icepack

by A.D. Amorosi

Over the last many years, Daily News Gossip Grand Poobah Stu Bykofsky and I chatted, in confidence, of his leaving so-called celeb news behind to write features. Y’all knew he wanted to stop the gossip, but the exact dates of when he’d get to write stories, not blips, seemed to keep getting pushed back. Can’t blame him -- I’m certainly grateful for my multisubject scribing opportunities. Before CP’s own Deborah Bolling nailed Bykofsky’s story last week, it’s been funny seeing other papers and blogs leaping into the fray, hankering for info from Bykofsky ("No one was cute enough" for the scoop, he jokes), and constantly getting his successors wrong. "Some idiots are asking me if I was demoted," he says, adding that he’s heading for Jamaica before he officially kills off Byko! (a title he’s always hated). "I’ve never been happier," he reports. "The last column will be a Thursday. Right now it’s planned for Jan. 29. But if the Iggles are in the Super Bowl -- which I’ll help cover -- it will be Feb. 5. That’s firm. You could write that I requested assignment to the Super Bowl as a "last’ gossip assignment. My God, it’s even true." What’s truer is Bykofsky’s faith in boss Zack Stalberg ("the only ass I’ve ever had to kiss, happily") and editor Laurie Conrad ("a sensational editor Ö none of the usual ego"), who will also work with him when he starts writing his new column, Bykofsky at Large ("which, of course, opens me up to size jokes"). The new column will run every Tuesday and Friday, "with a possible third surprise column in between," Bykofsky says, and it will run in a features section shared by Tattle, successor Dan Gross’ gossip and Jenice Armstrong’s twice-a-week column. With a final gossip page already written -- Bykofsky calls it his "valedictorian speech" -- he’s still laughing about how long he’s waited for "at Large." Ice readers: It’s frigging touching to see a fellow wiseass happy. Guys like Bykofsky got me columnizing in the first place. Congrats.Ö GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS: In a week where Philly cop Heladio Gonzalez wants a sex change (hi, Maria), here’s to the ladies. Ice presents half a dozen reasons to celebrate. 1) Sugar Town, the self-described "femme-centric night of rock and roll," is celebrating its third anniversary and, due to logistical concerns, is moving from The Balcony to Doc Watson’s, the home of its other weekly gig, Plain Parade. The first Doc Watson’s Sugar Town will be Jan. 16 with ex-April Disaster member Carolynne McNeel. 2) Hard-folkies Jen Hess and Laura Mann take to Tin Angel Jan. 15, welcoming 17-year-old Glenside resident Anna Christie in her live debut. "She’s got an amazing, sexy set of pipes," says Hess, who’ll bartend Bar Noir’s Jan. 19 "Monday Night Club" early-evening gig with Phil Moore Brown’s Gravy Thomas and Shaun Walker. 3) Holmesburg writer Brenda Thomas, an ex-assistant to then-Phoenix Suns guard Stephon Marbury, self-published her roman-a-hoop, Threesome, so successfully she got a deal with Simon and Schuster for an April publication of a sequel, Fourplay, as well as a project with Lil' Kim. 4) While Old City sizzled, at Tin Angel Theresa Kelly’s Phoenix Trap debuted new stuff recorded with Edan Cohen at Soundgun. 5) After getting grants from the William Penn Foundation and the NEA (with matching Philly city funds), Jeanne Ruddy’s dance company puts that cash toward renovating her new "studio theatre," The Performance Garage at 1515 Brandywine. 6) That was Jill Scott making her TV debut on UPN’s Girlfriends on Monday. Expect her to pop in a few more times, altering some crucial plot points.Ö WhoWhatWhere: When Chris Root came home to sell out Tin Angel with his N.Y.C./Brazil-based Mosquitos, his mom and pop, jazz drummer/mixed-media artist Frankie Root, cheered on Chris and girlfriend Juju Stulbach. Jerry Blavat brought the cast of his Third Annual Sound Spectacular at the Kimmel Center to Pompeii after their gig.Ö The PA Lesbian and Gay Task Force wants Comcast to drop their ads featuring a swishy Queer Eye spoof. Why? That’s my favorite thing they’ve got on at present!Ö Congratulate Drexel MAD dean Jonathan Estrin, whose flick, Jasper, Texas (he wrote and produced it for Showtime), got nominated for two NAACP Image Awards, one for "Outstanding Television Movie/Miniseries," and an "Outstanding Actor" nod for Lou Gossett Jr. Local jewelry designer Paul Morelli got his seven-strand cultured-pearl-and-diamond bib necklace onto Sarah Jessica Parker’s neck and his banana-leaf cuff and double South Sea pearl earrings onto Kim Cattrall in last week’s Sex and the City. Expect more Morelli to get Sex-ed before season’s end.Ö After the pomp and circumstance of last week’s Hair O’ the Dog, expect similar barking at the The Young Professionals’ Ball at Tragos, Jan. 17.Ö Congrats to singer Julia Othmer, who got engaged to real estate developer Clayton Gentry while in Costa Rica.Ö On a sad note, condolences to the families of nightlife scenestress Esther Startup and bridal salon owner Suky Rosan, who both passed away last week.

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