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At 104, she’s grieving for bowling beau
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
As soon as we received word of Bill Hargrove’s passing Thursday at Buzz Central, we immediately picked up the phone and rang Rachel Rosen Lehmann, our favorite 104-year-old reader.
As you’ll no doubt recall, Lehmann first called us back in March 2005, after reading about bowler Bill “Tiger” Hargrove, then 102, who had just been featured in the AJC Sports section. Lehmann wanted his digits. We happily obliged. The two ended up getting on so well, Hargrove showed up at the longtime Atlanta Opera volunteer’s 102nd birthday party in June of that year with three long-stemmed red roses. Sporting a jacket and tie, Hargrove gave her a hug and purred in her ear: “I came in here looking for an old lady but I couldn’t find one.”
We took copious notes and the pair ended up on the front page much to the delight of readers.
“Oh, Bill, what a darling sweet man,” Lehmann reflected Thursday. “He was a real Southern gentleman. He would always call me ‘Rachel darlin’ ’ in that accent of his. It was the cutest thing.”
Lehmann told us the two met up from time to time when they could arrange transportation but mostly kept up via phone calls.
Said Lehmann: “He would tell me, ‘When I go to bed at night, I see you in my dreams.’ How can you top that? They aren’t making gentlemen like that anymore.”
Regrettably, Lehmann never had a chance to take Hargrove to her beloved Atlanta Opera. But she did attend his 106th birthday party last year.
“I brought him a big bottle of wine!” Lehmann recalled with a wicked laugh. “I mean, at our age, why not? We always had so much fun together. I just wish we could have started a little earlier. But I’m so happy I got to meet him. And so handsome!”
In tribute to her bowling beau, the Zaban Tower retirement community songbird plans to attend Hargrove’s memorial service Saturday at 2 p.m. at Atlanta’s Grace United Methodist Church.
With three long-stemmed red roses in hand.
A GOSPEL ‘JESUS’
Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s production company has tapped Atlanta’s Susan V. Booth to direct the forthcoming gospel version of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” scheduled to run at the Alliance Theatre on Jan. 14-Feb. 22 in 2009.
The Alliance artistic director said she was called to London recently for a sit-down with Webber’s Really Useful Group. “Sir Andrew wasn’t there,” Booth said, “because he was on his way to Las Vegas for ‘American Idol.’ “
Detroit native Louis St. Louis is restaging the classic musical as “Jesus Christ Superstar GOSPEL.” To prepare, Booth said they will be hitting Atlanta’s gospel churches in the coming weeks. She says part of the fun is being able to check out churches “other than Presbyterian,” which is her denomination.
Apparently, the search for a director was quite competitive.
“This is their prime copyright,” Booth said. “This is the first major reconception of the work in a long time and that’s a big deal.”
“It’s very humbling and it’s very challenging, and it’s the greatest thing in the world when you get to do that,” she said of her new assignment.
Booth’s connection to the ’70s rock opera is personal. She says she sang “I Don’t Know How to Love Him” in a sixth-grade talent show.
“I thought it was stunning, but I don’t think everyone else did,” she said. She says she now croons “Everything’s Alright” to her 4-year-old daughter, Moira.
COUPLING
Mariah Carey really did get married to Nick Cannon in the Bahamas last week — and they have the tattoos to prove it.
The 38-year-old singer and the 27-year-old actor confirmed to People magazine, out today, that they tied the knot at Carey’s Bahamian estate April 30 after a courtship that began in late March.
In the interview, Cannon said they clicked instantly when Carey cast him as a lover in the video for her new single, “Bye Bye.”
“From the first time we sat down to discuss the video at the Beverly Hills Hotel, we connected,” Cannon said. “We had so much in common spiritually, and we laugh at the same things. I didn’t have to put on my Mac Daddy suave mode. I was able to be myself with her. We are both eternally 12 years old.”
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace is 90. Actress Candice Bergen is 62. Singer Billy Joel is 59.
HIGH FIVE
Television
The top On Demand programs for the week of May 5, as determined by Comcast customers in metro Atlanta:
1. Lil Wayne, “Lollipop,” music video, Music Choice
2. Shawty Lo, “Dunn, Dunn,” music video, Music Choice
3. Usher, “Love in this Club,” music video, Music Choice
4. Keyshia Cole, “Heaven Sent,” music video, Music Choice
5. “Family Guy,” “Mr. Griffin goes to Washington,” TBS
— Courtesy: Rentrak’s OnDemand Essentials
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“It is a sad day when an icon like Barbara Walters, in the sunset of her life, is reduced to publicly branding herself as an adulterer, humiliating an innocent family with accounts of her illicit affair and speaking negatively against me all for the sake of selling a book. It speaks to her true character.”
Disgruntled former “View” employee Star Jones to US Weekly on ex-boss Barbara Walters’ new memoir, “Audition.”
Contributing: Wendell Brock and news services.
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Girlfriends sit within eyelash of Oprah
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Atlantans Mara Davis and Amy Leavell Bransford literally have front-row seats for today’s “Oprah Winfrey Show,” recently taped at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas and featuring Tina Turner and Cher.
And since Dave FM midday diva Davis has the BuzzBerry hotline number, we have all the scoop you won’t see on-air on WSB at 4 p.m. Last month, Davis, Leavell Bransford and friends were in Vegas for a girls weekend away when they bumped into “Oprah” audience coordinator Sally Lou Loveman who hooked them up with front-row seats, three chairs down from Oprah BFF Gayle King.
“Honestly, I don’t ever expect to be in a room with that many wigs or hair extensions again!” Davis told Buzz. In addition to the faux follicle-favoring icons on stage, the Caesar’s Colosseum also contained numerous Cher and Tina impersonators invited for the show.
