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Access Atlanta > Blog > Archives > 2007 > April > 27
Friday, April 27, 2007
Thanks for a million
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Giving away $1 million is a family affair Saturday night at the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s Hope for a Cure gala, a black-tie affair at the InterContinental Hotel in Buckhead.
Jim McDonald, CEO of Scientific Atlanta, a Cisco company, along with his wife, Paula, daughter Ashley and her husband, Jeff Taylor, are giving the foundation the seven-figure donation and have been chosen to receive the Living & Giving award.
“Our family has been involved with JDRF since my daughter, Ashley, was diagnosed with the disease 16 years ago,” McDonald said. “In recent years, researchers have made significant progress in understanding the causes of the disease and have identified a few promising treatments, and possibly a cure. We believe now is the right time to accelerate research, and are pleased to help in doing so.”
Get ready to bleep
Pretty potty-mouth Sarah Silverman will host the 2007 MTV Movie Awards in June, replacing the just plain pretty Jessica Alba. The awards show airs live, ensuring the guy on the bleep button will earn his union wages.
Silverman stars in “The Sarah Silverman Program,” which returns for a second season on Comedy Central in the fall. She also hosted the Independent Spirit Awards in 2006.
High five
Top five music video downloads at iTunes:
1. “If I Can Dream,” Celine Dion & Elvis
2. “I’ll Stand by You,” Carrie Underwood
3. “Ford Music Video,” Various artists
4. “Make Me Wonder.” Maroon 5
5. “Beautiful Liar,” Beyonce & Shakira
Quote of the day
“Obviously, calling your child a pig or anything else is improper and inappropriate, and I apologize to my daughter for that.” — Short-tempered actor and father Alec Baldwin in a mea culpa broadcast Friday on “The View.”
Celebrity birthdays
Saturday: Actress-singer Ann-Margret is 66. Actor Paul Guilfoyle (“CSI”) is 58. “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno is 57. Actress Mary McDonnell is 54. Singer-bassist Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth is 54. Rapper Too Short is 41. Actress Bridget Moynahan is 36. Rapper Big Gipp of the Goodie Mob is 34. Actor Jorge Garcia (“Lost”) is 34. Actress Penelope Cruz is 33. Actress Jessica Alba (“Dark Angel”) is 26.
Sunday: Singer Carl Gardner of the Coasters is 79. Actor Keith Baxter is 74. Country singer Duane Allen of the Oak Ridge Boys is 64. Singer Tommy James is 60. Comedian Jerry Seinfeld is 53. Actor Daniel Day-Lewis is 50. Actress Michelle Pfeiffer is 49. Actress Eve Plumb (“The Brady Bunch”) is 49. Singer Carnie Wilson of Wilson Phillips is 39. Actress Uma Thurman is 37. Rapper Master P is 37. Actor Zane Carney (“Dave’s World”) is 22.
Contributing: Sonia Murray, Nick Marino 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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ATL men over 35 rank on ‘Oprah’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Leave it to Oprah Winfrey to blab about one of our little secrets. On today’s episode of “Oprah” (4 p.m. WSB-TV), Atlanta makes the list of “The Best Places to Find Men Over 35: Gayle King Reports.” Somehow we figured that Oprah’s BFF wasn’t just in town last week to chat up those Spelman gals and to dine with director Tyler Perry. Representing our area on today’s show are the following eligible bachelors: Craig Massa, 39; Jonathan Mason, 41; Matthew Allen, 37; Scott Zahler, 44; Tim Ryan, 35; all of Atlanta, and David Artman, 45, of Roswell.
Ryan, a Buckhead nursing school student and professional baker, opted to up the ante for his “Oprah” appearance. Ryan told us Thursday that he baked 101 cookies for the bachelorettes in the audience and Oprah even takes a bite of one of his confections on-air. But Ryan, (who, incidentally, used to tip us on celebrity sightings as a college kid while working at Melissa Libby and Associates) says he didn’t need the national exposure to secure dates here. “It’s a 2-to-1 ratio between men and women here,” he explained. “The women in Atlanta have got it way worse than we do.”
