Famous People Who Knew Me” (Humanics Publishing), such a surprise.
Before his career in Atlanta, as it turns out, Lowenstein worked for CBS during its infancy in the 1950s (bumping into Edward R. Murrow, Ed Sullivan, Walter Cronkite, Mike Wallace and others) before helping to establish the New York offices of Rogers & Cowan, where Zsa Zsa Gabor, Doris Day, Natalie Wood, Vivien Leigh and Elizabeth Taylor were clients.
And like any savvy press agent, Lowenstein has managed to stage a glitzy release party for the tome despite the inconvenient fact that he passed away last fall at the age of 86.
Today, his widow, Joyce Lowenstein, and a small mob of friends will gather from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Ansley Mall Chapter 11 Books in Midtown to toast the publication of Larry’s last project.
While the book is positively bursting with celeb stories, our fave has to be Lowenstein greeting Taylor and new hubby Eddie Fisher at a New York airport as the Hollywood couple embarked on their 1959 honeymoon.
Upon meeting Lowenstein on the tarmac, Taylor threw two furs over each of his arms and then handed over her makeup kit, warning him not to let it out of his sight because “it contains every piece of jewelry I own!” Then Taylor, Fisher and their entourage promptly departed, stranding the young PR agent with two furs, Taylor’s entire white diamond collection and zero modes of transportation.
Actor apologizes
The drama behind the scenes at ABC’s top show, “Grey’s Anatomy,” continued to rival the show’s on-screen plot complications Friday with the network and “Grey’s” actor Isaiah Washington both issuing apologies.
“We are greatly dismayed that Mr. Washington chose to use such inappropriate language at the Golden Globes, language that he himself deemed ‘unfortunate’ in his previous public apology,” the network said in a statement. “His actions are unacceptable and are being addressed.”
During a backstage interview Monday at the Globes gala, Washington denied making an anti-gay remark about co-star T.R. Knight last October. In front of scores of media at the awards, he inexplicably used the six-letter f-word again.
In his apology, Washington acknowledged “repeating the word Monday night.”
“I apologize to T.R., my colleagues, the fans of the show and especially the lesbian and gay community for using a word that is unacceptable in any context or circumstance. I marred what should have been a perfect night for everyone who works on ‘Grey’s Anatomy.’ I can neither defend nor explain my behavior. I can also no longer deny to myself that there are issues I obviously need to examine within my own soul, and I’ve asked for help.”
Trump fined for flag
Officials in the ritzy coastal town of Palm Beach, Fla., have voted to fine Donald Trump $1,250 a day for flying a large American flag atop an 80-foot flagpole at his lavish club in violation of town codes.
Code enforcement officials have accused the 60-year-old real-estate mogul of violating zoning guidelines with a flagpole taller than 42 feet, for not obtaining a building permit, and for not getting permission from the landmarks board.
Trump has refused to take down the flag. He has also filed a $25 million lawsuit against the town arguing, in part, that officials are selectively enforcing ordinances and that flying the American flag at his Mar-a-Lago club is a constitutionally protected expression of free speech.
“The town council of Palm Beach should be ashamed of itself,” Trump told The Associated Press. “They’re fining me for putting up the American flag. This is probably a first in United States history.”
Trump’s club hoisted the 15-by-25-foot flag atop the 80-foot pole at the sprawling waterfront site on Oct 3. The town had given him until Nov. 27 to remove the flag or apply for approvals.
“I think Mr. Trump, the property owner, picked this fight. I think he’s been provocative,” said Martin Fried, a member of the town’s Code Enforcement Board.
Officials voted Thursday to fine Trump.
Trump said he wouldn’t pay any fines and would keep the flag flying.
“It’s all up in the court,” he said. “It’ll be a long time, unfortunately.”
High five
Top downloaded movies at iTunes on Friday
1. “Jackass: The Movie”
2. “Mean Girls”
3. “Zoolander”
4. “South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut”
5. “The Italian Job”
Celebrity birthdays
Saturday: Singer Slim Whitman is 83. Actress Patricia Neal is 81. Director David Lynch is 61. Guitarist Paul Stanley of Kiss is 55. TV host Bill Maher is 51. Actor James Denton (“Desperate Housewives”) is 44. Country singer John Michael Montgomery is 42. Actor Rainn Wilson (“The Office”) is 39. Singer Edwin McCain is 37. Actor Skeet Ulrich (“Jericho”) is 37.