Davis says the taping took several hours as Turner and Cher recorded various renditions of musical performances. When Cher’s headset mike got caught in her wig during “Take Me Home,” she retaped the tune with a handheld mike. And taping temporarily halted when Winfrey lost a false eyelash.
“Cher had to point it out to Oprah,” Davis dished. “Oprah told Cher, ‘Hey, you know who your real friends are when you lose an eyelash!’ Cher was very down to earth but Tina’s a little wacky. She’s very European now.”
On the way out, Leavell Bransford prompted Davis to say something to the departing King.
Explained Davis: “Amy comes from a show biz family [she’s the daughter of Rolling Stones keyboardist Chuck Leavell], but even she was a little starstruck. I yelled to her, ‘Hey Gayle, nice shoes!’ She said, ‘Thank you,’ and kept walking.”
Footnote from Davis: “Gayle was wearing Lucite wedges but not the trampy type of Lucite wedges. These were very stylish.”
MOORE SWABBING FOR TV SWEEPS
Like the rest of the city endlessly intrigued by those radio and TV spots touting WSB anchor Jovita Moore’s sweeps-inspired purse swabbing, we raced home Tuesday night to catch the report on Action News. For the story, Moore swabbed the bottom and handles of her purse, along with 36 other purses at random and sent them to Nelson Laboratories in Salt Lake City for testing. Like most of the women interviewed for the report, Moore conceded that she routinely places her bag on her desk and her kitchen counter. So what did the lab tests reveal?
Well, fecal contamination, for starters, due to placing purses on the floors of restrooms and public sidewalks. Explained Nelson’s Beau Rollins in the report: “It’s like wiping feces on your plate and then eating it.” That’s about when the city collectively put down its dinner fork.
Naturally, after the segment, we had lots of follow-up questions for Moore. And while the anchor was game to talk to the likes of us, her bosses at WSB politely nixed our request.
So we rang Rollins. He told us that the 37 test samples were placed in “general enrichment broths that are a perfect environment for organisms to grow if they’re present.”
In addition to fecal coliforms, staph also was detected in the results.
“It’s really about creating awareness,” Rollins told Buzz. “If you interviewed 100 women, 95 of them would tell you they’ve never washed their purse. It’s just not on people’s radar screens. But it’s really the same as washing your hands.”
A spokesperson for Moore’s purse, meanwhile, told us the embarrassed accessory was in seclusion and not available for comment Wednesday.
DEALS FOR REHAB, SOMMERVILLE
Another day, another major record label move on the Atlanta music scene.
On Tuesday, ajc.com reported that rap duo Rehab has been resurrected as a quintet by original member Danny Boone and has a deal with Universal Republic.
Now there’s news that much-buzzed-about local trumpeter Joey Sommerville has inked a deal with Three Keys Music — a label launched by BET founder Robert Johnson and pianist/businessman Marcus Johnson, and distributed by Koch.
“Joey is a great musician, and he understands the new music business model,” Marcus Johnson said in a news release. “His talent, tremendous work ethic and drive have allowed him to create a truly incredible album.”
Sommerville’s latest CD, “Like You Mean It,” will be released next week, with guest appearances from Wayman Tisdale, Mike Phillips, Marion Meadows and Phil Perry.
On May 15, there will be a CD release party/performance at Sambuca Jazz Cafe, from which Sommerville’s performances have been broadcast live each Thursday on Smooth Jazz 107.5.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Comedian Don Rickles is 82. Singer Toni Tennille is 68. Drummer Alex Van Halen of Van Halen is 55. Actress Melissa Gilbert is 44. Singer Darren Hayes (Savage Garden) is 36. Singer Enrique Iglesias is 33.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Randy, stop. ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ is going to start!”
“American Idol” host and Dunwoody High grad Ryan Seacrest (left) to long-winded judge Randy Jackson during Tuesday night’s live show as the broadcast threatened to creep into the 9 p.m. time slot.
Contributing: Shane Harrison, Sonia Murray and news services
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Atlanta bakers spatula-rich, thanks to TV
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
At last weekend’s Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show at the Cobb Galleria Centre, Breadwinner co-founders Geoff Melkonian and Katie Melkonian discovered that your unconventional kitchen techniques can live forever on Food Network.
Breadwinner
Atlanta Breadwinner bakers Katie and Geoff Melkonian know all about spatulas after Paula Deen’s (center) sons chided Geoff on TV for using his hands to mix ingredients.
The husband-and-wife Atlanta bakers reunited with Food Network “Road Tasted” stars Jamie and Bobby Deen, who featured the family-owned Atlanta business in the first season of their series. As viewers will recall, the Deen boys poked a little fun at Geoff in the episode because he uses his hands to combine ingredients.
Like most Food Network programs, the Atlanta-centric “Road Tasted” episode has been rerun liberally.
Over the weekend, Jamie popped by Breadwinner’s booth to say hello and promptly asked Geoff if he’s “picked up a spatula yet.”
The short answer is yes, thanks to fanatical “Road Tasted” fans who have inundated the Breadwinner offices with spatulas since the segment began airing last year.
The Melkonians also got to meet Jamie and Bobby’s mama, Food Network phenom Paula Deen, and presented her with their latest Breadwinner flavor, Lemon Poppyrazzi.
An appropriate gift since some of Deen’s fans don’t seem to comprehend the concept of “personal space” these days.
