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Connections make football book special
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
One of the more tantalizing tales in Atlanta author Paul Hemphill’s new book, “A Tiger Walk Through History: The Complete Story of Auburn Football From 1892 to the Tuberville Era,” occurs right at the kickoff.
In the Alabama school’s very first game, played in Atlanta’s Piedmont Park against the University of Georgia, Auburn’s first touchdown was achieved when electrical engineering professor Foster McKissick handed his petite teammate Dutch Dorsey the ball.
And then promptly hurled him through the air and into the end zone.
“It was an ingenious play, as you might imagine,” Hemphill told Buzz on Tuesday. “But that particular maneuver was banned soon after.”
Hemphill will sign copies of the book Thursday night at Manuel’s Tavern before he heads back to his alma mater for a signing Dec. 10. And the former Atlanta Journal columnist had an inside advantage when trying to coax Vince Dooley into penning the tome’s foreword. Hemphill has known the legendary UGA football coach since 1956, when Dooley was an assistant football coach at his alma mater and Hemphill was a student reporter covering the team for The Plainsman.
He also got notable Auburn alum and author Anne Rivers Siddons to contribute her remembrances, and got a certain Pulitzer Prize-winning AJC editorial page editor to come clean about adorning Toomer’s Drug Store with bathroom tissue as an Auburn student in the early 1970s. (Claims our colleague Cynthia Tucker in “Tiger Walk”: “It’s hard to recall exactly how my friends and I ended up with toilet paper in our hands.”)
Said Hemphill, laughing: “I was delighted that Cynthia wrote about that. Especially, since she was a nice girl who wasn’t raised to deface public property!”
The veteran reporter concedes in the book’s intro that he allowed objectivity to fly out the window while writing “Tiger Walk,” but says some of his old work habits may have crept into his copy.
“I’ve been told that I may have been a little too admiring of [Alabama coach] Bear Bryant,” Hemphill said. “He was one of the greatest coaches there ever was, but he sure made life difficult for us for a lot of years!”
Hemphill’s signing at Manuel’s (602 N. Highland Ave. N.E.) is set for 6 to 8 p.m.
Britney is back
First, pop tart Britney Spears celebrated her 27th birthday Tuesday showing off some taut abs and lip synching her way through two numbers from her brand new album, “Circus,” on “Good Morning America.” Now, she’s headed out on the road with the Britney big top.
Moments after she left the Big Apple Circus stage in New York, Philips Arena reps alerted Buzz Central that Spears will perform here March 5 with opening act the Pussycat Dolls. Tickets will go on sale Monday at the Philips Arena box office, philipsarena.com, all Ticketmaster locations, by phone at 1-800-745-3000 and at Ticketmaster Express (1-866-448-7849). They range from $39.50 to $129.
Thankful for
‘Fried’ at No. 1
The Atlanta-based Zac Brown Band has pulled off something fellow Georgia natives Alan Jackson and Sugarland couldn’t do: go No. 1 with its first single.
“Chicken Fried,” the exuberant ode to Southern life, hit No. 1 just in time for Thanksgiving, knocking out Taylor Swift’s crossover hit “Love Story” and staying ahead of Tim McGraw’s pesky “Let It Go.” The song is poised to stay No. 1 for a second week as well. It’s relatively rare for a new artist to go No. 1. The only other one this year is Darius Rucker, who actually had many a hit on the pop chart heading Hootie & the Blowfish back in the 1990s.
We called Wyatt Durrette, Brown’s songwriting partner who first came up with the skeleton of the song, to get his reaction.
“We’re really thankful,” he said. “Hopefully, we’ll have a few more under our belt. We’re honored and blessed. We have a lot to be thankful for.”
He said the band got the news on Nov. 22 after a concert in Nashville at Exit In before 600 to 700 fans. The label people were there, and Durrette said he and the band celebrated with well-earned glasses of champagne.
Contributing: Rodney Ho and news services
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Richard Petty a big hit as Santa’s chauffeur
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Each holiday season, the folks who turn up at the Ritz-Carlton Lodge at Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro secretly wonder how the resort’s annual Lighting of the Lodge celebration will top itself. In past years, Santa Claus has arrived via hang glider, hot air balloon and on the back of a seven-ton Marine Corps truck.
On Monday, folks were still discussing last week’s lighting ceremony when approximately 3,000 attendees watched as Santa arrived in a 1959 Chevy Impala convertible. His chauffeur? NASCAR legend Richard Petty.
So which celeb resulted in a bigger swarm of fans?
“The kids were trying to get closer to Santa and the adults were trying to get closer to Mr. Petty,” Lodge rep Liza Kubik told Buzz Monday. “I would say their legendary status is equal. It was a complete surprise for everyone.”
“A friend of a friend” got Petty to the participate in the 7th annual charitable event at the middle Georgia tourist attraction.
As for our obvious follow-up question, Kubik told us: “Yes, Mr. Petty and Santa cruised up within the legal speed limit.”
This holiday season, Pecan Pie Couture designer Clint Zeagler and Sandpiper boutique owner Melissa Murdock are collaborating for a good cause. The result: a timely, limited-edition hand-screened T-shirt with the saying: “Peace is Always in Fashion.”
One hundred percent of the proceeds from the $38 shirts will go to the nonprofit Soul Changers, a Marietta-based charity for women and children in need.
