icepack

by A.D. Amorosi

While your week was awry with blackouts, anthrax scares and bike-pedaling ass grabbers, mine was spent with Russell Simmons and Justin Timberlake, wondering if maybe the groper was to blame for the hickey spied on Cameron Diazís neck as she bopped along Walnut Street. I was also wondering how much I could care about a guy who stole riffs from Inspector Gadget and wore the same T-shirt here that he wore at the Canadian SARS concert. Dag. To quote Redd Foxx, "Wash yoí ass." Within a six-day period, Timberlake and his gal pal smooched up a storm backstage at Electric Factory (while the gents from Boyz II Men and I watched), chilled at The Rittenhouse Hotel, hung with Carrot Top at Borgata (huh) and caused pandemonium among soccer moms. Timberlake and Diaz were also spied hanging at Sofitel with John Mayer and eating duck and salmon at Caribou Café. They ran up a bill for $96, but left $90. "They didnít make a mistake," says Caribouís new owner, Olivier De Saint Martin. "They just didnít pay. I wasnít going to chase them down the street for $6. But I felt bad for my waiters." At the same time, Simmons took over the Liacouras Center for his Hip-Hop Summit (Philly was the most successful of the summits, geared toward equal education, with 10,000 voter registrations in 10 days). While he got feted by LL Cool J, Roc-A-Fellaís Damon Dash and Freewayís State Penitentiary crew (they gave a shout to the currently incarcerated Beanie Siegel, adding that his new CD would come out when he did), Simmons also hung at the Four Seasons restaurant with an emotional DMX before the WDAS FM/AM Unity Week VIP Awards Luncheon on Friday. While other summitees hung at Chrome (Wyclef, Redman), Philly songstress Erika Schiff brought Timberlake pals Black Eyed Peas to hang at Bar Noir (which also welcomed visiting ex-Police Chief John Timoney), where they hummed a few bars for David Carroll.… Who else was where else? Ex-Philly-ite/NYC radio maven Wendy Williams stopped at Zanzibar Blueís Literary Cafe to blab up her new, juicy book, Wendyís Got the Heat: The Queen of Radio Bares All. Before leaving town, Bruce Springsteen met with the Kensington Welfare Rights Union. As one of their oldest supporters, the Boss asked KWRU folk to hand out group literature at his concerts (putting invited guests to work is nice?). And some more news from last weekís celebrity sightings: Certain production persons tell me that not only did Marilyn Manson use kitty litter in his dressing room (the bathroom backstage at EFC was apparently too far), he stiffed bartenders at Delilahís Den for a tip on his $300-plus bill.… On Aug. 12, 32° was filled for Premiere agencyís unveiling of the September issue of FHM, featuring a skimpily dressed Heather Mitts (of the Philly Charge), who attended the bash with her Eagles boy toy, A.J. Feeley. On Aug. 21, 32° invites you to a "Reservoir Dogs" bash starring "crooks, hookers, socialites, pimps, midgets, celebrities" and prizes including diamond studs from Golden Nugget on Jewelersí Row.… Home and design honcho Matthew Izzo hosts "Conversations on Home Fashion," Aug. 21 at his shop on Pine with Country Eleganceís Claudia R. Allen and interior designer Herb Vapper. For information, call 215-563-3101, ext. 3. Proceeds go to Fashion Group Phillyís Education Foundation scholarships.… With Memorial Hall in shambles and funds not ready, SCAN (Stop Child Abuse Now) wasnít able to host its 2003 SCANtastic bash. But with monies now in order and Memorial Hall sprucing up, SCANtastic is set for April 2004.… Producer Jerry Bruckheimer takes on Philly this fall, using us for principle photography for his CBS TV show, Cold Case, and brings Nicolas Cage here for six weeks to shoot National Treasure. Also here for fall: William Hurt and Sigourney Weaver join Adrien Brody in M. Night Shyamalanís The Woods, plus Seann William Scott and Angela Bassett come to town for Lee Danielsí Less Than Kind. Phillyís "Whassup?!" advertising team, actor Scott Martin Brooks and director Charles Stone, just finished filming Mr. 3000 in Milwaukee last week with Bernie Mac, Michael Rispoli, Paul Sorvino and Bassett.… DJ Cozmic Cat says sheís out of SoMa as "music curator." Instead, sheís got herself into Emerald Cityís "Honeypot" party Aug. 23 with DJ Dan and is finishing her CD, From Philly with Love, Vol. 2, being released in the next two weeks.… After successfully bringing neo-burlesque to Phil "Five Spot" Cohenís Catskills dream home, the Lexington Hotel, Scott Johnston and the Peek-A-Boo Revue take the stage at the Troc on Aug. 22, with guests Meesha the belly dancer and Professor Goodfoot.… Righteous reggae-ite Terry Lee Barrett does his part(y) for the Tropic Relief scholarship fund for Caribbean-American students Aug. 21 at the Please Touch Museum (for info, call 215-413-1311).… Who has b-days: scribe and CP contributor Collin Keefe, Fire-in-the-Disco boy David Pianka, Tony Sparacinoís upscale clothing shop, Sparacino Mens (now known as "B3"), and Tony “Pointless” and Greg Daly, who celebrated last week at R5ís "punk social event of the season" with Totalitar and World Burns To Death. "If there is one week you do not shower, make sure itís this," said R5ís Sean Agnew of the occasion. Was Justin Timberlake invited?

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