PEACH BUZZ: Reality star’s cancer claim a real crock

Future metro chamber of commerce president and “Real Housewives of Atlanta” cast member Kim Zolciak contributed more twisted wreckage to the pop culture pileup that is the Bravo reality TV show during a phone call to Q100’s “Bert Show” this week.

Zolciak was responding to the negative feedback she’s receiving following Tuesday night’s reunion show taped at the Biltmore in Midtown. The reunion interview was also part of a “Real Housewives” Thanksgiving Day marathon Thursday.

You know, the reunion show where Zolciak initially led viewers to believe her blonde style-defying hair extensions were the result of cancer treatments.

As it turns out, Zolciak never has been diagnosed with the disease but still uttered the word approximately 53 times during the Q100 interview until co-host Melissa Carter politely asked her to cease.

Zolciak declined to discuss what medical malady she was actually diagnosed with, saying, “It was a bunch of other stuff. It hurt me that America could be so judgmental!”

Zolciak says she’s had no contact with the other “Housewives” since the reunion show was taped here two weeks ago. As for producer Dallas Austin publicly distancing himself from the alleged recording artist via his Facebook and MySpace pages?

Zolciak asked: “How do I answer this one?”

“Honestly?” advised co-host Bert Weiss.

“The proof is in the pudding is all I’m going to say,” she replied.

She added her first single, “Two Hearts,” will debut early next year and that Austin had nothing to do with the recording.

Rock4Research tonight

Jeff Francoeur will headline a VIP meet-n-greet before tonight’s second annual Rock4Research bash at Wild Bill’s nightclub in Duluth.

The event benefits the Children’s Tumor Foundation and is organized by a group called the Tumornators. The organization was started by local brothers Ben and Chad Leathers to support their brother, Drew, 21.

Drew Leathers’ battle with neurofibromatosis has involved numerous surgeries and rounds of chemotherapy. He’s a student at Georgia College & State University in Milledgeville, but faces another spinal surgery this winter and may have to take a medical leave.

Francoeur and Chad Leathers were teammates at Parkview High School in Gwinnett County and have remained friends. Francoeur donated $500 to the Children’s Tumor Foundation on behalf of the Tumornators for every home run he hit in the 2007 season.

Other notables planning to attend Rock4Research include former Georgia All-American and Tampa Bay Buccaneers right tackle Matt Stinchcomb, former Atlanta Falcon Morten Andersen and Braves catcher and Parkview grad Clint Sammons.

Info: www.rock4research.com

Lopez: ‘Three more years’

We recently caught up with former Braves catcher Javy Lopez, whose home in the River Club community in Suwanee is being featured in Private Quarters this Sunday in the AJC’s Homestyle section.

So how’s Lopez’s life after baseball?

The retired star, 38, is working on a couple of business ideas, one of which is producing his own line of baseball bats. He’s an avid motorcycle rider, and he has used skulls on his bats to give them an aggressive, mean look.

Yes, he misses baseball. Lopez started playing at age 9 and went pro at 17. He officially retired in March.

“I wasn’t prepared to retire,” he says. “A lot of people think I didn’t accept playing AAA with the Braves. That’s not true. I was willing to play AAA to come back. But Bobby Cox said I’ll be a backup catcher in AAA. I wasn’t going to back up a rookie and play once a week. I haven’t played AAA in 15 years. I’m here to play everyday.

“I feel like I could still play for another three years.”

HIGH FIVE

Television

The Top Five On Demand programs for the week ending 11/23/2008, as determined by Comcast customers in metro Atlanta:

1. Beyonce, “Single Ladies” video, Music Choice

2. T-Pain, “Chopped N Skrewed” video, Music Choice

3. Lil Will, “Bust it Wide Open” video, Music Choice

4. Beyonce, “If I Were a Boy” video, Music Choice

5. “True Blood,” “To Love is to Bury” episode, HBO

Courtesy: Rentrak’s OnDemand Essentials

CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS

Motown Records founder Berry Gordy Jr. is 79. Singer Randy Newman is 65. Musician Paul Shaffer (“Late Show With David Letterman”) is 59. Actor Ed Harris is 58. Actor Judd Nelson is 49. Comedian Jon Stewart (“The Daily Show”) is 46. Rapper Chamillionaire is 29.

Contributing: Jennifer Brett, Chris Reinolds and news services