“Soul Changers is trying to raise money for a house, and that’s where we thought we could step in and help,” Murdock tells Buzz. The shirts are now on sale in both her Vinings Jubilee and City Walk shops and online at shopsandpiper.com.
“It was fun to collaborate with Melissa on something,” Zeagler said. “We wanted to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the peace sign and create something fun for daughters to give their moms and vice-versa. Plus, we figured this year everyone needs a little peace!”
Since each shirt is made by hand individually, each one is slightly different.
Even though she’s donating retail space and resources for the 120 peace sign shirts in stock, Murdock remained upbeat even as word spread that we’re now officially in a recession.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she cracked. “There’s something wrong with the economy?! Let’s just say we’re all working a little harder this holiday.”
Elton, Billy back on road
Tickets go on sale this Saturday for the return of piano men Elton John and Billy Joel’s “Face 2 Face” tour, at Philips Arena March 14.
The announcement was made Monday during a press conference downtown. Philips Arena president Bob Williams said the duo’s first sold-out tour together back in 1994 included a stop at the Georgia Dome.
Remarkably, tickets this time around will range from $55.50 to $181 (at Live Nation and Ticketmaster outlets) — almost the same price range as the last time they were in town in 2002 (those tickets went for $47 to $177). Promoter Peter Conlon told Buzz that the music legends were very aware of the troubled economy in the pricing — even in a situation where a sellout is virtually guaranteed.
Putting the brakes on ‘Busted’
For the debut episode of the new Speed network series, “Busted Knuckles,” host Rich Ragains flew to Atlanta to get some dirt under his fingernails at Delta Air Lines. In the episode set to air on the all-mechanics, all-the-time network on Dec. 3, Ragains gets to help change the brakes on a Boeing 777 aircraft.
“Rich adds a colorful twist by using a witty mix of humor and curiosity as he experiences the grimy, passionate, and sometimes bloody world of the American gearhead,” explained producer Brad Kimmel in a statement sent to Buzz Central. “Rich puts himself in some very interesting situations.”
Still, Buzz would have rather that Ragains had tackled something a bit more arduous during his Delta outing. Perhaps taking a crowbar to all the carry-on luggage crammed into those overhead compartments by travelers who inexplicably need to haul every single one of their possessions on board?
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Heartfelt thanks for friends, kin
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Happy Thanksgiving 2008. This year, in these tough economic times, Buzz readers who responded to our annual request to share what they are thankful for are focused on what’s important in life — each other. And while we never play favorites here at Buzz Central, we begin this column with an entry that especially resonated with us. After all, she’s helping to keep us all employed and her entry rhymes.
Barb Evangelista, Canton:
“I’m thankful it’s on the driveway each day.
Online copy? No way!
It may be ‘old school’ or not up to date,
but holding a copy is something I appreciate.
Over breakfast or in a comfy chair,
no Internet service does it entail.
News, sports, puzzles, the Peach Buzz too,
I read it through and through.
I know I’m not alone when I say,
I’m thankful for the print copy of the AJC every day.”
Cate Carmichael (submitted by mom Amy), Atlanta: “For my Daddy, who took me to my first UGA football game!”
Jerry Schwartz, Alpharetta: “I’m thankful for the life lessons from my parents who lived through the Great Depression. They were part of America’s Greatest Generation. They taught me, through example, that tough times don’t last, but tough people do and if you can get up one more time than you’re knocked down, you can make it through.”
Tell us what you’re thankful for
David J. Payne, Atlanta: “For friends far and near who remind me that I am loved and appreciated for what we all share in our lives and what I, too, contribute to their joys and happiness. Life is good.”
Lanny West and Leslie Fram, Buckhead and Manhattan: “Our 17-year love affair. There is something to be said for having different last names, thermal undies, hats, scarves and gloves for living in New York, and our many friends and family that love us no matter where we live.”
Carole Hager, Smyrna: “For children with jobs [and one without], the gas bill being paid for now, a husband that holds my hand and the knowledge that I can have that second glass of wine if I want because I’m not getting any smaller [or younger!].”
Carol Gee, Stone Mountain: “I am thankful that I’ve lived long enough to become what has been termed a ‘seasoned’ woman. A seasoned woman, according to author Gail Sheehy, is ‘combined of many flavors — spicy, mellow, sweet and tart.’ Having suffered a mini-stroke a year and a half ago, my journey back to health makes every milestone more poignant.”
Krissy Ambrusko, Woodstock: “For President Bush keeping us safe.”
Kenny Cheek, Marietta: “That at 52, I still have all of my teeth, most of my hair and a 32-inch waist.”
Jackie Goodman, Atlanta: “In these trying economic times, I am especially thankful that my parents gave me good financial lessons. I am glad they taught me the value of a dollar, the importance of saving, how to diversify, how to live a fairly conservative lifestyle and be contented. I am also thankful that I live in the USA, where anyone can grow up to be president.”
Susan Hartsfield Tanner, Cumming: “For my two beautiful and healthy grandchildren, 2-year-old Lily and 7-month-old Davis. They are truly a gift from God and touch my life in a way that I never imagined. I am thankful for my daughter and son-in-law who allow me to be such a big part of their lives. I am thankful for my husband who loves them as much as I do and realizes my yearning to see them almost daily.”
