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Access Atlanta > Blog > Archives > 2007 > April > 05
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Let’s hope dancers didn’t get cold feet
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The audition line outside the Fox Theatre on Thursday morning might have been dubbed, “So You Think You Can Freeze?”
Winter decided to pay a return visit just in time for the hundreds of dancers who slept overnight to audition for the hit summer Fox series “So You Think You Can Dance.” (Click here to see photos from the audition.) Some wore flip-flops and thin cotton shirts, unprepared for the biting wind. A few borrowed hotel blankets, while some purchased what warm clothing they could find at the nearby Wal-Mart.
“I can’t feel my toes or my fingers,” said Laura Ayala, 28, a dance school owner who drove 18 hours with her family from Long Island, N.Y. “I had no idea it was going to be this cold. I’m sooooo grumpy.”
The shivering Ayala had been waiting 10 hours, which was nothing compared to Vanessa Vaughn, a 30-year-old actress from Kansas City who now lives in D.C. She was first in line, arriving the day before at 10:30 a.m., nearly 24 hours before she entered the Fox for her audition.
“I didn’t know anybody here and didn’t have anything better to do,” she said, far more chipper than Ayala. Since the age limit is 30, “this is my last chance.”
While most folks we interviewed were from out of town, Buzz finally found a local in Rikki McKinney, a 24-year-old professional dancer from Midtown who works at Gotta Dance Atlanta. “Most Atlanta dancers just know hip-hop,” he said. “I can do ballet, modern jazz, anything. I’m all about versatility.”
Meeting Mei Lan
When your job description calls for interacting with Jane Fonda and Elton John, who each consistently prove polite and accommodating, it’s difficult then, when you’re dissed by a diva.
Alas, that’s been our experience over the past few months with Mei Lan, Zoo Atlanta’s baby panda rock star, who somehow prefers sleep to media attention. This week, with the help of zoo rep Susan Elliott, our luck improved greatly. Early Wednesday morning, Mei Lan was not only out when we arrived for a visit, but was engaged in a wrestling match with her mother, Lun Lun. With increasing skill (and nice sets of claws), Mei Lan also scaled tree limbs in her habitat.
Outside, when zoo members arrived promptly at 9 a.m. (with the fervor of Beatles fans in 1964, incidentally), Mei Lan demonstrated her drunken sailor style of running. Elliott tells us that this week’s Spring Break crowds are up 76 percent from 2006’s numbers. Also, Budweiser’s famed Clydesdales are back receiving visitors at the zoo through Sunday.
Bull-ish on morning
New country station 94.9 The Bull has hired a Nashville duo named Big D & Bubba to helm the morning show starting Monday.
The station’s definition of mornings is narrower than others: You’ll only hear them from 5 to 8 a.m. weekdays.
Despite being syndicated in more than 25 markets, they promise a “customized” product for Atlanta listeners, especially since this is by far their largest city. Big D (no real names for privacy reasons) told Buzz he believes most listeners want music first, personality second. Bubba, a huge Braves fan, said the pair will be in Atlanta a lot. He even married a Marietta gal.
Celebrity docket
Whitney Houston’s 14-year marriage to Bobby Brown will officially end this month, and she will get custody of their teenage daughter, a California judge has ruled.
The former Alpharetta resident dabbed her eyes with a tissue as Orange County Superior Court Judge Franz E. Miller ruled Wednesday that the divorce will become final April 24. Brown did not attend the hearing.
In court, Houston testified that she did not need spousal or child support and that the couple’s 14-year-old daughter, Bobbi Kristina, could not depend on Brown.
“He’s unreliable,” Houston told the judge. “If he says he’s going to come, sometimes he does. Usually he doesn’t.”
Houston declined to comment to reporters after the hearing.
Brown’s attorney, Ram Cogan, said he will seek to overturn the judge’s decision.
Houston filed for divorce in October, citing irreconcilable differences.
Quote of the day
“The Boondocks staff is thrilled to receive this award, despite the fact such a distinguished honor may hurt our street cred.”
— “Boondocks” creator Aaron McGruder on news that his Cartoon Network series had won a prestigious Peabody Award.
Celebrity birthdays
Country singer Merle Haggard is 70. Actor Billy Dee Williams is 70. Actor John Ratzenberger (“Cheers”) is 60. Actor Paul Rudd is 38. Actor Zach Braff (“Scrubs”) is 32.
Contributing: Rodney Ho, Sonia Murray, Jill Vejnoska and news services.
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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Fonda part of all-star cast for V-Day event
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jane Fonda will remind her adopted hometown exactly how spoiled we’ve become tonight when she takes the stage with playwright pal Eve Ensler and author Pearl Cleage in a special performance of “The Vagina Monologues” at the Tabernacle downtown.
The evening will benefit women’s rights charities, including Ensler’s worldwide V-Day campaign and Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin’s Dear John charity, which battles the sexual exploitation of children in Atlanta. Singer-songwriter Doria Roberts also will perform.
