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Chambliss unveils his official portrait
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Pulling back the curtain Tuesday evening on his official portrait in Washington, Sen. Saxby Chambliss of Moultrie confessed that as a student he had “never set foot in the library” at the University of Georgia. Now his likeness is destined to go to UGA’s Richard B. Russell Library.
But that won’t happen until 21 years after the Georgia Republican has left office.
Meantime, the portrait will hang in the hearing room of the Senate Agriculture Committee, which he chaired for two years before the Democrats recaptured the majority.
The painting is by a Bulgarian-born Atlanta artist known simply as Rossin. The privately funded project was headed by lobbyists Rob Leebern and Louie Perry, who raised $17,000 from an array of farm and agriculture interests.
The unveiling was — where else? — in the Russell Room of the Senate building named for the legendary Georgia senator.
OVERSCENE
At the grand opening of Straits, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges and chef Chris Yeo’s Juniper Street eatery in Midtown Tuesday night: actress Vivica A. Fox; producer Jermaine Dupri; Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee and the cast of “Battleground Earth,” Luda and Lee’s upcoming Discovery Channel reality show; V-103’s Frank Ski and Ryan Cameron; Atlanta Falcons Ovie Mughelli, David Irons and Jamaal Anderson; Ted’s Montana Grill co-founder George McKerrow Jr. and wife Ginair and CBS 46 “Restaurant Report Card” reporter Adam Murphy.
SICK BAY
CNN founder Ted Turner, one of the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention’s biggest supporters, was notably absent from Monday night’s festivities featuring the Fonda family at the Woodruff Arts Center. But it wasn’t because Turner’s support for G-CAPP or its founder (and his ex-wife) Jane Fonda is waning. Turner’s rep Phillip Evans tells Buzz the bison baron is recovering from back surgery.
“Ted is recovering well and bouncing back,” Evans explains.
The back ailment is the result of “degenerative problems accumulated over the years.”
And the most entertaining Turner story circulating at the benefit’s cocktail reception?
The Ted’s Montana Grill co-founder allegedly showed up at his downtown eatery recently clad in a hospital gown. In response to our logical follow-up question, the answer is yes, Turner was wearing pants, we’re told.
‘I DO’ ON ‘TODAY’?
Tossing privacy and control of their special day to the wind like a bridal bouquet, an Atlanta couple is battling four others for a free wedding, courtesy of “Today.”
Darnell Suggs and LaDonna Bradford, both engineers, were chosen to be in the final five. They started competing Wednesday morning and each week, someone gets eliminated by public vote. The video they submitted was a spoof on “Today.” Bradford played Meredith Vieira and Suggs played Matt Lauer.
Bradford, 24, said the couple got engaged in Egypt on New Year’s Day.
“We have a no-bounds relationship. There are no limits on what we could do. He’s everything I ever dreamed of,” Bradford said.
Suggs noted: “We inspire each other. She makes me want to go above and beyond for her.”
Suggs said they have a wedding set (budget $5,000 to $10,000) for April 2009. But they’re willing to let NBC and the “Today” show do it for them in Rockefeller Center June 25 if America votes accordingly.
To vote: www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24596237/.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Counterculture icon Wavy Gravy is 72. Country singer K.T. Oslin is 66. Musician Brian Eno is 60. Actor Chazz Palminteri is 56. Actor David Krumholtz (“Numbers”) is 30. Actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler (“The Sopranos”) is 27.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I am complex, contradictory and capable of great intelligence but also remarkable stupidity. In other words, I am a human being. To me, labels are for clothes, not people. So, please don’t try to define me; don’t try to categorize me; and most of all, don’t label me.”
— Al Reynolds in a message posted on his Myspace.com page in response to media reports on the dissolving of his marriage to Star Jones
Contributing: Rodney Ho, Julia Malone 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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