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Fuzzy’s Place closes
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
An ominous piece of signage is greeting the regulars trying to get into veteran Atlanta watering hole Fuzzy’s Place this week: “Closed for Reorganization.” The 30-year-old bar and longtime nightclub home to bands 
Java Monkey and the Breeze Kings with Tommy Brown has closed after the death of owner Fuzzy Cawthon a year ago this month. The shuttering has left about two dozen staffers without a paycheck. There was no immediate word Tuesday whether current owner Chris Cawthon intends to reopen the club. Atlanta musician and Fuzzy’s fixture Bryan Cole told us Tuesday: “I’m hopeful that the people who dedicated themselves to Fuzzy’s success will find a way to re-open it. In the club business, three years is now considered a good run. But 30 years is just unheard of.” No one answered at the club when we rang Tuesday.
Actor thought of ATL for ‘Nighttiming’ help
When “The Darjeeling Limited” actor Jason Schwartzman needed someone to mix “Nighttiming,” his new Coconut Records low-fi indie pop album, he was somehow able to persuade A-list Atlanta producer Brendan O’Brien to fly across the country for an afternoon.
“I couldn’t believe we were able to get him,” Schwartzman told us recently during a visit to Atlanta. “This guy is usually busy producing Bruce Springsteen, and he made the trip for us. It was a little intimidating to speak up and say, ‘Ur, Brendan, could that kick drum be a little louder?’ But he just made everything sound better.”
While the resulting pop/rock record was written and performed largely by Schwartzman — a founding member of the power pop combo Phantom Planet — in a friend’s home studio, the actor did have some notable names drop by to contribute vocals for the album. Hollywood starlets Kirsten Dunst and Zooey Deschanel both lent their voices to the disc that has gotten a recent boost, thanks to mentions on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” Schwartzman’s guerrilla marketing campaign includes sending a souvenir Polaroid of himself to each buyer (so far, he’s snapped about 2,000).
As he goes city to city to promote the new Wes Anderson flick, he carries a bag of “Nighttiming” albums with him to hand-distribute to radio and press types (after buying music by his brother Robert Carmine’s band Rooney and his Aussie pal Ben Lee, iTunes thoughtfully suggested that we download the disc, but we had to sheepishly admit to Schwartzman that we happily listened to it for months before being clued in that he was its mastermind).
Cracked the actor/musician: “That’s the trouble with iTunes. You can fall into what I call ‘The iHole.’ You know you’re in it when your girlfriend comes in from work and she asks you what you did all day and you realize that you just downloaded 433 albums that no one’s ever heard of.’ “
For info: www.youngbabyrecords.com or myspace.com/coconutrecords.
Repairing ‘Christmas’
The Theater of the Stars production of “White Christmas” has gotten off to a slippery start. According to the show’s rep, Karen Hatchett, the set had a rough sleigh ride from its previous engagement in Savannah. When the trucks arrived at the Fox Theatre on Monday morning, the crew “realized that there are one or two pieces of the set that are damaged,” Hatchett reported. The scenery is being repaired, but questions remained about whether snowy sets would be ready in time for Tuesday night’s first performance. Theater of the Stars has requested that reviewers wait until tonight to see this all-new production, based on the 1954 film featuring the music of Irving Berlin. The AJC review of “White Christmas” will be posted online Thursday and run in Friday’s newspaper.
Overscene
Singer Francine Reed and her singing siblings Michael, Margo, Mellody and Lavergne Reed, along with mama Miss Girley sampling the chicken, catfish, turkey, macaroni and cheese, and greens at Mary Mac’s Tea Room in Midtown. Margo was so impressed with the eatery’s signature rolls, she got some to take on the plane back to Phoenix.
Stork report
This ought to do wonders for the cleavage cam on “Everyday Italian.” Food Network personality Giada De Laurentiis has a bun in the oven.
The TV chef says she is expecting her first child, a baby girl, in April.
De Laurentiis, 37, announced her pregnancy on NBC’s “Today” show. She is a contributing correspondent on the morning show.
So, how is her husband, clothing designer Todd Thompson, dealing with impending parenthood?
“He’s freaked out and he’s excited, all in one,” De Laurentiis said.
Celebrity birthdays
Singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell is 64. Actor Christopher Knight (“The Brady Bunch”) is 50. Actress Yunjin Kim (“Lost”) is 33.
Contributing: Wendell Brock 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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