SIR ELTON UPDATE
Our very own knight, Elton John, has been named one of the performers for this summer’s Princess Diana tribute concert being organized by her boys Princes William and Harry. The July 1 celebration at Wembley Stadium in London will mark what would have been her 46th birthday. This August is the 10th anniversary of Diana’s death. Other performers booked for the show include Kanye West, Rod Stewart and Lily Allen, Duran Duran, Joss Stone and Pharrell Williams.
The concert will include a performance by the English National Ballet and songs by Andrew Lloyd Webber in honor of Diana’s love of dancing and theater, organizers said Thursday.
The concert will benefit charities Diana supported.
A memorial service is planned for Aug. 31. For info: www.concertfordiana.com.
Sir Elton, we hear, meanwhile, has been here working in the studio, recording a cover of the rock ‘n’ roll classic “Blueberry Hill” for an upcoming Fats Domino tribute disc. Artists from around the globe have been recruited for the benefit disc, which will raise funds to help to rebuild the New Orleans home of the rock legend and Hurricane Katrina evacuee.
WXIA’S WES SARGINSON TO RETIRE AS ANCHORMAN
Veteran WXIA-TV newsman Wes Sarginson has decided to retire from the anchor desk after more than 40 years in broadcast news. The anchor announced his retirement on-air Thursday.
Sarginson, who also anchored beside Monica Kauf-, er, Pearson, on WSB-TV from 1978 to 1984, has been at the NBC affiliate for the past decade. At the end of 2005, the award-winning evening anchor cut back his hours and the station hired Ted Hall from Knoxville to co-anchor the 11 p.m. news in his place.
Sarginson told Buzz on Thursday that although he was no longer doing the 11 o’clock anchor job, “I ended up working more hours and doing more stories. My wife was constantly on my case.” He said through the decades, he never spent enough time with his kids and wanted to do more for his two grandchildren (one more is on the way in August). “One year when I was in Atlanta, I was made ‘Father of the Year’ by one group,” he told us. “I thought it was the worst decision I ever heard. I was never home.”
Sarginson will stay on the desk until the end of May. In the coming months, viewers can anticipate Sarginson continuing his popular “Wes Side” stories featuring profiles in courage. Over the years, the anchor also devoted many hours off-camera working with the city’s many charitable nonprofits.
In his official retirement release, Sarginson praised viewers: “Every time I’ve told them about the need to save something worthwhile in our community, they have delivered. I’ve always said if we can fix a problem with money, our viewers will reach deep into their pockets and come to the rescue.”
HIGH FIVE
Top-selling albums at Criminal Records in Little Five Points and Virginia-Highland:
1. Kings of Leon, “Because of the Times”
2. Jarvis Cocker, “Jarvis”
3. Modest Mouse, “We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank”
4. Arcade Fire, “Neon Bible”
5. Amy Winehouse, “Back to Black”
— Criminal.com
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Actor Jack Klugman is 85. Announcer Casey Kasem is 75. Singer Cuba Gooding of the Main Ingredient is 63. Soul singer Ann Peebles is 60. Singer Kate Pierson of the B-52’s is 59. Guitarist Ace Frehley (Kiss) is 56. Singer-guitarist Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy is 23.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“My first bypass was actually the ‘Tonight Show.’ We’re just a couple of heart patients here. This isn’t a talk show, it’s a recovery room.”
— “Live With Regis & Kelly” guest and fellow heart bypass surgery survivor David Letterman (above) Thursday, welcoming Reege back to work six weeks after his life-saving procedure.
‘IDOL’ RAISES FUNDS
Through a combination of corporate and private donations, the special “Idol Gives Back” show Wednesday night raised more than $60 million, Fox announced Thursday.
The money will go to various charities to address poverty in the United States and Africa. How it will be specifically disseminated was not disclosed but at least one Atlanta charity will benefit: SafeHouse Outreach, which provides services to homeless people.
Contributing: Rodney Ho, Nick Marino 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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