Sunday: Singer Richie Havens is 66. Actress Geena Davis is 51. Drummer Mark Trojanowski of Sister Hazel is 37.
Contributing: news services.
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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Hines Ward and mom do Super Bowl shoot at Botanical Garden
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Pittsburgh Steelers’ Hines Ward and his mother, Kim Young-hee, were at the Atlanta Botanical Garden in Midtown, shooting a segment with CBS Sports for the Feb. 4 Super Bowl XLI pre-game show. We’re told producers even shot Ward’s baby photos for the piece.
Bridal shop moving
Anne Barge is moving her bridal operation from a Midtown hotel to a former Buckhead bank building. The new store, Anne Barge Atelier, opens Feb. 5 at 79 W. Paces Ferry Road, at the corner of Paces Ferry Place.
It will be across the street from the plush St. Regis Hotel, which is scheduled to open in 2008. “My lease was up at the Four Seasons [a space atop the hotel], and I needed more room,” said Barge, who designed the wedding gown for Violet Chang, wife of boxer Lennox Lewis. “And I’m going back home to my old street.” From 1981 to 1995, the designer owned a bridal shop on Paces Ferry Place.
Her 5,000-square-foot emporium will feature cafe au lait-colored walls accented with off-white Corinthian columns and black touches. A 40-foot brick runway will allow brides to imagine walking down the aisle on their big day. In addition to her own designs, Barge will carry the Badgley Mischka bridal collection, as well as accessories and flower girl dresses.
And, if any bride is in a hurry or is worried about storing her dress, Barge’s new shop will boast a drive-through window and a vault — courtesy of former owners.
‘Mansion Madam’ returns to stage
She was dressed like a cowboy — sort of. At least like a cowboy who favored black sequins but not pants.
That’s how Lisa Ann Taylor, the so-called “Mansion Madam” of Gwinnett County, brought her newfound notoriety to a strip club Thursday night.
Taylor — better known by her stage name, Melissa Wolf — said she returned to adult entertainment for income after her arrest made it difficult to sell real estate.
The 42-year-old Taylor danced Thursday at the Toy Chest near Detroit. She also will appear this weekend at Cheetah’s of Windsor in Canada. A sign outside the Cheetah’s Club in Ontario last week advertised Taylor as the “Mansion Madam” Melissa Wolf.
Taylor faces up to 37 years in prison on charges of running a call-girl operation from her Sugarloaf Country Club home in Duluth. She said in an interview this week that the recent attention has rekindled interest in her career.
Sick bay
Actress Lindsay Lohan, 20, has checked into rehab.
“I have made a proactive decision to take care of my personal health. I appreciate your well wishes and ask that you please respect my privacy at this time,” the actress said in a statement issued through publicist Leslie Sloane Zelnick.
Us Weekly reports that Lohan entered the posh Wonderland Center in Los Angeles at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, arriving in a sports utility vehicle and clutching a Jamba Juice. Zelnick confirmed to The Associated Press in December that Lohan was attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.
Last July, Lohan was treated at a Los Angeles area hospital for overheating and dehydration on the set of “Georgia Rule,” the upcoming Garry Marshall-directed film that stars Atlantan Jane Fonda.
‘Homekeeping’ hint of the day
(From Page 229) “How to Clean a Telephone: Moisten a cloth with dishwashing liquid solution and wipe the surface of the telephone. For hard-to-reach spots, use cotton swabs dipped in rubbing alcohol.” — From “Martha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook.” The lifestyle guru signs the 744-page guide Saturday at the Lenox Square Williams-Sonoma store.
Celebrity birthdays
Actress Jean Stapleton is 84. Actress Tippi Hedren is 77. Singer Phil Everly of the Everly Brothers is 68. Country singer Dolly Parton is 61. Actor Paul McCrane (“24”) is 46. Actress Drea de Matteo (“The Sopranos”) is 35.