FUTURE FOREST IDEA A DESIGN WINNER
A drought-fighting scheme for Atlanta called “The City in the Forest” came up the winner in “City of the Future: A Design and Engineering Challenge,” a national competition hosted by the History Channel. After besting seven local competitors in February, the team — composed of design firms EDAW, BNIM and Praxis3 and environmental engineers Metcalf & Eddy — won the Web competition in which 25,000 votes were cast.
Their proposal, which aims to make Atlanta the city in the trees once again by reviving underground streams, already has some traction, says David Hamilton, a principal at Praxis3. “We’ve briefed Sustainable Atlanta, a mayor-appointed group, and they are interested in doing some of the things we suggested.”
The team plans to use the $5,000 award to produce a Web site about sustainability — after funding a celebration for the group.
MAYER NOT SO DEFT WITH ‘DEFLECTION’
Well, this is disappointing. Former Buckhead boy and Eddie’s Attic performer John Mayer was less than his usual articulate self on the red carpet Monday night in New York. Entering the annual Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum, the singer-songwriter was asked about those pictures of him and former “Friends” star Jennifer Aniston in InTouch Weekly.
The poolside pair were the canoodling cover subjects in the current issue of the glossy celebrity weekly that these days chiefly serves to anesthetize us against check-out sticker shock at the Publix. Of the potential romance, Mayer told “Extra”: “I don’t mean to deny it, but sort of deflect it. You have the photograph. You think it’s Photoshopped?”
‘PRAYING’ FOR CYRUS
Maligned Mouse House employee Miley Cyrus bravely soldiered on through a taping of the Disney Channel Games concert over the weekend in Orlando. The teen pop star spawn of Billy Ray Cyrus, however, dodged any direct media questions about that controversial skin-baring Annie Leibovitz photo spread in the June issue of Vanity Fair. Onstage, she referenced the ongoing media dust-up between her and Leibovitz, telling fans: “I saw a sign back there that said, ‘Miley, I’m praying for you.’ I could not be more appreciative. God bless you.”
Oddly, Cyrus not only signed off on the tarted-up photo, her father was on the set at the time it was taken.
But we’ll admit it — when the June Vanity Fair arrived at Buzz Central Tuesday, we licked our lips lasciviously. After all, the issue does contain juicy excerpts from Barbara Walters’ dishy new memoir, detailing the nasty skirmishes with her former ABC News co-anchor, Harry Reasoner.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Singer Jimmy Ruffin is 69. Actress Robin Strasser (“One Life to Live”) is 63. Singer Thelma Houston is 62. News correspondent Tim Russert (“Meet the Press”) is 58. Actor Michael E. Knight (“All My Children”) is 49. Actress Traci Lords is 39. Actor Breckin Meyer (“Road Trip”) is 34.
COUPLING
Scarlett Johansson and her boyfriend, Ryan Reynolds, are engaged.
The 23-year-old actress and the 31-year-old actor have not set a wedding date, Johansson’s publicist, Marcel Pariseau, said.
Johansson’s recent credits include “The Other Boleyn Girl” and “The Nanny Diaries.” Reynolds recently starred in “Definitely, Maybe.” He was previously engaged to Alanis Morissette.
Contributing: Catherine Fox and news services.
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Atlanta magazine scores upset in Big Apple
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The staffers at Atlanta magazine had a prestigious parcel to liberate from its bubble wrap Monday: The 47-year-old city mag’s first Ellie Award.
Last week, Atlanta editor in chief Rebecca Burns and deputy editor Paige Williams were stunned when Williams’ piece, “You Have Thousands of Angels Around You,” beat out The New Yorker, GQ, Vanity Fair and New York magazine to net the Feature Writing prize at the National Magazine Awards.
Steve Friedman
Atlanta magazine’s editor in chief, Rebecca Burns, receives an Ellie Award from former Harper’s editor Lewis Lapham. Atlanta won for deputy editor Paige Williams’ article on a teen immigrant.
The piece originally ran in Atlanta’s highly acclaimed “International Issue” last October and details the harrowing plight of Atlantan Cynthia Siyomvo, a refugee from Burundi.
The win, at New York’s Jazz at Lincoln Center, became the first big upset of the evening (Atlanta mag staffers joked that they were clearly the “Little Miss Sunshine” of this year’s Ellies).
Of her acceptance speech, Burns told Buzz Monday: “Apparently, it went well. I just remember weeping on [presenter and legendary Harper’s editor] Lewis Lapham. Afterward, people complimented me so I must have said something. I don’t really remember. I didn’t write an acceptance speech because I didn’t want to jinx it. Plus, when you’re up against The New Yorker and Vanity Fair, you don’t expect to win!”
Here’s what the American Society of Magazine Editors judges said about Atlanta’s winning narrative:
“Without a trace of false sentimentality, Paige Williams tells the stop-you-in-your-tracks tale of a teenager who survived a war, lost her entire family, fled two continents and wound up in Atlanta, where she is helped in her claim on a bright future by an unlikely network of ‘angels,’ including a middle class family and an indefatigable immigration attorney who plucks her case from obscurity.”
Or as Burns more succinctly put it Monday:
“I cried when I read the first draft and I cried when I read the 25th draft. I mean, close-the-door, head-on-your-desk bawling.”
New York media and celeb Web site gawker.com immediately blogged about Atlanta’s surprise win. And after lugging the prize — an Alexander Calder elephant sculpture — off stage, Burns wondered how she would get the abstract award home.
“I knew we would never get it through airport security,” Burns recalled. “They told us, ‘It’s never really been an issue since the winner is always based in New York.’ “
That’s where UPS came in handy. On Monday, the award rested next to the numerous bouquets of congratulatory flowers.