Donna Lodin, Snellville: “For my breast cancer walk group, the Stone Mountain Cruisers. I have stage four breast cancer. I could have never made it through the last year without them. They have endured the days at chemo, bought me scarves and hats to cover my bald head, cried and laughed with me. Waited for scary results, sent me silly e-mails and enough pink items to open my own kiosk. You never know what God has in store for you when he puts people in your life.”
Richie Arpino, hair salon owner: “That people in Atlanta don’t want to look poor and are still getting haircuts!”
Rachel Rine, Newnan: “For my 21-month-old daughter who makes me laugh every day. She reminds me daily that it’s important to color, read and talk all day long. And every night when she goes to sleep, I have to stop and reflect on all we did and realize how much she amazes me.”
Mary Jo Winer, Atlanta: “For my family and for my friends Len and Ann Brown and their family. We celebrate our 40th Thanksgiving together this year. We met as new neighbors in June of 1969. We have shared our lives on a daily basis. Those adult children who can make the trip will be here. The differences in our Catholic and Jewish heritage have enriched us. We have shared much.”
Jennifer Pendarvis, Woodstock: “For my precious daughter Rachel, and for my mom who is able to watch her while I go to work at the job I am thankful to still have.”
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
TV personality Bill Nye (left, “Bill Nye the Science Guy”) is 53. Actor William Fichtner (“Prison Break”) is 52. Actress Robin Givens is 44. Actor Michael Vartan (“Alias”) is 40. Rapper Skoob of DAS EFX is 38. Rapper Twista is 36. Actor Jaleel White (right, “Family Matters”) is 32.
Contributing: News services
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Not much rest for busy Jackets band
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
You only think your holiday schedule is hectic. Try being one of the 360 members of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket Marching Band this week.
For starters, the band piled into seven buses and loaded the drums and tubas into a truck and drove to New York on Sunday, where it is busy rehearsing for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade live on NBC (WXIA).
“The band is 100 years old this year and we couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate than to perform in the Macy’s parade,” band director Chris Moore told Buzz on Tuesday.
Braving sleet, snow and rain Tuesday morning, the band rehearsed the three tunes it’ll perform along the Manhattan parade route Thursday morning. On the broadcast about 10:07 a.m. Thursday, the Yellow Jackets will debut “Fantasia on Georgia Tech,” a medley of the school’s classic fight songs “I’m a Ramblin’ Wreck From Georgia Tech” and “Up With the White and Gold.”
“We’re doing a lot of action, flashy maneuvers and a lot of high energy,” promised Moore.
Hopefully, the students get extra credit for multi-tasking. After rehearsal Tuesday, they were back at the hotel, many taking a differential equations exam being administered by Moore on behalf of profs back in Atlanta.
This morning, the band will perform live on the Fox News early show “Fox and Friends” at 7.
And after a quick post-parade turkey dinner Thursday, the band loads up for the trip home, where members will play at a volleyball game and a men’s basketball game.
Oh, and then it’s back on the bus for a trip to Athens on Saturday, where the 8-3 Tech football team takes on the 9-2 University of Georgia Bulldogs in the state’s most storied sports matchup.
Moore isn’t worried about a little sleep deprivation, either.
Said the band director: “The band never has a problem getting up for that game!”
DOING HIS PART FROM MANY MILES AWAY
Former Atlanta Hawks player Shareef Abdur-Rahim will be spending Thanksgiving on the left coast. The recent NBA retiree has just joined the coaching staff of the Sacramento Kings. But the lessons he learned growing up in Atlanta volunteering with his father and brother at the Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless turkey day dinner have stuck with him. That’s why more than 350 Atlantans in need will have a Thanksgiving Day dinner delivered to them this week, courtesy of Abdur-Rahim and the loyal sponsors of his seventh annual Future Foundation benefit.
“It’s even more important this year to do this since the need is greater,” Abdur-Rahim told us by phone. “I may not be in Atlanta this Thanksgiving, but it’s still my home and I have many, many people there I care about. I’m fortunate that, because of my years in the NBA, I can continue do this for people.”
Abdur-Rahim wanted to provide 500 dinners this year, but the annual tradition’s growth has been slowed a bit by the economy. “We always want to be able to do more than the previous year,” he explained. “We’re growing a little bit this year but hopefully we’ll be able to do even more next year. This is deeply personal for me. The people in Atlanta have supported me throughout my entire life. This is a small way to give back.”
So how is Abdur-Rahim adjusting to life as a Kings coach?
“It’s been a lot of fun,” he said. “It’s a transition and it’s a little new to me. But it’s a great opportunity to teach a little of what I’ve learned along the way to these younger guys coming up. It’s a nice responsibility to have.”
For info on the dinner and how to contribute: www.future-foundation.com.
HOTEL APPRECIATES ITS PATRONS
Atlanta’s social set represents a nice chunk of revenue for the hotel business. The Ritz-Carlton Buckhead’s Thanks-for-Giving brunch Sunday at the hotel was a way of thanking people who book big bashes there. General manager Jon McGavin, catering director Kurt Schwan and public relations director Sandra Ryder greeted members of Atlanta’s philanthropic community. Guests included Steve and Candy Berman, Danielle Berry, Jane Dean, Lisa Fuller, Jaime Griffon, Marilyn Krone, Beverly and John Mitchell, Howard and Victoria Palefsky, Lois Puckett and Sharon Umphenour.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Impressionist Rich Little (right) is 70. Singer Tina Turner is 69. Bassist John McVie of Fleetwood Mac is 63. Country singer Joe Nichols is 32. Singer Natasha Bedingfield (left) is 27. Singer Aubrey Collins (Trick Pony)
is 21.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Kim ‘sings’ for the first time on ‘The Real Housewives of Atlanta.’ We’ve heard dying ferrets make more pleasing sounds.” — From Entertainment Weekly’s “The Bullseye” pop culture chart. (The Bullseye, incidentally, was on Page 11; the arrow concerning “Housewives” was on Page 14.)
