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Funny how Seinfeld is worth $77 to many
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Not many standup comics can get away with charging up to $77 for tickets. But Jerry Seinfeld can. The king of observational humor sold out two gut-busting shows at the Fox Theatre on Friday night.
How funny was he 10 years after his seminal sitcom “Seinfeld” ended? Weakened by laughter, Buzz at times had trouble jotting notes.
Seinfeld vented faux outrage over everything from pointless cliches people utter (“How about this weather? Do you think it’ll last?”), those strips of news below the talking heads on CNN and Fox News (“Don’t they know the reason people are watching TV is so they don’t have to read?”) to the utter ubiquity of Starbucks.
“I know people who stop by for a latte on their way to a Starbucks!” he said. Time seems to have stood still for Seinfeld. At age 54, he looks fit, relaxed and 15 years younger than his age.
And though he makes references to iPhones and Ebay, he hasn’t changed an iota stylistically from those bits you see in the early episodes of “Seinfeld” in syndication. The difference now is he’s a happily married gazillionaire with three children. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
MySpace song gets him pro gig
Atlanta’s own Home Depot has generated plenty of Olympic athletes and proudly publicizes them. But for a change of pace, Home Depot now employs the new lead singer for the band Boston.
One day, Tommy DeCarlo was a credit manager at a Charlotte Home Depot. Now he’s prepping to sing “Don’t Look Back” and “More Than a Feeling” on a North American tour, including a stop at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Alpharetta on Aug. 17. “Holy cow! I’m just thrilled!” 43-year-old DeCarlo told Buzz. “I’ve never been in a band before.”
After lead singer Brad Delp committed suicide last year, DeCarlo posted a tribute song on his MySpace page. Some fans heard it and encouraged him to contact Boston. He eventually reached Boston founder Tom Scholz. “I was wicked nervous,” he said when Scholz first talked to him.
For years, DeCarlo said friends thought he sounded like Delp. Scholz agreed. After DeCarlo did an audition and live tribute show, Scholz awarded him the job as lead singer. DeCarlo’s now on leave from Home Depot.
“When articles about me ended up in the papers, my coworkers came up to me and wanted me to sign them,” he mused. “That was bizarre!”
PHOTO CREDIT: RODNEY HO/Staff
TV actor crashes in Road Atlanta race
Ian Ziering (above) crashed his Mazda in his first Road Atlanta race as a pro driver Saturday, emerging physically unscathed but a bit bruised in the ego.
“I’m disappointed to say the least,” said Ziering, best known in pop culture circles as Steve Sanders from “Beverly Hills 90210” and a 2007 fourth-place finisher in “Dancing With the Stars.”
Braselton’s Road Atlanta over its 38 years has been host to a number of celebrities including Lorenzo Lamas, Craig T. Nelson, Bruce Jenner, Crystal Bernard and the only big name who has won a major race there, the esteemed Paul Newman.
Ziering — who started in last place among 31 drivers after qualifying rounds, lagged behind the others throughout the race — getting lapped twice by the eventual winner on the 2.5 mile course. Then near the end, he lost control of the vehicle at a turn, slid out and hit a tire wall, forcing the race to end early.
But he’s not discouraged. “This is spurring me on to do better,” he told Buzz. “I have seven more races. I just need more seat time.” He even whipped out his phone and took photos of the car damage for posterity. (see below)
Overscene
Though they lost Game 7 Sunday in Boston, the Atlanta Hawks captured the imaginations of starved local basketball fans by winning Game 6 Friday night against the Boston Celtics, and several celebs at Philips Arena cheered them on. Among them: local R&B stars Jermaine Dupri, Ciara and T-Boz and former Falcons DeAngelo Hall and Alge Crumpler.
Next ‘Bachelorette’ is Newnan woman
Remember DeAnna Pappas? She’s the adorably cute Newnan real estate agent jilted by “Bachelor” Brad Womack during the finale last November. In fact, Womack didn’t pick anybody. There was much outrage and sympathy for Pappas in “Bachelor” land. ABC rewarded her with her own show. Her run as “The Bachelorette” is ready to debut May 19. An ABC news release notes that she’ll have a date at Dodger Stadium to meet Tommy Lasorda, a concert with Natasha Bedingfield and a visit to “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”
HIGH FIVE
Hot 107.9
Covering April 24 to 30
Lil Wayne “Lollipop”
Usher “Love in This Club”
V.I.C. “Get Silly”
Shawty Lo “Foolish”
Rick Ross “Boss”
— Mediabase 24/7
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Comedian-actor Michael Palin (Monty Python) is 65. Newsman Brian Williams is 49. Actress Tina Yothers (“Family Ties”) is 35. Singer Craig David is 27. Singer Chris Brown is 19.
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
Comments
By sandee
May 5, 2008 8:05 AM | Link to this
Celebrity Ziering is clearly not ready to be a pro driver, more training needed before he hurts himself.