“It looks like a funeral home in here today,” cracked Burns, who added that she bought the classic black cocktail she wore to the awards at Rag-O-Rama for a thrifty $14.
If you didn’t read “You Have Thousands of Angels Around You” last fall, you may find the piece in its entirety at atlantamagazine.com.
WEST HITS GWINNETT
Hip-hop phenom Kanye West finally brought his live show to his metro Atlanta fans Sunday night, and while his “Glow in the Dark” tour may feel a little past his latest CD’s expiration date, his concert was something light years from now.
Whatever epoch his visually arresting stage show was set in, apparently it was not a time when anyone other than West needed to be on the Gwinnett Arena stage — as his incredible band was set just underneath him in an orchestra pit, and in all black.
Apparently it was also not a time where any other recording artists should make an appearance with him — as the only person who joined West was opening act, rapper Lupe Fiasco, on one of the closing tunes, “Touch the Sky.” And apparently it was not a place much on patter, either — as the only time West seemed to kind of acknowledge where he was was when he changed the chorus of “Good Life”: “The good life — it feel[s] like A-Town/it feel[s] like A-Town/it feel[s] like A-Town!”
The capacity crowd, however, had no problem acknowledging West. It remained on its feet almost the entire concert as the 10-time Grammy winner gave what felt like a breathless, almost athletic 90-minute performance.
And even with the lights lowered it was hard not to spot the numerous stars in the audience from the worlds of music (Chris Brown, Bow Wow, Musiq, Scar, Quincy Jones, Jermaine Dupri, Chaka Zulu), TV (Kenny Burns, Ryan Glover) and sports (Jamal Anderson).
The dynamic West more than made up for the lack of energy in Rihanna’s 30-minute-plus set, which the audience mostly stood and watched like it was a fashion show. And to her credit, the singer — in fishnet stockings and a tight, black, short, leather one-piece with hot pink piping — was certainly fashionable.
DNA DOESN’T LIE
Former CNN-er turned Atlanta blogger Art Harris has The Associated Press and “Entertainment Tonight” eating his dust after he broke news on his Web site: Peter Shahid, an attorney for James Brown II’s guardian, confirms to the AP Harris’ report that the boy is the late singer’s son.
Brown II is the son of Tomi Rae Hynie, a former backup singer for the Godfather of Soul.
The results of a second, court-ordered test have not been released.
Trustees handling Brown’s estate have suggested Hynie was not legally married to Brown and her boy is not his son. They were not mentioned in Brown’s will.
A call to a spokesman for Hynie and a message left for Brown’s trustees were not immediately returned.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Singer Bob Seger is 63. Actor Alan Dale (“Ugly Betty”) is 61. Actor Ben Masters (“Passions”) is 61. Host Tom Bergeron (“Dancing with the Stars”) is 53. Actress Roma Downey (“Touched by an Angel”) is 48. Actor George Clooney is 47.
OVERSCENE
Harold Dieterele, the season one winner of Bravo’s “Top Chef,” enjoying lunch with current contestant Richard Blais at the Atlanta chef’s current restaurant, Home in Buckhead.
Actress Laura Dern shopping at REI. We hear Dern is in town shooting a film.
Contributing: Sonia Murray and news services
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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.
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Actor gets motor running in Braselton
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Ian Ziering, best known as smooth-talking Steve Sanders on “Beverly Hills 90210” during the 1990s, has joined the ranks of fellow actors Frankie Muniz and Patrick Dempsey and taken on auto racing as a hobby.
You’ll be able to hang out with him today at Road Atlanta in Braselton, where he’ll be competing at 1:30 p.m. in the SCAA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup. (That rolls off the tongue. …)
“I’ve loved motorsports since I was a kid, but I just went pro last year,” Ziering told Buzz this week.
He took a racing school class at Road Atlanta five years ago and deemed it an “awesome track.”
This is not a cheap hobby. Besides the vehicle itself, staffing a pit crew and maintaining the vehicle can go into six figures per year. As a “complete newbie,” Ziering said he’s seeking more sponsors. Interested? He gave Buzz a contact number at Hale Motorsports: 860-399-4603. Psst, ask for Randy.
Ziering’s profile went up a year ago when he finished a solid fourth on ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars.” This led to hosting duties of Lifetime’s recent reality show “Your Mama Don’t Dance.” He fended off assertions that the show is creepy because it features parents dancing with their sons and daughters, often in sexy outfits.
“The dancers were not sensual,” he said. “I don’t think there’s anything more beautiful than a parent having fun with their kids.”
Ziering isn’t involved with efforts to create a “90210” spinoff, but he’s not against the idea. “It’s great if they capture the spirit” of the original, he said. “I’m like anybody else. I want to be entertained!”
MONEY FOR CENTER
If Georgia Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine and his co-chairman, Dr. Jeffrey Gallups, want to put their feet up today, they should be indulged. After all, when the final numbers were crunched this week, the pair and some deep-pocketed pals helped raise $106,000 via the first Murphy-Harpst Golf Classic at St. Ives Country Club. The outing generated necessary funds to go toward the planned Murphy-Harpst Children’s Center. Gallups told us a live auction featuring a trip to New York City with tickets to see “Live With Regis and Kelly” and “Late Show With David Letterman” and a stay at the Intercontinental-Barclay were among the signature items.
“This may have been my first and last time as a co-chair,” Gallups joked. “I had no idea exactly how much work goes into creating a successful fund-raiser.” Gallups conceded that his wife, Dr. Nancy Gallups, is usually the charitable co-chair in the family.
Despite Jeffrey’s protestations, we’re wagering that after raising $106 grand his first time out, the Atlanta doc is already being considered for an encore.
COUPLING?