Contributing: Jennifer Brett and news services
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Fund-raiser scores former ‘SNL’ comic
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This Thanksgiving week, Captain Planet Foundation chairwoman Laura Turner Seydel is thankful for the Coca-Cola Co., Georgia Power Co., the Mother Nature Network, Pratt Industries and timing.
The above companies signed up early as presenting sponsors for this year’s 14th annual Xmas Party, the annual benefit for the Captain Planet Foundation set for Dec. 12 at the Tabernacle in downtown Atlanta.
“With the economy the way it is, we’re extremely lucky that we had our presenting sponsors come on board early,” Turner Seydel told Buzz on Monday.
Still, the environmental charity has done some budgetary trimming for this year’s event, eliminating the white tent in the parking lot and consolidating the festivities inside.
Musical guests include Rolling Stones keyboardist and Georgia tree farmer Chuck Leavell, Night Ranger singer Jack Blade, .38 Special’s Jeff Carlisi and the Romantics’ Wally Palmar.
The evening’s special celebrity guest is “Saturday Night Live” legend Chevy Chase and his environmentalist wife, Jayni. So how did Turner Seydel lure the comic actor to Atlanta?
Call it return payment for a pair of borrowed golf shorts.
It seems that some years back, Turner Seydel’s husband, Atlanta lawyer Rutherford Seydel, was playing golf with the comic and Chase arrived sans shorts. He borrowed a pair of Rutherford’s and decided he liked them.
“It’s been a running joke between us for a while,” explained Turner Seydel. “We’re thrilled to have Chevy and Jayni this year.” Jayni, incidentally, is the founder of the Center for Environmental Education, a nonprofit devoted to the greening of public schools. Best-selling author (and the chairwoman’s father) Ted Turner has also R.S.V.P.-ed.
As usual, Turner Seydel’s dress for the occasion is an eco-friendly frock, this year made out of sustainable silk, courtesy of a “free-range silk worm that was allowed to turn into a moth.”
So, no silk worms were harmed in the making of the dress, we inquired?
Cracked Turner: “Um, you could say that!”
For tickets: www.xmasparty.org.
OVERSCENE
At Justin’s restaurant in Buckhead: Rapper Young Jeezy and his production crew celebrating the wrap of his “My President” video shoot on Auburn Avenue downtown Sunday night. Earlier in the day, Jeezy and hundreds of extras shot the video tribute to President-elect Barack Obama outside Ebenezer Baptist Church after Sunday services had ended.
R.E.M. front man Michael Stipe dining at Parish in Inman Park.
Former “MASH” actor William Christopher taking in “Sanders Family Christmas” at Theatre in the Square in Marietta. Afterward, Christopher went backstage to meet the cast. Reports “SFC” actor Alan Kilpatrick via e-mail: “Meeting William Christopher is exactly like you would imagine meeting Father Mulcahy would be. He has solid white hair now, and looks a little older, but the trademark glasses are still on his face. And he still has that unmistakable voice! He was so gracious and complimentary! He said, ‘I laughed, I cried — and I don’t even know much about Baptists … I’m Catholic!’ Very sweet man!”
LAST CHANCE FOR THANKFUL READERS
Today is the deadline for our reader-driven Thanksgiving edition of Peach Buzz. E-mail Buzz Central — buzz@ajc.com — your unique, poignant or humorous thoughts on what you’re thankful for in these difficult times. Include your full name, where you reside, a daytime phone number and a photo that might be published. The best Buzz reader responses will be published in the Turkey Day column.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Actor Ricardo Montalban is 88. Singer Percy Sledge is 68. Actor-game show host Ben Stein is 64. “Boston Legal” actor John Larroquette is 61. Singer Amy Grant is 48. “Samantha Who?” actress Christina Applegate is 37. Actor Eddie Steeples (“My Name Is Earl”) is 35.
EXPECTING
My Chemical Romance singer Gerard Way’s newest creation isn’t a CD — it’s an upcoming baby.
A rep for the singer says Way, 31, and wife Lindsey, bass player of the band Mindless Self Indulgence, are expecting their first child. The baby is due early next summer .
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“It would be horrible if I was just thinking about getting a divorce and had nothing to do.” — Madonna on how her “Sticky & Sweet” tour is distracting her from the singer’s split with film director Guy Ritchie. The tour played Philips Arena on Monday night.
Contributing: News services
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Lights, legs and Soul at tree event
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
So how did a couple of nice Jewish girls like “Atlanta & Company” co-host Holly Firfer and Dave FM’s Mara Davis end up co-hosting Saturday night’s Christmas tree lighting at Atlantic Station?
“I know, right!” Davis laughed Sunday when we posed the question.