Judging from the host committee, co-chairs Laura Turner Seydel and Pat Mitchell have attracted some of the city’s most high-profile folks, including Franklin and Wendy Babchin, London Andes, Richie Arpino, Wendy Belkin, Linda K. Bryant, Merry and Chris Carlos, Tony Conway, Marilyn Krone, Randi Lane, and Ginair and George McKerrow Jr., to be in the audience tonight. It’s a safe bet that CNN founder Ted Turner will be in attendance as well.
Tickets range from $25 for students to $200 VIP tickets, available at Ticketmaster and at Charis Books and More in Little Five Points.
For more info: myspace.com/vdayatlanta.
NO STORK TO REPORT
Here’s one Usher/Tameka Foster rumor we can clear up for you — and we got it from Foster’s publicist herself. Sasha Brookner rang Buzz Central on her stylist client’s behalf to let readers know that despite rampant talk this week, Foster is not pregnant. (Usher’s publicist Simone Smalls confirmed this.) There’s no date set for their wedding, “so she hasn’t even considered things like a wedding dress and all of those details,” Brookner said. “But they are anxious to be married, and they’re happy.”
ROCKIN’ HOMECOMING
Singer-songwriter Kevin Lawson is calling his homecoming gig tonight at Vinyl “a class reunion.” The former Atlantan, who makes his home in Nashville, is in town to celebrate the release of his new album, “Nashville to Jesus” with his many local friends.
We first caught Lawson onstage at Trackside Tavern the better part of 20 years ago (we were scribbling for our elementary school gazette at the time, mind you) as part of an acoustic duo he would prefer us not to name. “I was working underage,” Lawson joked Wednesday. Back then, as part of the city’s burgeoning acoustic scene, along with the Indigo Girls and future Sugarland member Kristian Bush, Lawson never was bashful about blending his faith and his fondness for Cheap Trick. His latest recording continues that exploration.
“Elvis did it, Jerry Lee Lewis did it, and so did Johnny Cash,” Lawson rationalizes. “That’s not bad company to be in. Sure, I’m a Christian, but I’m a freakin’ rock star, too!”
Take it from us, Lawson isn’t exaggerating. Expect a who’s who of the city’s music scene (past and present) to be present when the singer takes the stage around 9. For info: kevinlawson.com.
EXECS JOIN ASO BOARD
Although the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra is struggling to raise $300 million for its concert hall in Midtown, the South’s largest performing-arts organization keeps itself in the black by wooing the latest generation of Atlanta CEOs and power brokers onto its board of directors.
The 60-member board, which rotates on three-year terms, on Wednesday announced the additions of: Gary P. Fayard, executive vice president and chief financial officer for Coca-Cola ; Willem O. Hattink Sr., a SunTrust vice president ; Jeff Mango, president of Verizon Wireless’ Georgia/Alabama region; Gorgio Medici, president of Medici Consulting and Investment; and Richard A. Walker, managing partner of Clements Walker. Mango’s involvement with the ASO extends to the naming of its new outdoor pavilion in Alpharetta: the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park, to be operated by the ASO and owned by the orchestra’s parent organization, the Woodruff Arts Center. The amphitheater is scheduled to open for summer 2008.
GLOCKSEN OUSTED
In a mild surprise, Gina Glocksen, the Naperville, Ill., rocker with the red streak in her hair and the tongue ring, became the fourth ousted “American Idol” contestant Wednesday night.
“Thank you for getting me this far,” a teary Glocksen said before singing her farewell song “Smile,” by Charlie Chaplin. The judges Tuesday actually gave her good marks. But overall, she lacked that rare “it” factor to win it all.
Haley Scarnato, the second-lowest vote getter, received much harsher critiques. The best Paula Abdul could say is “Did I mention green is a good color for you?” Chrome-domed Phil Stacey fell in the bottom three for the second week in a row but escaped elimination again. And Sanjaya Malakar makes it to the final eight. Next week’s guest is Jennifer Lopez and the theme will be Latino music.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Country singer Troy Gentry of Montgomery Gentry is 40. Singer Paula Cole is 39. Country singer Pat Green is 35. Producer-rapper Pharrell Williams is 34.
OVERSCENE
NBA legend Michael Jordan and friends dining at Bluepointe on Tuesday night. We’re told that regular Tom Tuchschmidt sent over an $800 bottle of Château Lafite Rothschild Bordeaux. Bluepointe staffers picked up premium cigars from sister restaurant Chops for the group.
Over the weekend, Jordan was spotted at the Atlanta Fish Market, snacking on Oysters Rockefeller and Alaskan king crab legs for appetizers before moving on to the restaurant’s signature batter-fried lobster tails and sushi rolls of lobster maki and shrimp tempura.
Spotted at Chops Lobster Bar: actor David Arquette and R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills.
Contributing: Sonia Murray, Pierre Ruhe and news services
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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