February 17-23, 2005

music

icepack

by A.D. Amorosi

What is love? Walking past a charred Joe's Pizza, trying to remember what was cheaper, a pie or the prostitutes that cruised the place? Or is love something that comes with Rufies and three nipples, like The Cos? No, real love is bold. That's the vibe I got when NBC's 10! host Lauren Hart showed me her engagement ring from La Colombe owner/adventurer Todd Carmichael. (You never hear "adventurer" anymore. Where are the Thor Heyerdahls of today?). The rock, a 3-carat diamond with sapphire side stones, is from Tiffany's. I couldn't advise a friend like Hart to marry someone after a first meeting, especially not a guy who hiked through the South Pole for an orangutan charity. "But it really was instant," says Hart, who met Carmichael in November, started dating in January and got engaged last week. "It may sound incredibly corny, but 20 minutes into our date at Striped Bass, I knew," says Carmichael, who surprised her with the ring at her Bala Cynwd home — which was not an easy task. "She knows the ending of a movie, any movie, within five minutes," he says. Hart agrees. But, "He got me. I knew it would happen. But it was so not the moment I expected." They'll hitch June 28 at Victoria Falls in Zambia, Africa, on what would've been the 74th birthday of her late pop, Flyers announcer Gene Hart. Everyone scores. Sometimes you gotta drop the snark and let the sunshine in. If something lousy happens between them, we can loosen the screws on his climbing poles. I keed. … Good weekend for Hart to get engaged, as our best bud, Nickelodeon producer Ken "he's straight" Fox returns from Los Angeles for his birthday just to watch Hart and March Playboy bare ass Deborah (aka Debbie) Gibson perform Red Hot Broadway at the Prince. (If you see Fox, ask him about his favorite Gibson performance, wink, wink.) … Speaking of 10!, something's been bothering me. Before the Wing Bowl, I ran into El Wingador with Premiere Sports reps Justin Fine and Michael Steinberg — his agents. The guy sucking wings has two fucking agents! Sports agents!? Like a delayed spinal cord injury after an accident, the nausea and hot flashes didn't set in until I heard producers of Coach Carter are looking at the Wing Bowl for feature film possibility. What fresh hell? ... Having finished mastering The Jealous Type's debut, Farewell to Open Arms, the power-pop maestros at Tommy Ciccone and Company host the first of several release parties Feb. 17 at Abilene. … After reading the Inky's report on the 23-skidooosh trend of Ping-Pong at bars — now you know why I let my RUBA membership expire — my trend-spotting leans toward the tony yet dirtier: meth. What should be for the thick-glasses dude-crew has supposedly found its way to two local restaurant honchos. Who are these rumored snuffheads? Neither's so skinny that you'd guess it. Maybe they oughtta snort more. … Another rumor: Are the state's Licensing and Inspection folk looking for "lewdness" in Philly bars? Is that why Bar Noir painted over the Dean Rosenzweig/Tony Ward/Jay Elberson XXX installation? No one in management will say. What's next? Glam's pink neon legs? Byblos' Wednesday night with bouncing belly dancers? Yoiks. … Before leaving for SxSW's "Invasion of the Gogirls," Philly's Leiana (featuring Chuck Treece) drops a single, "Dirty Car," and hits Janet Bressler's gal-bash Bressfest 2 at World Café Live Feb. 19. … After having to deal with countless Hello Dalís, my fave-o-rite comment overheard at the Dalí Gala: "What's so special about that masturbator?" in reference to Sal's The Great Masturbator of 1929. … Starting Feb. 17, Philly ex-pat spinner Cosmo hosts Philly-ites Brendan O, Britt, Schoolly and Kenny Meez at Brooklyn's Triple Crown every Thursday. Drive, punks. … Drexel fashion department honcho Emil de John tells us he's feting legendary ex-Philadelphian designer Ralph Rucci May 9, with executives from Neiman Marcus in on the fun(ds). Drexel will also celebrate wack-girl designer Betsey Johnson April 27 on campus. And fashionistas beware: Fashion Group International introduced its new regional director, Patrick Champalou of Lagos, at his LAGOS The Store. ... "We're punk rock with an angry blues edge," says Red Burns of his new band, The Snake Handlin' Preachers, starring Cream Chargers' Jay 4000 and Brendon Gallagher, that'll debut at Tritone, Feb. 18. Think Gun Club. "Bring your anti-venom." Also debuting his new band is glamorous percussionist Hoagy Wing. The Story of O features Steve Demarest and Adam Winokur and will back the lovely Julia Othmer at Tin Angel Feb. 19. … Wanna shake your ass for Trump but are too stupid to Apprentice? Trump Taj Mahal in A.C. needs a new "Lady Luck." They say they want "beauty, poise and personality." I say they want you on your knees. Hit the Pennsylvania Convention Center Feb. 22 or www.trumptajmodelsearch.com. ... Lastly, we don't know who pirated 90.5 FM on Valentine's Day with lesbian porn chat and ribald tunes. We jez know an anonymous e-mail went around claiming the "Valentines Day intervention" emanated from the "vicinity of 10th and Federal." Big kisses.