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Access Atlanta > Blog > Archives > 2009 > March > 04 > Entry
Comic ruins TV chance for charity
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Keith Sanders, the national director of corporate development for the downtown Atlanta-based charity Stand up for Kids, was psyched last summer to hear that a celebrity on Donald Trump’s “Celebrity Apprentice” had latched on to his volunteer group, which helps homeless and street kids.
Unfortunately for him, that celebrity was washed-up comic Andrew “Dice” Clay.
Sanders watched with dismay as Clay was eliminated on the first show Sunday before 8.8 million viewers. Clay was his usual absurd self, complaining about a lack of bagels while waiting, refusing to make cupcakes because it wasn’t cool enough for him, then talking his way out of the game in front of Trump. (Former Georgia Bulldog hero Herschel Walker and TLC member Tionne “T Boz” Watkins of Atlanta survived.)
“Andrew ‘Dice’ Clay,” Sanders told Buzz on Tuesday, “was just being Andrew ‘Dice’ Clay. He makes no apologies for it.”
But it also meant his charity group didn’t get any mention at all on the NBC show.
Still, Sanders hopes his group will get some recognition since it’s referenced on the show’s Web site. If you’re interested in contributing or helping the group, go to www.standupforkids.org.
MOSE ALLISON’S JAZZ WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY
When jazz and blues legend Mose Allison settles in at the piano Wednesday onight at Blind Willie’s, Atlanta bassist Neal Starkey, as usual, will be behind the stand-up bass. Starkey tells Buzz his association with the 81-year-old William Faulkner of Jazz dates to 1962 in Schenectady, N.Y.
“I was about 21 and real green behind the ears,” Starkey recalled Tuesday, laughing. “Mose handed out these books of his tunes, and there were only four or eight bars in there for each tune. A lot of what he wanted wasn’t written down. During the gig, suddenly, I realized the chords that I was playing weren’t matching up with what he was playing. I was scared to death! I looked over at the piano and saw Mose peering above the keyboard with a Cheshire grin.”
All these decades later, Starkey (at right) is less nervous because Allison’s other sage sidemen through the years have provided some valuable crib sheets. And those songs, featuring Allison’s trademark irony and wit-laced lyrics, may be the perfect tonic for these treacherous times, including his classics “Your Mind Is on Vacation,” “Ever Since the World Ended,” “The Gettin’ Paid Waltz,” “Stop This World” and “Gettin’ There.”
“His tunes are just a lot of fun to play,” Starkey said. “Mose is the only person I know who can transform a happy tune like ‘You Are My Sunshine’ into a ballad!”
Don’t let his age fool you — the hipster singer-pianist has his own MySpace and Facebook pages to keep fans updated on his latest gigs and news. His entire Blue Note catalog recently hit iTunes as well.
Doors open at 7 tonight and Thursday at Blind Willie’s, 808 N. Highland Ave. For more information, call 404-873-2583.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Atlanta fashionista Teresa Hebert had quite the eclectic guest list at the birthday party thrown for her Monday night at the W hotel in Buckhead. First, “Elvis” turned up to serenade the birthday girl. Then, the wife of former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Bobby Hebert was greeted by former Falcons Brian Kozlowski and Brian Finneran and their wives Ellen Kozlowski and Erin Finneran, plus Sandee Bartkowski, the wife of former Falcons quarterback Steve Bartkowski.
Former Atlanta Hawks player Jon Koncak and Atlanta Domino’s Pizza exec Mike Orcutt also joined the party as did one notable late arrival: the aforementioned former UGA football legend Walker.
Guests sipped champagne and nibbled on a Barbie birthday cake.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Singer Bobby Womack is 65. Bassist Chris Squire of Yes is 61. Actor-singer Ronn Moss of Player (“The Bold and the Beautiful”) is 57. Actress Catherine O’Hara is 55. Actress Patricia Heaton (below) is 51. Actor Steven Weber (“Brothers & Sisters”) is 48. Country singer Jason Sellers is 38. Actress Andrea Bowen (“Desperate Housewives”) is 19.
OVERSCENE
Sir Elton John and friends dining at Spice Market in Midtown, sampling the chicken skewers with lime dipping sauce, vegetables in green curry, pork vindaloo, Thai jewels and the Vietnamese coffee Ice cream.
Contributing: Rodney Ho 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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