icepack

by A.D. Amorosi

The only phrase worse than "that stings" and "you sure it's cut with B vitamins?" is "do me a favor." Like my dad says, "a friend in need, is a pest." (Conversely, to be in the position to do a favor is miserable bliss -- a power not unlike what Theresa Heinz must feel toward John Kerry.) Having to favor those who are not friend, family or fuck is like critic Neil Strauss having to put up with a messy, self-immolating Courtney Love for three days, as reported last week in Rolling Stone. That's why this headline bugged me: "Real World: Producers Want Daily News' Help." No, Bunim/Murray Productions isn't asking the DN readership to stop hurling things toward its wimpy non-stars. In Philly, we don't stop till we draw blood. What BMP really wants is some help in casting The Billionaire: Branson's Quest for the Best. Why do BMP or Richard Branson a favor? Can't he just buy me, lock, stock and fabulous skin? He's not the only scrounger. The Pennsylvania Economy League wants you to name Philly "Best City for Singles" for Forbes magazine's June cover. Do we need more slimy singles with dwindling post-Internet IPO funds gathering outside of Rouge? Soon to get "favors": Girard Estate owners and the Board of City Trusts, who are picking over contract proposals for a gambling facility on land the former owns and the latter oversees at 12th and Market. Watch for kneepad sales to rise. Know who could use a favor? David Morse, whose CBS show Hack has gone the way of F Troop. So could Jeremy Roenick, whose Flyers' loss leaves summer wide open for commercials. Millionaires need favors, too. … WHOWHATWHERE: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club is recording at Mad Action's studio -- "just a house with a mom and dad cooking food upstairs" -- says Britain's NME. My folks don't have spit-screens. Like Dylan during last month's layover, David Byrne bicycled 'round town, skidding in front of his final stop: the Merriam. Along with Alfred Molina and Eliza Dushku, the Wizard World Convention hosted Philly expat Mike Sangiacomo. The Cleveland Plain Dealer scribe may see his comic, Phantom Jack, on celluloid soon. Philly Music Alliance's Walk of Fame brochure launch at the Red Tettemer agency hosted Kenny Gamble, Michael Tearson and Al Martino. Jerry Blavat also stopped by the PMA party, grabbing Martino for a night out in Old City. The Geator was also readying his Summer in the City concert at the Kimmel with Little Richard and surprise guests The Miracles. That gala got a visit from Cuba Gooding Jr. , in town filming Lee Daniels' Shadowboxer. Gooding made his way to 32º's VIP section, as did Roenick and Donald Brashear. Did script-secret sharing on the Internet pressure M. Night Shyamalan into filming a new ending for The Village? That's the rumor as to why his cast came back to Chester County. Would you go to Chester County unless you had to?… When I was a child, Pat Boone invited my family to a real estate open house. It seemed like a shill. We got an AM radio as a gift. Fast-forward: Bachelor-ettes Helene Eksterowicz and Gwen Gioia and Average Joe Sean Pashley shilled an "Ultimate Open House" for Bart Blatstein's Manayunk Bridge Five on Sunday. Don't they feel dirty?... Paperstreet hosts a Trump Taj/Casbah party May 30 with Britt, Cosmo, Doz and more.… Ex-CP-peeps: While Sarah Dunn's The Big Love drops in July, Jim Gladstone joins Quirk Books for the quizzical.

Gladstone's Games to Go

To promote, Jim'll head to Gladstone Lane in Gladstone, Mo., during Memorial Weekend. That's quizzical. … Upper Darby bar The Terminal hosts Philly-hop honcho Baby Blak and Tanzania Lateef, a new signee to Jazzy Jeff's production company. … Arrakis' Pauly Walnuts hosts Kenneth Masters, Reef the Lost Cauze, Fel Sweetenberg and Flip from Electric City at The Khyber, May 28. … J.C. Dobbs vets know how to get there: Billy Taz and John Graf (of Angus Kahn), A.C. Slade and Steve Haley (Trashlight Vision) and Jay Medley, Frank DeHaven and Bobby Shame (Supernaturalbirthmachine) rip into the Pontiac May 29. Not enough Dobbs? Bartender Tommy "T" Teofilak has new digs in Trainer, Pa. (at Rick's Tavern), and Essington, Pa. (the Lounge at the Airport Ramada). And a bird tells me Taz and Graf's ex-partner in Mama Volume, Bayen Butler, is planning a live return in June. … Cashman & Associates and 914 Pictures host the premiere of the Paul Green documentary, Rock School, June 18, at the L.A. Film Festival. C&A will then throw the mega-post-party at Shelter in West Hollywood with Spin. Jack Black is not invited. … Rock's treacliest scribe, Nick Hornby, dropped a syrupy piece about Marah into May 21's New York Times, rhapsodizing juicily over the Bros. Bielanko's live ardor and the hopeful success of their new 20,000 Streets Under the Sky. Marah's CD is cute and solid, but Hornby's pissing me off with his slobbering tome. Nick'll need those kneepads now.

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