Contributing: Jennifer Brett, Marylin Johnson, George Chidi and news services.
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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Carters readying charitable cradle
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Former President Jimmy Carter and first lady Rosalynn Carter have selected a decidedly warmer climate for their 15th annual Winter Weekend benefit for the Carter Center. The couple’s usual ski weekend in Crested Butte, Colo., has been swapped in favor of a Jan. 30-Feb. 3 weekend at Club Med in Cancun, Mexico.
One aspect of the fund-raiser that hasn’t changed? President Carter is offering one of his exclusive woodworking projects as the signature piece in the weekend’s live auction. This year, Carter has handcrafted a baby cradle fashioned out of tiger wood that is 43 inches tall, 19.5 inches wide and 35 inches long.
Deep-pocketed donors only need apply, however. Last year’s 6-foot wooden cabinet by Carter fetched a $1 million winning bid. Value placed on this year’s donation: $100,000.
“Rosalynn and I are deeply grateful for those who provide critical support to help make a difference around the world,” Carter told Buzz via a statement from the Carter Center. “Their contributions inspired the Carter Center to face new challenges to improve life for the world’s poorest and most forgotten people.”
For folks who actually have caps on their credit limits, the live auction also features less expensive items, including a fly-fishing weekend with the Carters and pal Ted Turner for $10,000, two bottles of red wine made by the president “using traditional family methods” for $1,000 a bottle and a Savannah weekend featuring a dinner with Food Network phenom and presidential pal Paula Deen valued at $2,000. For info: www.cartercenter.org.
Beloved stuffed animal missing
A recent AJC lost and found classified ad had us scratching our heads here at Buzz Central. The three-line ad read: “Stuffed bluebird, 7-inches, lost at the airport wearing blue soccer uniform. 404-486-9751.” When we rang the number listed, Atlanta mom Angela McKinnon answered. As it turns out, the missing bird is McKinnon’s 9-year-old daughter Delaney Stewart’s favorite stuffed animal. “She dropped him at Hartsfield-Jackson when we were coming back from a trip over New Year’s,” McKinnon told Buzz Wednesday. “She’s had him since she was 1. He’s really like a member of the family. We would rather have lost all of our luggage. Delaney cried herself to sleep over it.”
The ad for the well-worn Precious Moments Tender Tail plush toy has already inspired one prank call “from someone saying they were holding him hostage,” McKinnon says. The family has printed reward posters and is offering $200 for the safe return of the beloved stuffed toy.
‘Homekeeping’ hint of the day
(From Page 84) “How to Load the Dishwasher: Delicate dishes and glassware should be placed in upper rack.”
— From “Martha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook.” The lifestyle guru signs books Saturday at the Lenox Square Williams-Sonoma store.
Quote of the day
“I’m going to be really honest right now: He needs to just not speak in public. Period. T.R. is my best friend. I will use every ounce of energy I have to take you down if you hurt his feelings.”
—“Grey’s Anatomy” actress Katherine Heigl backstage at the Golden Globes after co-star Isaiah Washington once again used an f-word in relation to gay “Grey’s Anatomy” actor T.R. Knight
Celebrity birthdays
Actor-director Kevin Costner is 52. Country singer Mark Collie is 51. Actress Jane Horrocks (“Absolutely Fabulous”) is 43. Comedian Dave Attell (“Insomniac”) is 42. Actor Jesse L. Martin (“Law and Order,” “Rent”) is 38. Singer Jonathan Davis of Korn is 36. Actor Jason Segel (“How I Met Your Mother” ) is 27.
Contributing: news services
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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Martha will clean up at Atlanta book signing
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
As you might expect, there will be a few rules in place when Martha Stewart pops into the Lenox Square Williams-Sonoma store on Saturday to liberate fans of $45 apiece.
We’re told that only 350 customers will have the opportunity to meet the lifestyle guru when she signs copies of “Martha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook: The Essential Guide to Caring for Everything in Your Home” (Potter, $45), a weighty 744-page tome that doubles as a home gym.