When she was making the media rounds on Atlanta radio last week, pop diva Mariah Carey declined to discuss her relationship with comic and actor Nick Cannon.
But according to several published reports, Carey, 38, married Cannon, 27, on Wednesday. Neither Carey’s publicist nor Cannon’s manager returned requests from The Associated Press for comment.
If the pair did indeed wed, it would be a whirlwind romance. Word that the two were seeing each other first surfaced in the past few weeks. Last Saturday, Carey was seen sporting a huge diamond ring on her finger at the Tribeca Film Festival premiere of her movie “Tennessee,” in which she plays a waitress. Cannon was at her side at the party. Speculation swirled that the couple were engaged.
Latina.com was first to report that the two got married, at Carey’s home in the Bahamas. Friday’s New York Post also reported that the pair had wed, and E! Online quoted a relative of Cannon’s as saying that Cannon called his family and confirmed the news.
“He called us and told us all about it. We are happy for him. If that is what he wants, then we are happy for him,” Linda Cannon, identified simply as a family member, was quoted telling E!
People magazine’s Web site reported Friday that Carey had obtained a marriage license on the island of Eleuthera, in the Bahamas, where she has an estate.
Cannon is best known for his role in the movie “Drumline” that was shot in Atlanta.
HIGH FIVE
Television
The top On Demand programs for the week of April 28, as determined by Comcast customers in metro Atlanta:
1. Lil Wayne, “Lollipop,” music video, Music Choice
2. “House of Payne,” “Cheers” episode, TBS
3. “Family Guy,” “Airport 07” episode, TBS
4. Lil Wil, “My Dougie,” music video
5. “Family Guy,” “Dammit Janet” episode, TBS
— Courtesy: Rentrak’s OnDemand Essentials
OVERSCENE
The Boston Celtics’ starting lineup, including Kevin Garnett, Sam Cassell, Rajon Rondo and Paul Pierce fueling up on burgers, oysters, sushi and tapas at Twist in Buckhead before the team’s Friday night playoff game against the Hawks at Philips Arena.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Saturday: Folk singer Pete Seeger is 89. Actress Ann B. Davis (“The Brady Bunch”) is 82. Singer Frankie Valli is 73. Sports announcer Greg Gumbel is 62. Actor Dulé Hill (“The West Wing”) is 33. Dancer Cheryl Burke (“Dancing With the Stars”) is 24.
Sunday: Surf guitarist Dick Dale is 71. Country singer Randy Travis is 49. Comedian Ana Gasteyer (“Saturday Night Live”) is 41. Actor Will Arnett (“Arrested Development,” “Blades of Glory”) is 38. Bassist Mike Dirnt of Green Day is 36. Singer Lance Bass of ‘N Sync is 29.
Contributing: Rodney Ho and news services.
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Chef Immel says goodbye to Table 1280
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Chef-owner Anne Quatrano of Bacchanalia, Quinones at Bacchanalia, Star Provisions and Floataway Cafe confirmed this week that chef Todd Immel (below right) has left his post as executive chef at tony Table 1280 at the High Museum to work in her and husband Clifford Harrison’s stable of restaurants.
Josh Cary, manager at Table 1280, corroborated that Immel left April 1, leaving his sous chef, Tracey Bloom, in charge of the multimillion-dollar venue’s kitchen. Bloom, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America Hyde Park, worked under Immel’s supervision at Table 1280 for more than a year, and before that was his sous chef at now-closed Oscar’s in College Park and Luma (a Concentrics restaurant) in Florida.
“We’re so glad to have Todd as part of our team,” Quatrano said. “As we expand our restaurants, we’re looking to add Todd’s talent to the mix.” Quatrano added that at the moment Immel is “focusing on absorbing all areas of our business — from charcuterie production to our hot line at Bacchanalia and Quinones.”
Bloom already has changed a few menu items at Table 1280, but Cary said the menu would probably not take any dramatic twists or turns. Operated by Restaurant Associates, Table 1280 opened as part of the grand, $124 million revamping of the High Museum in 2005. Atlanta star-chef Shaun Doty opened the restaurant, but left within a year to pursue a restaurant of his own, Shaun’s, in Inman Park. The management group, out of New York, has had a hard time since luring local talent to its kitchen, so Immel’s loss could be a grave one.
Quatrano also confirmed plans to expand the couple’s group of restaurants to include a new “meat-centric” casual spot to reside in the still-under-construction White Provisions complex on Howell Mill Road. The menu will focus on meats and meat products — local pork and lamb, and eventually local beef — but Quatrano was hesitant to call the new restaurant a steakhouse. The venue is larger than the couple’s other efforts, with 130 seats plus 40 more on a patio. The name? Abattoir, which means “slaughterhouse” in French. The restaurant is slated for a November opening.
SUPPORT FROM MUSICIAN SAMPLE
If you know anything about legendary keyboardist Joe Sample (below right), it should come as no surprise that he is more than willing to support jazz wherever it is appreciated. And Clark Atlanta University surely qualifies, he says. “I’ve been impressed with what they’ve been doing there for a long time,” Sample told Buzz this week prior to his appearance Saturday at the 15th annual Jazz Under the Stars benefit concert at Clark’s Panther Stadium. “I remember I was doing this seminar at black colleges in the latter part of the 1980s, where I went to South Carolina, Mississippi, Fisk, all of these schools — even my old alma mater, Texas Southern. And the only school that had what I determined was a well-supported and qualified music department was Clark’s.
“I have been on [Clark’s] campus at least three or four times since then, talking to music students and performing, and it has maintained that excellence,” Sample continued. “So of course I’m happy to return this weekend, and help raise money to keep up the good work.”