“Holly’s a bit more mysterious, though. She’s blond and blue-eyed. She flies under the radar. Me? Not so much.”
Jahmal Harris of Atlanta takes a digital picture of the Christmas tree during the lighting ceremony at Atlantic Station. (Sara Hopkins / AJC special)
Still, Davis says the annual outdoor event broadcast live on WXIA-TV was great fun. Hundreds of attendees braved the chill to attend the holiday kickoff. Atlanta’s own Collective Soul banged through renditions of “Blue Christmas” and “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” for the enthusiastic crowd. Davis told us lead singer Ed Roland wore shorts to the drafty dress rehearsal.
“That’s the sign of a true rock star,” she praised. “When you’re so hot, you can show up in shorts in 34-degree weather, you’re officially a rock star.”
Roland did change into pants for the actual telecast.
On Thanksgiving night, as always, Atlantans also get to watch the Macy’s Great Tree light up as well at 7 p.m. on WSB-TV. The Lenox Square tradition will mark a homecoming of sorts for one performer this year. Tony Award-winning actress Heather Headley returns to Atlanta for the occasion.
Alliance Theatre-goers will recall Headley debuted the title role in Disney’s “Aida” here before taking the Elton John-Tim Rice musical to Broadway.
OVERSCENE
Three tables of Bacchanalia diners being relocated to the five-star restaurant’s quieter Quinones room Saturday night. It seems one disorderly private party/family reunion was intent on taking the restaurant’s name literally, resulting in the restaurant resembling the Georgia Dome on a Sunday afternoon with two minutes to go on the clock and the Atlanta Falcons down by a field goal.
The sights and sounds were rare at the $75 per person prix fixe white tablecloth jewel helmed by Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison.
We silently marveled at how expertly manager Frances Quatrano and her staff handled the situation, however. Embarrassingly, the din got so excessive Quatrano finally had to speak to the party about the noise level, to no avail, natch.
On the up side? The three tables of displaced diners bonded over cheese courses downstairs in Quinones as waiters from Bacchanalia dashed back and forth from the frigid outdoors to continue their impeccable table service.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Former Beatles drummer Pete Best is 67. Actor Stanley Livingston (“My Three Sons”) is 58. Record producer Terry Lewis is 52. Actor Colin Hanks (“Mad Men”) is 31. Actress Katherine Heigl (“Grey’s Anatomy”) is 30.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“‘The Real Housewives of Atlanta’ makes ‘The Real Housewives of New York City’ look like ‘The McLaughlin Group.’ ” — New York magazine’s The Approval Matrix, placing the Bravo reality stars in the lower left-hand “Lowbrow and despicable” section of the weekly’s pop culture guide.
Contributing: News services
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After walkoff, Adams show is Fox freebie
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Here’s some good news in a down economy: a free concert.
Alt-country rocker Ryan Adams is performing with The Cardinals at the Fox on March 20. It’ll be free for the fans who attended his Oct. 17 concert at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park.
Adams rocked for about an hour that chilly night in Alpharetta, complaining that he was losing his voice. Then he abruptly left the stage, leaving Verizon staffers flummoxed and fans irritated.
Adams fans have come to expect the unexpected, but this episode was especially poorly timed — about two weeks before the release of “Cardinology.” (The new album is a tight set of alt rock with some country and R&B influences, and, ironically, it’s a more optimistic work for the newly clean and sober Adams.)
A heartfelt blog posting from Cardinals drummer Brad Pemberton shortly after Adams’ disappearing act apologized to fans and explained that the guys had all been sick. Adams posted a blog of his own a day or two later, a meandering stream-of-consciousness opus on how he was working on forgiving himself, but it was quickly taken down.
Anyway, for those of you who made the trek Oct. 17, here’s how you get into the Fox for free: Exchange tickets in person at the Verizon or Fox box office or mail them in. The Fox is at 660 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta, 30308. Verizon’s at 2200 Encore Parkway, Alpharetta, 30009.
Call 404-733-5012 with questions.
ATLANTA’S OWN
Stephanie Ruhe, mix-master at the bar at The Mansion on Peachtree, has been named the ATL’s “Most Inspiring Bartender” by Bombay Sapphire Gin and GQ Magazine. Her exquisite “Lady Sapphire,” the frothy concoction she created with chamomile-infused Bombay Sapphire Gin, along with lemongrass, freshly-squeezed lemon, honey and egg whites, won “Best Overall Drink” in Atlanta. At $12, the sweet, creamy cocktail is one of the Mansion bar’s top sellers. “I wanted to do something elegant,” Ruhe told Buzz when we stopped by to research the matter the other day. An Orlando native who’s put in time at the bars of a number of area restaurants, she said the complicated recipe came to her in a dream. Her drink, topped with an orchid, certainly tastes like a dream.
ONE BELEAGUERED INDUSTRY SUPPORTS ANOTHER ONE
Are there any more jittery workers these days than journalists and automakers? (Other than bankers, developers, real estate agents, restaurateurs, hotel managers and retailers, we mean). Well, local scribes and one of the big battered three are getting together for some holiday fun. The Atlanta Press Club’s annual holiday party is being sponsored this year by General Motors. The event is 6:30-9:30 p.m. Dec. 9 at the Georgia Aquarium. APC members may purchase tickets for $20 for themselves and one guest through Dec. 5. After that, tix are $25. Nonmember tickets are $35 through Dec. 5 and $40 afterward.