Fans must purchase the book in advance from Williams-Sonoma and must turn up with a proof-of-purchase receipt. Also, you have to call in advance at 404-812-1703 to get placed on a list for a ticket to the book signing. (On Tuesday, spaces remained on the list.) Fans are also asked to refrain from taking pictures.
The book is on The New York Times Best Sellers list. And Stewart’s rep Katie Goldberg told us Tuesday that Stewart’s two previous events with Williams-Sonoma drew sold-out crowds.
So in exchange for $45, exactly what kind of advice does Stewart dispense to you? It just so happens, a copy of the “Homekeeping Handbook” thudded into Buzz Central on Tuesday. All week (as a public service, natch), we’ll whet your appetite with snippets from it, leading up to Stewart’s visit to the ATL.
Today’s tip (from Page 64): “How to Wash Dishes by Hand: Wash one piece at a time. Rub the dish with a cloth or sponge while revolving it with the other hand, working from the center of the dish outward. Turn the dish over and repeat.”
Here comes the … new wedding mag
Atlanta magazine announced Tuesday that it will add to its publishing lineup in July with the debut of Atlanta Weddings. And the name at the top of the masthead is a familiar one to longtime residents. Susan Forehand, who served as Saks Fifth Avenue’s Atlanta PR director for two decades, has been named editor in chief of the twice-a-year glossy.
“Susan Forehand will be the most distinguishable characteristic of Atlanta Weddings,” says Atlanta publisher Sean McGinnis. “Her name speaks of class, elegance and sophistication, and we are so excited to have her joining our team. Already, she has created a foundation for the magazine that will be unique to the Southern bride.”
We’re praying that Forehand’s “foundation” has nothing to do with the electric slide. …
Hot flashes to continue in Feb.
Contrary to what has been previously reported, Atlanta is not quite through “Menopause” yet. We were notified Tuesday that the popular musical at 14th Street Playhouse that’s been running for 21 months will not close Sunday, after all. Due to “overwhelming demand,” the show will move from its current home at Stage 2 and will reopen in the larger Stage 1 on Feb. 1. “Menopause the Musical” is now set to run through Feb. 25.
A peek at Posh before it opens
Over the weekend, select scribbler types and some lucky local chefs had the opportunity to snag an advance taste of what Atlanta chef Tom Catherall is planning for his inaugural menu at Posh in Buckhead occupying the former Seeger’s space. Repast’s Joseph Truex, Bluepointe’s Doug Turbush and Aria’s Gerry Klaskala were among those sampling courses of ham knuckle and foie gras terrine, Mediterranean fish soup with roasted shrimp, curry-dusted monkfish in mussels broth and braised short ribs of beef on a celery root puree. Posh opens to the public Wednesday night. Phone: 404-869-0777.
Quote of the day
“Maybe I should see it with my lawyer.” — Diana Ross on “Good Morning America” on Tuesday on the Supreme-ly inspired “Dreamgirls” film that Ross claims she has yet to partake of.
Celebrity docket
Bejeweled BlackBerry tosser Naomi Campbell copped to attempting to brain her maid — sort of — pleading guilty to misdemeanor assault in a New York court Tuesday.
“I threw a cellphone in the apartment. The cellphone hit Ana,” Campbell told Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Robert Mandelbaum. “This was an accident because I did not intend to hit her.”
Campbell, 36, hit Ana Scolavino in the back of the head with the communications contraption in the model’s Manhattan apartment last March. Scolavino was treated for a head injury.
In exchange for her guilty plea, Campbell must pay Scolavino’s medical expenses of $363, do five days of community service and attend a two-day anger management program.
Outside the courthouse, her lawyer David Breitbart said: “I’m hopeful she can do the community service indoors.”
Celebrity birthdays
Actress Betty White is 85. Actress-singer Eartha Kitt is 80. Actor James Earl Jones is 76. Talk show host Maury Povich is 68. Actor-comedian Steve Harvey is 50. Actor Jim Carrey is 45. Actor Joshua Malina (“The West Wing,” “Sports Night”) is 41. Actor Naveen Andrews (“Lost”) is 38. Musician Kid Rock is 36. Actor Freddy Rodriguez (“Six Feet Under”) is 32.