Doors open for the benefit for Clark students in the performing arts — which will also include the CAU Jazz Orchestra and Jazz Vocal Ensemble — at 6:30 p.m. Individual tickets are $60, and available by calling 404-880-8136. Corporate tables and sponsorships are available at 404-577-8677.
CELEBRITY DOCKET
Atlanta rapper Baby D released a new CD Tuesday, but it’s unlikely he’s doing much celebrating behind bars.
Koch Records has confirmed that its artist has been a guest at an Ohio jail since March 26, when he was arrested for allegedly trafficking cocaine in Dayton. Baby D is being held without bond in the Butler County Jail.
In addition to those federal charges, the member of Atlanta’s Big Oomp Camp — probably best known for the 2000 single “Eastside Vs. Westside” — has three pending assault charges in Tennessee, according to Koch. And a warrant for his arrest in his home state was dismissed, the label says.
Still, Koch issued Baby D’s third CD, “A-Town Secret Weapon,” this week, featuring guest appearances from fellow local phenoms Sean P of the YoungBloodZ, Pastor Troy, Shawty Low, Gucci Mane, BackBone and DJ Jelly. The first single, “I’m Bout Money,” is enjoying local airplay, and the video is in rotation on BET and MTV Jams.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Singer Lesley Gore is 62. Country singer Larry Gatlin is 60. Singer Lou Gramm of Foreigner is 58. Actress Christine Baranski is 56. Country singer Ty Herndon is 46. Wrestler-actor Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson is 36. Singer Lily Allen is 23. Actress Kay Panabaker (“Nancy Drew”) is 18.
OVERSCENE
Ivory Latta of the Atlanta Dream WNBA team dining on nachos, wings and a burger at Stats downtown. We’re told she “became an instant fan” of the stylish sports bar and plans to bring her family there when they come in town to see her play.
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Paula Abdul (sort of) explains kooky actions to Q100
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
During a call to Q100 Wednesday morning, “American Idol” judge Paula Abdul attempted to explain her loopy behavior on the hit Fox Television show’s live broadcast Tuesday night. LISTEN TO EXCERPT.
Whether she succeeded or not depended on how much listeners could comprehend.
During “A.I.’s” broadcast Tuesday night, (SEE VIDEO) Abdul attempted to critique contestant Jason Castro on his two performances from the Neil Diamond songbook. The problem?
At the time of Abdul’s comments mid-way through the show, the dreadlocked singer had one performed song, “Forever in Blue Jeans.”
During the show Abdul also confused contestants Brooke White and Syesha Mercado.
On Q100 Wednesday, Abdul blamed the screw up on “A.I.” producers, explaining that the judges were not alerted to the change in format until the show was live.
Abdul also disputed claims from conspiracy-minded Internet bloggers that the judges were handed pre-scripted comments in advance.
Q100’s Bert Weiss also asked Abdul point-blank if her confused state on-air Tuesday was possibly the result of medication taken for an old neck injury.
Responded Abdul: “I do have pain in my neck. But I don’t take drugs that make me act differently on show days.”
Abdul said her neck injury was the result of a plane crash 12 years ago.
“I have never been drunk in my life,” she continued. “Or done recreational drugs. I don’t condone it.”
Abdul said that while the show was in commercial breaks Tuesday night, judge Simon Cowell argued with producers about the last-minute format change. She also indicated that Cowell and judge Randy Jackson had words with producers after the show concluded.
During the often rambling live radio interview, Abdul didn’t address exactly how the chaotic scene backstage resulted in her thinking that Castro had performed twice.
But she did explain to listeners that “American Idol” has a full dress rehearsal with the contestants and an audience prior to the live national telecast.
Summed up Abdul: “It was embarrassing and kooky.”
After she hung up, Q100 went into a commercial break. Then she unexpectedly rang the radio station back.
When she was put back live on the air, Abdul realized she had phoned the same radio station twice, apologized and said: “I’m getting my notes all mixed up.”
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK on Rodney Ho’s ‘A.I.’ blog
JUDGE: STEVE AND VIKKI ADS CAN STAY
On Tuesday, Fulton County Superior Court judge Alfred Dempsey ruled that those B98.5 FM TV spots featuring the station’s upcoming morning team of Steve McCoy and Vikki Locke can remain on the air and that they did not violate the terms of the pair’s noncompete clause at Star 94, their former employer. Lincoln Financial, Star 94’s parent company, was seeking a temporary restraining order on the ads. Star 94 general manager Mark Kanov told Buzz on Wednesday that he has no plans to pursue the lawsuit any further. “We are disappointed that the judge ruled on a technicality, a loophole, and not the intent of the agreement with Steve and Vikki,” Kanov said. “Steve and Vikki did not honor what they previously agreed to.”
Cox Radio attorney Jim Demetry, who represented Locke and McCoy at Tuesday’s hearing, was satisfied with the ruling.
“Steve and Vikki were pleased but not surprised by the judge’s decision,” Demetry told Buzz. “They look forward to returning to the airwaves on WSB-FM and reconnecting with their listeners.”
McCoy and Locke will debut on B98.5 FM on July 1.
B98.5 FM is a part of Cox Enterprises, which also owns The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
A ‘SEMI’ WINNING STREAK
What you’ll see tonight at the Uptown Comedy Club may look like a stand-up routine, but in a lot of ways it could be considered comedian-actor Jay Phillips’ victory lap. The Los Angeles-based talent has seen the first three major movies he’s appeared in — “Semi-Pro,” “Prom Night” and “Baby Mama” — all debut in the No. 1 spot in the box office.