This year’s roster of authors includes Mary Kay Andrews, author of a slew of popular Southern lit novels; Douglas Blackmon, The Wall Street Journal’s Atlanta bureau chief and author of “Slavery by Another Name”; and Brookhaven resident Emily Giffin, whose latest is “Love the One You’re With.”
Other sponsors include the Georgia Aquarium, Barnes & Noble, Schroder Public Relations, Atlanta Magazine, Tribute and Edelman. Call 404-577-7377 or see www.atlantapressclub.org for information.
SMARTS ON DISPLAY
Alpharetta teen Bradley Silverman took second place in this year’s edition of “Jeopardy!” for teens. He pocketed $44,600 in the Teen Tournament final of the popular TV game show that aired Friday night on WATL TV.
Bradley, a 16-year-old junior at Centennial High School in Roswell, said he plans to study engineering at MIT or Georgia Tech and intends to use his winnings to pay for college. He was among the best out of thousands of teens who tried out for the game show.
Anurag Kashyap, who attends Rancho Bernardo High School in San Diego County, won the $75,000 grand prize.
CALLING ALL SLOBS
Guys: Are you ugly, beer-bellied, balding, covered in body hair and profane? Here’s your chance at stardom. The popular and exceedingly bizarre cartoon “Aqua Teen Hunger Force,” which is made here in Atlanta as part of Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim, is planning its first live-action episode, says producer Jay Wade Edwards. The first order of business is casting Carl, the show’s resident loudmouth. Adult Swim is soliciting short video auditions to play Carl from regular guys. There are no plans for casting calls, says Edwards; the whole thing is being done online at www.justbecarl.adultswim.com.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Actor Robert Vaughn (“The Man from U.N.C.L.E.”) is 76. Actor Michael Callan is 73. Comedian-director Terry Gilliam (“Monty Python’s Flying Circus”) is 68. Actor Tom Conti is 67. Singer Jesse Colin Young (The Youngbloods) is 67. Guitarist-actor Little Steven (The E Street Band, “The Sopranos”) is 58. Bassist Tina Weymouth of Talking Heads is 58. Actor Richard Kind (“Spin City,” “Mad About You”) is 52. Actress Jamie Lee Curtis is 50. Singer Jason Ringenberg of Jason and the Scorchers is 50. Actress Mariel Hemingway is 47. Actor Stephen Geoffreys is 44. Actress Scarlett Johansson (“Lost in Translation,” “Ghost World”) is 24.
Contributing: Phil Kloer and news services
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Tongue & Groove is back, this time at Lindbergh
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Instead of chewing their cuticles over the economy, the owners of Tongue & Groove actually are thrilled to be back on the scene, nearly a year and a half after shuttering the nightclub’s original address in Buckhead Village.
Friday night, Michael Krohngold and his business partners officially are welcoming night crawlers back into the club, now located at 565 Main St. at the Lindbergh City Center.
“We look at it this way,” Krohngold explained to Buzz during an advance peek this week. “Everyone is looking for escape right now. We like to think we’re providing a fantasy world for people where they can forget things for a while.”
And the club’s stylish interiors, done by Krohngold’s artist wife Patti (with Michael in photo), reflect the vibrant neighborhood’s famous MARTA station a few feet away.
Practically the entire two-floor space has been “tagged” with stylish graffiti art-directed by Patti Krohngold, who was inspired by the graffiti she saw covering trains and walls on a recent trip to Amsterdam.
The gold VIP area comes complete with a gold leather banquette and an antique chandelier Krohngold discovered at Love Train Antiques. The entire light fixture was created with inverted champagne flutes. Clubgoers who used to gyrate at the old location will recognize the egg-shaped sculptures dangling over the dance floor and the original club’s trademark 8-foot mirrors are hanging on the wall.
Prices range from a $7 Grey Goose vodka drink to the full-on VIP bottle service, featuring a $600 magnum of Dom Perignon.
And while Krohngold traditionally has been known as a nomadic nightclub entrepreneur, opening and closing venues as tastes evolved over the years, he says he’s excited that Tongue & Groove is back and in its 14th year of operation.
“It’s so difficult to establish a brand that sticks with people. We’re proud to have done that with Tongue & Groove. People have met here and gotten married and now we see them with their kids around town. It’s nice to have been a part of that.”
Tongue & Groove hosts a private VIP party Friday night from 7 to 9 p.m. The public is invited to join the soiree at 10 p.m. For info: www.tandgonline.com.
BROOKING BUILDS FOR KIDS
Atlanta Falcon Keith Brooking put his Georgia Tech degree to good use Wednesday. For a good cause.
A bundled-up Brooking, representing his Keith Brooking Foundation, reported for duty in sub-freezing temperatures with about 200 other volunteers at the Lewis Academy of Excellence in Riverdale for the Home Depot NFL Neighborhood MVP playground build.
The objective: to construct an entire playground in just six hours. The facility is one of 17 being constructed across the country by Home Depot and children’s charity KaBOOM.
We hear that Brooking scored a check for $1,000 from Home Depot for his foundation, helped to build a rock-climbing wall and picnic tables, and did a little painting.