Contributing: News services
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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Special Golden Globes edition
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Living the dream
Simon Cowell, the curmudgeon on “American Idol,” was not always a big fan of Jennifer Hudson when she competed. But several years later, after winning the Golden Globes’ best supporting actress award for her role in “Dreamgirls,” she was ready to send him a message.
“You like my award, Simon?” Hudson said with an impish grin, posing with the award like a pageant winner just moments after her win Monday night in Los Angeles.
Nonetheless, Hudson — who came in a distant seventh in 2004 on “Idol” and had struggled to make an impression since — came across as truly humbled by the victory, even if it had been considered preordained in recent weeks.
“Just hearing that I would be considered was enough for me,” she said. “This was something I totally didn’t expect.”
Hudson said before “Dreamgirls,” acting wasn’t high on her priority list, but “this just gave me the confidence to carry on. I found a new love for acting.”
And will she be watching “Idol” tonight when it launches its sixth season? “I will be on a plane headed overseas,” she noted. “But my sister is always there to keep me updated and texting me. Or e-mailing me. Roaming [cost] is too high!”
‘House’ call
Hugh Laurie said winning a Globe for the second time for his role as the irresistibly unlikable diagnostician on Fox’s “House” was like taking a parachute jump a second time.
“You can’t be blasé about it,” he said. “It’s still a parachute jump. … It’s undiminished. It was really an exciting thing. It still is.”
But at the same time, “I actually feel positively guilty. I don’t know what I should do,” he said, fingering the trophy. “I should find some charitable purpose for it.”
Asked about his turn on the red carpet earlier, he said it was easy for him because he trailed superstars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. “I surfed the wave. I was like an old plastic bag just bobbing along. I let them tow me along. People were going crazy with pictures of the two of them together, which they seemed reluctant to give.”
Murphy’s law
After a reporter suggested Globe winner Eddie Murphy (best supporting actor for “Dreamgirls”) had been pigeonholed into family films such as “Dr. Dolittle” and “Daddy Day Care,” Murphy bristled.
“I never thought of myself as being pigeonholed,” he harrumphed. “I’ve been making movies 25 years. I’ve been trying to do different things. … I can’t keep doing ‘Beverly Hills Cop.’ If you look at all my movies from ‘48 Hours’ to now, it’s pretty diverse.”
He loosened up a few minutes later when asked if after singing in “Dreamgirls,” he planned to revive his brief, oft-mocked 1980s music career. “That’s pretty much dead,” he said, with a sly grin. “‘Party All the Time 2’ will not be happening.”
Behind the scenes
Toughest media question of the night posed to Meryl Streep, winner of best actress in a musical or comedy for “The Devil Wears Prada”: “You look 25 years old tonight! You look fabulous!” Wait, that wasn’t a question. But she did respond: “You must be way in the back!”
“This show has been such an amazing gift, an unexpected gift, which is the very, very best kind.” — Kyra Sedgwick, TV drama actress winner for TNT’s “The Closer,” in which she plays Atlanta-turned-L.A. cop Brenda Johnson.
“Now I’m a foreign director. I’ve got to learn some languages.” — Clint Eastwood, after his film “Letters from Iwo Jima” won for best foreign language film.
No love lost
Warren Beatty, who received a lifetime achievement award from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, was not in much of a mood to banter about his love life when he met the media, something presenter Tom Hanks spent several minutes doing on stage. Did he mind the focus on his infamous reputation?
His answer? “Um … no.”
Another reporter tried again: “Can you comment on the double standard that men are applauded for being great lovers but women are considered slutty?”
Beatty arched an eyebrow and replied: “I think that changed in the ’60s and ’70s. A lot of men are called slutty. I don’t know if I concur with your definition.”
Celebrity birthdays
Country singer Ronnie Milsap is 64. Country singer Jim Stafford is 63. Talk show host Dr. Laura Schlessinger is 60. Director John Carpenter is 59. Actress-dancer Debbie Allen is 57. Singer Sade is 48. Singer Maxine Jones of En Vogue is 41. Actor David Chokachi (“Baywatch”) is 39. Actor Richard T. Jones