“This has been a real good run,” Phillips told Buzz before his multi-night stand at Uptown, ending Sunday. “But that little bit of movie money — that’s gone. I’ve still got a mortgage to pay. And I got caught up in that mortgage craziness, too. It went up. So you know, see the show, have some laughs, help a brother out.”
Though Phillips was joking a bit, clearly his fortunes are bright. The comedian who provided the “urban voice” on a Baltimore radio station after Atlanta’s Frank Ski left now has a pilot for a sketch comedy show (“Man Stroke Woman”), another pilot for a proposed spoof on BET, for BET (“Da Network”) and an appearance on Martin Lawrence’s upcoming show on Starz (“1st Amendment Stand Up”) all in the can. Plus, he’s developing another show for Comedy Central, called “Mind of the Quiet Dude.” Explained Phillips: “I mean, obviously I’m fortunate with what’s been happening with the movies. But I can’t act like I’ve made it, yet.”
Singer Judy Collins is 69. Bassist Johnny Colt (Black Crowes) is 42. Country singer Tim McGraw is 41. Bassist D’Arcy Wretzky (Smashing Pumpkins) is 40.
TRANSITIONS
Emeril’s Atlanta has been packed with diners this week who wanted one last taste of Emeril’s Essence before the Buckhead eatery closed for good after dinner service Wednesday. We’re told that the restaurant’s dry goods will be donated to Atlanta’s Project Open Hand. Also, chef de cuisine Michael Blydenstein and general manager Averriel Thomas are hoping to stay in town, pending new gigs. All traces of Emeril’s Atlanta, meanwhile, have been removed from the New Orleans-based company’s Web site.
Contributing: Sonia Murray, Rodney Ho and news services
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Fergie helps Japanese star with ATL shoot
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
While stateside success has thus far eluded Japanese pop star Kumi Koda, the rubberneckers were still out in force Tuesday during the performer’s video shoot for her new single, “That Ain’t Cool,” at Atlantic Station.
Of course, the strained neck muscles may have been inspired by Black Eyed Peas vocalist Fergie, who was there to lend her vocals and visuals to the filming.
We’re told that Fergie steamed up more than a few pairs of sunglasses when she arrived on set in skin-tight black pants and a skimpy top that complemented the serious crunch time the pop star’s spent in the gym on her abs.
According to the All Music Guide, Kumi Koda, 25, considered a major Japanese pop singer, has released six albums and “That Ain’t Cool” is poised to become her 40th single.
The petite Kumi emerged on set wearing a provocative tiny top and gray shiny leggings.
The pair were first spotted shooting in a parking deck at the Midtown shopping destination Tuesday, and we’re told that a shoot at Twelve hotel was on the schedule for Tuesday night.
Pop fans can expect “That Ain’t Cool” to hit stores — and with friends like Fergie, dare we surmise, MTV? — later this spring.
JACKSON WORTH THE WAIT FOR FANS
Joyce Walker, 65, got up at 4 a.m. Tuesday to drive from her Lawrenceville home to Scott’s Bookstore in Newnan to see her favorite country artist, Alan Jackson. Part of her trip was traveled on the portion of I-85 named for the singer.
But Jackson wouldn’t start signing copies of his CD alongside his wife, Denise, who was signing copies of her second book, until 2 p.m.
“We froze to death,” Walker said of the eight hours she and her son, Mike, waited on the sidewalk. “But it was so worth it. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”
The Jacksons said they were thrilled by the turnout of hundreds of fans wrapping around the courthouse square bookstore.
“I was a little nervous,” Denise Jackson said. “But when Alan said he’d come with me, I was more confident. We really haven’t been in Newnan for years, so this response is overwhelming.”
HENDRIX OR HOAX?
Vivid Entertainment is releasing a sex tape allegedly starring Jimi Hendrix.
The Los Angeles-based adult entertainment company said it obtained the sex tape from a memorabilia collector.
The 11 minutes of footage, reportedly shot in a hotel room about 40 years ago, features Hendrix — or someone who looks like him — engaged in various sexual acts with two women.
The company said it consulted with experts to authenticate the footage. But Charles R. Cross, author of the Hendrix biography “Room Full of Mirrors,” has seen the film and doubts the man is Hendrix.
Cross said the face and nostrils of the man depicted in the video don’t match Hendrix. He also said the man in the tape is wearing more rings that Hendrix was known to wear.
“This is somebody that looks like Jimi or is pretending to look like him, but it certainly didn’t look like a dead-on match to me,” Cross told The Associated Press during a telephone interview Tuesday.
Hendrix, who headlined the legendary Woodstock Festival in 1969, died of a drug overdose in 1970.
Seattle-based representatives for Hendrix’s estate declined to comment about the tape. It could not immediately be determined Tuesday whether the man in the film breaks into a searing rock guitar rendition of the national anthem during the 11-minute clip.
CELEBRITY DOCKET
TMZ is reporting that “CSI’s” Gary Dourdan has been arrested in Palm Springs, Calif., “on suspicion of possessing heroin, cocaine and ecstasy and prescription drugs.” Law enforcement sources told the celeb Web site and TV show that the actor was asleep in his car at 5:21 a.m. when they approached the vehicle and made the bust.
Dourdan was taken to Palm Springs jail and later posted $5,000 bail.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Actress Cloris Leachman is 82. Singer Willie Nelson is 75. Actor Adrian Pasdar (“Heroes”) is 43. Singer Akon is 35. Actor Johnny Galecki (“The Big Bang Theory,” “Roseanne”) is 33. Rapper Lloyd Banks is 26. Actress Kirsten Dunst is 26. Country singer Tyler Wilkinson of the Wilkinsons is 24.