If fans vote for him as the charitable promotion’s MVP at nfl.com/homedepot.com, he’ll receive a follow-up check for $25,000. Should Brooking win, he’ll be keeping the honor in Home Depot’s corporate hometown. Last year’s inaugural NFL Neighborhood MVP winner? Former Falcon and do-gooder Warrick Dunn.
WE HEAR THAT …
“Inside Edition” cameras were spotted Thursday in Athens on the campus of the University of Georgia. Alas, not because of a celebrity scandal or a weird story. Deborah Norville, the host of the show, was doing some taping on North Campus. Norville, who earned a journalism degree from UGA in 1979, was also on hand Thursday evening to help host the centennial gala for the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.
WANTED: THANKFUL READERS
The deadline is fast approaching for our reader-driven Thanksgiving edition of Peach Buzz. E-mail Buzz Central — buzz@ajc.com — your unique, poignant or humorous thoughts on what you’re thankful for in these difficult times. Include your full name, where you reside, a daytime phone number and a photo that might be published. The best Buzz reader responses will be published in the Turkey Day column.
COLE COMING TO TOWN
Designer Kenneth Cole, chairman of the world’s largest HIV/AIDS research organization, will give the keynote address at an Emory University ceremony marking World AIDS Day on Dec. 1. In the fourth annual “Quilt on the Quad,” the university will display 800 panels from the AIDS Memorial Quilt 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Cole is an Emory alumnus. The quilt display is sponsored by Emory Hillel.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Actress Marlo Thomas is 71. Singer Dr. John is 68. Actress Goldie Hawn is 63. Actress Nicollette Sheridan is 45. Singer Bjork is 43. Country singer Kelsi Osborn of SHeDAISY is 34.
OVERSCENE
The actress formerly known as “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman,” Jane Seymour, perusing the racks at Hue Studio at Phipps Plaza, dining at Twist, relaxing at 29 Spa in the Mansion on Peachtree and supping at La Grotta in the Ravinia Hotel by Perimeter Mall. Seymour was in town for two art shows at Wentworth Gallery.
Contributing: Gayle White and news services
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Idols revive ‘Misbehavin’ ’ musical revue
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When Richard Maltby, the creator of “Ain’t Misbehavin’, ” saw “American Idol” winner Ruben Studdard in 2003, he thought Studdard (pictured with Billie Allen Henderson, widow of original music arranger Luther Henderson) would be perfect in a revival of the musical revue.
It took five years, but he got his wish on the Broadway classic’s 30th anniversary.
“Ruben is sensational,” Maltby told Buzz at the cast after-party at the Georgian Terrace following opening night Tuesday at the Fox Theatre. “Every performance, he grows. He’s just beginning to find himself. At the first rehearsal, he said he wasn’t sure he could do this. But watching him, I know he can.”
Maltby also nabbed two other “Idol” contestants from that year for the cast: the powerful Frenchie Davis and the surprisingly supple Trenyce Cobbins.
Davis played the role made famous by the late, great Nell Carter. Carter’s daughter, Tracey Hardy (who lives in Atlanta and works at the CDC), came by the party to congratulate the ensemble.
Hardy thought Davis channeled Nell well: “I really believe my mom would have enjoyed that — though she probably would have wanted to jump on stage!”
“Ain’t Misbehavin’ ” runs through Sunday at the Fox Theatre.
OVERSCENE
Atlanta Thrashers players Garnet Exelby, Eric Perrin, Erik Christensen and mascot Thrash presenting the team’s brand new third-edition Thrashers jersey to WWE Raw Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho before his match Monday night at Philips Arena downtown. The Thrashers were special ringside guests at the event. Jericho, incidentally, comes from hockey stock (his dad, Ted Irvine, notably played for the L.A. Kings, New York Rangers and St. Louis Blues). Thrashers rep Kenan Woods told Buzz Wednesday that the new jerseys — which were debuted at last Friday’s home game — are now available for purchase online (www.thrashers.nfl.com) and at the arena.
WANTED: READER THANKS
Yes, it’s once again time for our reader-driven Thanksgiving edition of Peach Buzz. E-mail Buzz Central — reldredge@ajc.com — your unique, poignant or humorous thoughts on what you’re thankful for in these difficult times. Also include your full name, where you reside, a daytime phone number and a photo that might be published. The best Buzz reader responses will be published in the annual Turkey Day edition of the column.
CALENDAR FOR A CAUSE
Elite model Adam Gates was actually a little sheepish the other night at Bazzaar when asked how he became Mr. June in Atlanta celebrity shutterbug Richie Arpino’s 2009 Swimsuit Calendar benefitting Breast Friends. “Richie is one of my best friends and I know it’s for a good cause,” he told Buzz. Still, Gates, 27, of Canton spent a good portion of the shoot pruning up in a shower scenario before the photog opted to re-position him half-submerged and clinging to a beach ball in a pool. “It’s a living!” Gates joked at the launch party. “Plus, it’s kind of cool to know you’re on someone’s wall for a whole month.” Arpino is donating all proceeds from this year’s calendar to the breast cancer charity as a tribute to his late sister-in-law Janie Arpino, who succumbed to the disease last year.
