Icepack

Amorosi on the news, nightlife, gossip and bitchiness beats.

by A.D. Amorosi

You gotta be bored with Jack and Reese being the whole of Philly movie-making. Enter Spock Buckton, host of popporn.com (TLA Entertainment's sex blog) and co-director of POPPORN: The Guide to Making Fuck. The dot-com's debut two-DVD flick is the subject of a (back-to-back entendres ahead) release jam at National Mechanics July 30 and is a Philly film, even if most of it was shot in L.A. Making's opening scenes were shot under the influence of box wine in Buckton's offices at TLA and his home ("a den of fuckability") in Fishtown. "The hotel shots were shot at Delaware Ave.'s Hyatt and though no fucking happened in the room, I did whack off in the bathroom whilst pretending to take a crap." They shot hours of footage that'd offend hardcore porn addicts, so much so releasing co. Zero Tolerance asked for a tone-down. ("Porn studios with morals?" asks Buckton.) They had stars they barely acknowledged ("We didn't pay them at all"). And still it makes for one engaging "retarded" viewing, as Spock calls it. But isn't it rude to screen porn in a restaurant? "Porno should always play at restaurants," notes Buckton. "Customers'll be hot, bothered and most likely banging in their bathroom."

► One of Nat-Mech's consumers, come Aug. 3, will be Atom Goren, the wack local one-man-synth-punk band known as Atom and His Package. Goren'll be there for the tribute show based on the CD from Adam Morgan's Hartless Hind label Up End Atom: A Tribute to Atom and His Package, featuring covers by MC Chris, Zolof the Rock & Roll Destroyer, etc. Some of the proceeds benefit the American Diabetes Association. Atom'll join tribute participants Zambonis, Emotron and Math the Band for the event. "I'm TOTALLY flattered by the compilation and it's really nice there's a record release show but honestly I feel embarrassed," writes Goren. "But my parents will think it's awesome."

► Rumor: Is there an Asian-American architectural firm/builder trying to place a mixed-use building on the South Broad Street lot where the Sinatra mural's painted? Word has it they'd let Frank's mural be repainted on their wall if they get the permit. Ring-a-ding-ding.

► Not closing despite griping from nosy noise-conscious neighbors is Lee Jones' Sundae in the Piazza after-party. It is, as Jones notes, moving from the Piazza's Vino to the more-southerly Silk City after 9 p.m. Is Vino that worried about Jones (who'll celebrate his b-day there Aug. 9) yet has no problem with that yelling Tommy Up's doing about his P.Y.T. burgers being better than Stephen Starr's SquareBurgers? "We say to you, and to your legion of SRO minions wearing identical black suits and black T-shirts washed one too many times: ... We make a better burger than you and we'll prove it," goes Up's challenge. Dag, brah.

►The murder of a 22-year-old by a gang of Fishtownies at a Phillies game: Tell me you knew that you’d find someone defending their drunked-up thug homeboys at Fishtown.us.

➤ Scribe Video Center will host its 13th annual summer season of “Street Movies” with nearly 50 indie films and videos including an eSights eSounds première with the LiveArts/Fringe Fest and a master class with Sonia Sanchez where the poet aids participants in creating a performance monologue. Hit the scribe.org button for info.

➤ Jamie Joffe and Michele Seidman have joined forces to benefit Philly’s DoGooders  (“a group of local philanthropic women dedicated to helping various charitable causes throughout the region,” explains Joffe) and are throwing a $100 donation benefit bash/trunk show by 2 Dye 4. “Plus we’re waiting to confirm Bradley Cooper,” notes Jaffe. The event is Aug. 5 at 1211 Waverly Road in Gladwyne. Hang on. That’s the night Coop’s playing Yahtzee with me.

➤ Philly’s Reef the Lost Cauze’s single, “I’m a G,” is this week’s iTunes “Indie Spotlight” track. OK so it’s a dated concept for a new song, but Reef’s got fresh producers (Guns-N-Butter) and an upcoming CD (Fight Music) to show some sense.

➤ That long-planned benefit for the family of Philly punk playa/painter Christian Weber is this weekend — Aug. 1 and 2 at Tritone with a $20 donation getting a chance to see a few reunited-for-Weber participants such as Dead Milkmen and Throttle (the latter with Chuck Treece). Plus Decontrol, Blessed Muthas, Trained Attack Dogs, Haley, Flag of Democracy and Philly’s all African-American Stones’ cover act Brown Sugar join in to help set-up an educational fund for Christian’s sons. Go and give.

➤ Come Aug. 11, the second-Tuesday-of-the-month storytelling series once hosted by the folk of Sniveling Goat at Bob and Barbara’s will become the province of one Ira A — the drag-less tall-tale-teller known to most as the drag-filled “Needles Jones.”

➤ WHOWHATWHERE: I was hoping to go through ’09 without a mention of these folk but being this close-up must mean something. Kate Gosselin and three of her eight (plus security guards) were at last week’s Jonas Brothers show at the WacCenter, sound-check and all. Meanwhile that same night, da Jonases and Jordin Sparks were at TLA to hear Honor Society. And while buds-of-mine report eyeballing Jack Nicholson on an afternoon stroll in Rittenhouse Square (escorted by a gal with dark brown hair) and having a cocktail at J.D. McGillicuddy’s, his co-star Reese Witherspoon and her beau Jake Gyllenhaal made my stroll through the ItalMarket a less crowded one as fresh mozz buyers were all-a-gawking at the pair while they supped at Sabrina’s. Wreckless Eric and his lady Amy Rigby hit World Café Live for a few beers just passing through town for the WXPN’s XPoNential Fest.

➤ The Peek-A-Boo Revue all ate at Darlings’ Diner at the Piazza. As I rarely see anyone in there, THAT’s a big relief — honest. Plus, the Peek’s Count Scotchula Johnston and his gal pal-movie maker Beth Kellner might’ve lost the battle for that all-paid Star Trek wedding at The Franklin Institute as part of its Mandell Center exhibition we mentioned last week. Fuck you Sulu, Preston & Steve for poor judgment. But I hear that particular Star Fleet war might not be over. Meanwhile, if you’d rather consider more earthbound pleasures, there’s the onetime/sometime Peek-A-Boo-er Heather Henderson. And she happens to be hosting a Bikini Car Wash Aug. 1, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., at 1233 N. Front St. One assumes that she means she’ll be the one in the bikini and isn’t asking y’all to don skimpy gear so bring yer bikes and autos.

➤ I don’t normally get excited about television in the morning but Good Day Philadelphia-ex Mike Jerrick — he who left Philly for Fox national only to get his own gig, the recently canceled syndicated Morning Show with Mike and Juliet — returns to his previous home base Fox 29 this week. Hi, Mike.

➤ Phoenixville’s Rock & Roll After-School hosts its first Battle of the Bands with judges including Hooters guitarist John Lilley starting July 31. That’s the spot we told you that Rock & Roll After-School President Erin Riley was running where Lilley is a guitar instructor. One of the prizes? Time at G. Love’s Philadelphonic Studio on North 12th (rockandrollafterschool.com/battleofthebands).

➤ For more dirty talk with popporn.com, go to Critical Mass (criticalmass.blogs.citypaper.net/blogs/mu/2009/07/30/popporn-and-th…s-of-the-fleshpopporn-and-the-ways-of-the-flesh/).

 

(a_amorosi@citypaper.net)