OVERSCENE
Dunwoody High School grad and “Remember the Titans” actor Kip Pardue brunching on a jumbo lump crab cake with two friends at Tap in Midtown.
Former NBA great Charles Barkley having cocktails with friends in the basement at Stats downtown. Collective Soul guitarist Dean Roland was also spotted in the sports bar having drinks before taking in a Hawks playoff game at Philips Arena.
Contributing: Kathy Jefcoats and news services
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Two tributes get to the soul of ‘Godfather’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Finally, we’re all going to have a chance to get an up close look-see at those incomparable “Godfather of Soul” capes. Two exhibitions, featuring artifacts from the late James Brown’s life and career, are in the works.
On Monday, Augusta Museum of History marketing rep Rebekah Henry provided details to Buzz on the singer’s adopted hometown’s upcoming tribute to him, starting Saturday.
This week, the Augusta Museum of History will unveil “The Godfather of Soul, Mr. James Brown,” the first major exhibition devoted to the life and legacy of Brown, set to run through May 2011.
In an e-mail sent to Buzz, we’re told the exhibit “will span Brown’s life — from his early poverty-stricken years growing up in a brothel in East Augusta where he would dance and shine shoes for money, to his heyday as a two-time Grammy Award winner and as one of the initial artists to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.”
It will also spotlight Brown’s in-depth roles helping to advance race relations and education.
Via a statement, Nancy Glaser, executive director of the Augusta Museum of History, told Buzz: “James Brown had an incredible impact on so many genres of music and his achievements and influence on the industry are tremendous. Born in South Carolina and raised in downtown Augusta, Brown’s earliest musical influences came from the sounds on the street and in the churches of the South. I can think of no more fitting tribute than this exhibition taking place in the town he loved.”
Deanna Brown Thomas, daughter of James Brown and a member of the museum’s board of trustees, released the following statement: “The family is very humbled. I just know that Dad would have always wanted his personal items to be on display — to be in the Augusta Museum of History, his home, where he’s from; it means a lot to the family to know it was something that he would have wanted, and we know that he would have been happy.”
This summer, another exhibit of Brown memorabilia is being organized for South Carolina State University.
Interim university President Leonard McIntyre tells The (Charleston) Post and Courier that he has secured the rights to show the items, which include clothing, shoes, awards, furniture and sheet music, through a contact he has with the late singer’s estate.
Brown died in Atlanta on Christmas Day 2006. He was 73.
SUPERHERO SUMMIT
Perhaps, because they’re both recognized crime fighters, herzzoner’s security detail didn’t attempt to interfere when Marvel superhero Iron Man approached Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin at the Inman Park Festival over the weekend. Of course, it also may have been because Franklin’s grandson Keson was extremely excited to see the large red and yellow guy who bows on the big screen this Friday. We’re told the two exchanged greetings and a quick hug before Iron Man departed to no doubt seek out a quick snack of funnel cake and motor oil. At deadline Monday, there was no official word whether Franklin had suitably influenced Iron Man to weld some fresh blooms to his lapel.
NOT SO FAIR PHOTO?
Here’s yet another cautionary tale about why you should actively dissuade your teen daughter from becoming a global pop star gazillionaire. Miley Cyrus is taking issue with a photo of herself that’s going around, but it’s not another amateur, Internet snapshot — it’s the handiwork of Annie Leibovitz.
“I took part in a photo shoot that was supposed to be ‘artistic’ and now, seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed,” Cyrus said in a statement through her publicist. “I never intended for any of this to happen and I apologize to my fans who I care so deeply about.”
The photos, appearing in the upcoming issue of Vanity Fair, were taken by Leibovitz, a renowned celebrity photographer.
The Cyrus pictures accompany an interview with the 15-year-old pop star and her father, singer Billy Ray Cyrus. They include shots of the teen wrapped in what appears to be a satin bedsheet, looking over her shoulder with her back exposed.
The Disney Channel, which airs Cyrus’ TV show, “Hannah Montana,” was also critical of Vanity Fair.
“Unfortunately, as the article suggests, a situation was created to deliberately manipulate a 15-year-old in order to sell magazines,” a network statement said.
“I’m sorry that my portrait of Miley has been misinterpreted,” Leibovitz said in a statement released by Vanity Fair. “Miley and I looked at fashion photographs together and we discussed the picture in that context before we shot it. The photograph is a simple, classic portrait, shot with very little makeup, and I think it is very beautiful.”
STORK REPORT
Actress Amy Poehler is a real-life “Baby Mama.”
Poehler, who co-stars with Tina Fey in the hit pregnancy comedy, is expecting her first child with husband Will Arnett, the couple’s publicist, Lewis Kay, said Monday.
Kay declined to give further details.
The couple were married in 2003. The baby is due sometime this fall.
Poehler, 36, is a cast member on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live.” She co-starred with Arnett, 38, in the 2007 comedy “Blades of Glory.”
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Bluesman Otis Rush is 74. Country singer Duane Allen of the Oak Ridge Boys is 65. Comedian Jerry Seinfeld is 54. Actor Daniel Day-Lewis is 51. Actress Michelle Pfeiffer is 50. Actress Eve Plumb (“The Brady Bunch”) is 50. Actress Uma Thurman is 38. Rapper Master P is 38.
OVERSCENE
Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers and Atlanta Hawks center Zaza Pachulia spotted at different tables over the weekend at Veni Vidi Vici in Midtown. But when Pachulia heard Rivers was also in the Italian eatery, he asked to speak to him. VVV manager J. Scott Havron graciously paired the two for a photo together.
Contributing: News services
