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Access Atlanta > Blog > Archives > 2006 > October > 16
Monday, October 16, 2006
Kathy Griffin wins raves with gossipy show
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Gays love Kathy Griffin. And they came in droves for her sold-out Friday night performances at the Ferst Center for the Arts, giving her an extended standing ovation just for arriving onstage.
Having worked crowds ranging from college campuses to American soldiers in Iraq, pop-culture dish maven Griffin happily calibrates her act for the audience — though she doesn’t always get it quite right.
“I love Atlanta. I love the fried food. I love the Yellow Jackets!” she said, referencing the Tech team since she was on campus. But some audience members booed (Dawg fans?). Then someone in the audience yelled, “We’re gay: We don’t care!”
During the late show, the star of Bravo’s Emmy-nominated reality show “My Life on the D List” spent plenty of time on subjects who have never said they’re gay — but might be. Targets included Clay Aiken (she’s a big fan), host Ryan Seacrest (she’s no fan), Tom Cruise (she loves to mock Scientology) and Star Jones’ husband Al Reynolds. (“Al is the guy who when he walks by you, you can hear finger-snapping!”)
Griffin was gleeful watching Jones’ career “demise” as “The View” matriarch Barbara Walters, with one withering look, “turned Star into a pillar of salt.”
One thing Griffin didn’t talk about much was her own unpleasant divorce, which she only mentioned in passing. Rather, she ended her 90-minute gig by dusting off an old story from 1999 about co-headlining with comic Andy Dick at a University of North Florida concert. According to her and news accounts at the time, Dick pretended to do a sex act with another man onstage, much to the chagrin of administrators and many of the students.
Overscene
Following his Friday night gig at Chastain Park Amphitheatre, singer-songwriter and former Atlantan John Mayer (who turns 29 today) came by his old haunt Smith’s Olde Bar to support his guitar player David Ryan Harris at Harris’ midnight gig. …
Mike Epps, Bruce Bruce, Arnez J and Nard were among the comics at Uptown Comedy Corner to celebrate their own, V-103 morning show co-host Wanda Smith. Also in attendance for her often X-rated birthday roast Thursday were Q of R&B group 112, JaQuitta Williams of WSB-TV, Frank Ski, Miss Sophia and Bubby Love of V-103.
Feeding the masses
Taste of Atlanta pulled up its big tent in a Lenox Square mall parking lot and relocated to the far trendier outdoor streets of Atlantic Station this year. The results were tasty indeed: perfect weather and a huge boost in attendance and funds raised for charities such as the Atlanta Community Food Bank.
For attendees midafternoon Saturday, however, this meant long lines at many of the 70-plus restaurant booths, each with samples ranging from pumpkin-themed goodies at Wolfgang Puck to chocolate soup at Sotto Sotto.
The longest waits were for any restaurant offering ribs, including Fado, Roy’s, KC Pitt BBQ and the Tahitian Noni Café. By 4 p.m., a few restaurant booths had shut down after supplies were (too) quickly consumed. The Oceanaire, out of its New England clam chowder, posted a makeshift sign: “So sorry. We’re out.”
Meanwhile, Marvin Woods, new chef at Spice, cheerfully cooked delicious shrimp hush puppies for a patient crowd. Unprepared for the onslaught, he had only brought a single cast-iron skillet.
Duluth teen is ‘Casper’
Part-time Duluth resident Devon Werkheiser, best known as Ned on the popular Nickelodeon show “Ned’s Declassified,” is playing the voice of Casper the Friendly Ghost in a new animated film, “Casper’s Scare School,” debuting this Friday on the Atlanta-based Cartoon Network.
Though Casper will interact with characters voiced by the likes of sitcom stars Jim Belushi and Bob Saget, Werkheiser said he never met them. “I did four-hour voice sessions all by myself,” the 15-year-old told Buzz. “I was kind of upset about that.”
Werkheiser, who was able to recite the entire “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” film at age 6, attended Atlanta acting school the Talent Factory while going to Medlock Elementary and River Trail Middle schools. He only spent two weeks at Northview High School because of the shooting schedule for “Ned’s,” which drew more than 17 million viewers over eight showings the week of Oct. 2.
Now home schooled and spending most of his time in Los Angeles, he’s auditioning for movies. “I love acting,” he said. “L.A. is so fast-paced, and there’s always something to do and new people to meet. It’s cool. But sometimes, I miss just sitting at home and being normal.”
‘Access’ is excelling
Publicists at “Access Hollywood” gleefully passed on news to Buzz last week that the show is doing three to four times better among women in its new time slot on WAGA-TV at 7 p.m. weekdays vs. WXIA-TV at 12:30 p.m. last season. They trotted out Spelman College grad and “Access” correspondent Shaun Robinson for a phone interview.
Robinson, who has family in Atlanta, said she loved Spelman and wishes she could visit Atlanta more often. Last time she came in 2005, she noshed at Gladys Knight’s Chicken & Waffles and Mary Mac’s Tea Room. She’s also a big fan of Whitney Houston.
“I think Whitney is on the road to recovery,” Robinson told Buzz. “She’s got friends and family supporting her.”
Celebrity birthdays
Actress Angela Lansbury is 81. Actress Suzanne Somers is 60. Guitarist Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead is 59. Actor-director Tim Robbins is 48. Bassist Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers is 44.
Contributing: Sonia Murray and news services. If you have a tip, call 404-526-5688 or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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