HIGH FIVE
Television
The Top OnDemand programs for the week ending Nov. 16, as determined by Comcast customers in metro Atlanta:
1. Beyonce, “Single Ladies” video, Music Choice
2. T-Pain, “Chopped N Skrewed” video Music Choice
3. Entourage,” “Seth Green Day” episode, HBO
4. “True Blood,” “I Don’t Wanna Know” episode, HBO
5. SpongeBob Squarepants, “Plankton’s Army” episode, Nickelodeon
— Courtesy: Rentrak’s OnDemand Essentials
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Broadcast journalist Judy Woodruff is 62. Actress Bo Derek is 52. Drummer Todd Nance of Widespread Panic is 46. Actress Ming-Na (“ER”) is 45. Rapper Mike D of the Beastie Boys is 43. Country singer Dierks Bentley is 33. Actor Joshua Gomez (“Chuck”) is 33. Country singer Josh Turner is 31. Actress Nadine Velazquez (“My Name Is Earl”) is 30.
Contributing: Rodney Ho and news services
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Fans frenzied at premiere of ‘Twilight’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
As executive director of the Grammys’ Atlanta chapter, Michele Rhea Caplinger knows a little something about hyperventilating fans. But nothing prepared her for the pandemonium outside the Mann Village Theatre Monday night in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Westwood, the site of the “Twilight” premiere.
“I’ve been to nine Grammys but this was crazy!” Caplinger told Buzz via cell phone Tuesday. Thankfully, Caplinger had a couple of Atlanta bodyguards on the red carpet: Ed and Dean Roland of Collective Soul, whose song “Tremble for My Beloved” is on the “Twilight” soundtrack (currently the No. 1 album on the Billboard charts). The rocking Rolands were personally invited to the premiere by “Twilight” author Stephenie Meyer, who has also become a bit of a rock star since writing the phenomenally popular series of vampire books.
Meyer, a Collective Soul fan, originally included snippets of lyrics from “Tremble” in “Breaking Dawn,” her fourth book in the “Twilight” series.
The movie features young actors Robert Pattinson as head hunky vampire Edward and actress Kristen Stewart as beautiful heroine Bella (think “Gossip Girl” meets “Dark Shadows”). But most of the screams were reserved for Pattinson.
“He handled the frenzy as best he could,” Caplinger said. “He seems really grounded.”
“Tremble for My Beloved” receives primo placement in the film as well. Caplinger says she and the Rolands were thrilled to see the rocker used prominently in an early pivotal scene when Edward saves Bella from a near-death experience.
Caplinger says the decade-old song, originally included as the lead-off track on the Stockbridge-birthed band’s 1999 “Dosage” album, was written for Ed Roland’s now 10-year-old son, Lindsey. For her part, the Grammy guru says, she had a handle on the popularity of the books and how hotly anticipated the movie is thanks to her own 14-year-old, Sarah, a major Meyer fan.
“She’s a little beside herself with me today,” Caplinger conceded with a laugh. “But I’m out here on Grammys business and Ed just called and asked if I wanted to go. I’m planning to make it up to her and her friends this weekend with a viewing party sleepover in Atlanta. But I still may have to explain why I didn’t get her an autograph!”
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR WREN?
Do you have some sage recommendations for tweaks to the 2009 Atlanta Braves roster? You may want to fire up the laptop Thursday at 3 p.m., when Braves executive vice president and general manager Frank Wren will be live on Braves.com to field questions from baseball fans. Wren, in his ninth season with the Braves, recently completed his first year as the team’s executive vice president and GM.
To be part of the online conversation, fans have to register in advance on either Braves.com or MLB.com. Registration is free.
A NOVEL CONCEPT
At last week’s Atlanta Pet Rescue benefit at Park Tavern in Midtown, we were immediately intrigued by the table of guys scrutinizing jewelry under fluorescent lights in the back of the facility. Turns out it was Arnold Shapiro and Michael Nelson, the proprietors of the Marietta business Gold Fund Raising Concepts. And unlike a lot of local businesses these days, Shapiro and Nelson’s is booming.
“We’re booked straight through the holidays,” Shapiro told Buzz. Essentially, Gold Fund Raising Concepts gets invited to metro Atlanta fund-raisers and social gatherings, where attendees are invited to bring old gold to said soiree and sell it for cash (Nelson was guarding a stack of greenbacks large enough to stifle the voice-over guys for both the Saxby Chambliss and Jim Martin attack ad campaigns). Mere minutes into the fund-raiser, the company had already collected about 20 pieces in a Ziplock bag and paid out $600. According to Shapiro, Gold Fund Raising then, in turn, donates 60 percent back to the nonprofit.
“With the economy the way it is, people need cash and nonprofit contributions are also down,” he said. “When you factor in the price of gold, this is win-win for everyone.”
Recently at Zaban Park at Marcus Jewish Community Center in Dunwoody, the company cut the JCC a check for $10,000.
Said Shapiro: “We’ve been invited back!”
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Actor Alan Young (“Mr. Ed”) (above) is 89. Talk show host Larry King is 75. Talk show host Dick Cavett is 72. Media mogul Ted Turner is 70. Fashion designer Calvin Klein is 66. Actress Allison Janney (“The West Wing”) is 48. Actress Meg Ryan is 47. Actress Jodie Foster is 46. Country singer Billy Currington (below) is 35.
OVERSCENE
Rapper Young Jeezy dining with a friend at Chima Brazilian Steakhouse. We’re told he enjoyed “the lighter fare, chicken, salmon, etc., and chose not to eat any red meat.” Jeezy the young also ordered a bottle of Far Niente Napa Valley wine.
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