PEACH BUZZ: Turner gives take on TBS, risks, his book

Ted Turner didn’t go so far as to suggest Wednesday night that his former namesake company would be better off if he were still running it.

He just let a lot of people listening to him think that way.

“I never embezzled money from anybody, and I didn’t sell Senate seats,” Turner joked about his early “troublemaker” years during a book tour stop at the Jimmy Carter Library and Museum. Then he set his sly sights on even more recent events. “I never lost … like Turner Broadcasting just did to David McDavid.”

The CNN founder’s spirited appearance came one day after a jury awarded Texas businessman McDavid $281 million in his breach of contract suit over ownership of the Hawks and Thrashers, and a month after Turner’s autobiography was published. “Call Me Ted” will move up from No. 15 to No. 11 on the next New York Times best-sellers list —- much to the author’s chagrin.

“Eleventh —- that doesn’t win in baseball,” Turner said to the appreciative chuckles of the capacity crowd of 450 that already had heard him lament his early, lonely years as Atlanta Braves owner. “My family wouldn’t come [to games] with me anymore. They said, ‘Dad, you get a contender and we’ll come.’ I sat there by myself for four years. Me and 200 fans.”

Billed as a Q&A conducted by ex-CNN’er and current Carter Library Director of Public Affairs Tony Clark, the event was actually way heavier on the A’ing than the Q’ing. For instance, when Clark gamely tried to get Turner —- who won the 1977 America’s Cup as skipper of the yacht Courageous —- to discuss the potential dangers of sailing windy seas, he was cut off.

“Life’s a gamble and you’re not going to get out of it alive,” yelped Turner, whose Atlanta home a few blocks from the CNN Center took a direct hit in last March’s downtown tornado.

“Look at downtown Atlanta, for God’s sake. I had eight windows blown out of my apartment! Who would ever think that would ever happen on Luckie Street downtown?”

Usher: $20,000 gift

It pays to have a city full of celebrities. Wednesday morning, V-103’s Frank Ski and Wanda Smith rang Usher for some help with their annual Christmas Wish List promotion, and the singer responded with a $20,000 check. “You can always rely on me, no question,” he told the duo. “Atlanta has always supported me and it’s unspoken for me to help.”

Shortly afterward, Mayor Shirley Franklin was on the air for her monthly V-103 visit and applauded the five-time Grammy winner for his efforts —- calling him a great ambassador for Atlanta. “It really shows Usher’s compassion and makes me so proud of him. Atlanta is a great place because of people like Usher.”

Each year the morning show has people write in 2,000 words or less why someone they know of deserves to have a wish granted. The deadline to submit an entry is 5 p.m. Dec. 17 at www.v103webmag.com.

Money for Georgia Shakespeare

Georgia Shakespeare is getting the largest programming grant in its 23-year history: $536,802 from the Atlanta-based Goizueta Foundation. The money will be used to fund a new four-member educational group, the Will Power Ensemble, that can tour the Southeast year-round and play venues from elementary schools to colleges. Richard Garner, producing artistic director of Georgia Shakespeare, says the support is well-timed. Given the economic downturn, Garner says the theater is looking at a 20 percent cut in next year’s budget. The grant will allow it to increase its outreach efforts and keep $75,000 as a “safety net.”

This week, the Atlanta Opera said it will receive a $1.5 million grant from the Goizueta Foundation. The philanthropy was established in 1992 by Roberto C. Goizueta, who ran the Coca-Cola Co. from the early 1980s until his death in 1997.

Singer awaits contest results

Cobb County’s Kurt Thomas is one of two finalists to win Country Music Television’s “Music City Madness” contest. The cable network taped Thomas in August at the Cobb Galleria performing his original song “Follow Your Lead,” and he’s survived a series of bracket-style competitions to get to the finals.

“It’s going to be a surprise” whatever happens, he told Buzz. If he wins, he gets a special on CMT and mentoring from Randy Travis. The announcement will be made today on CMT. Thomas, 33, also won a “Next Big Star” contest in July. In the meantime, he’s keeping his day job —- being a stay-at-home dad —- and his night job, playing at the Old Vinings Inn on Wednesdays and Thursdays. You can vote for Thomas at www.cmt.com/interact/music_city_madness.

CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS

Actress Rita Moreno is 77. Singer David Gates of Bread is 68. Actress Donna Mills (“Knots Landing”) is 66. Singer Brenda Lee is 64. Actress Lynda Day George is 64. Actress Teri Garr is 60. Actress Bess Armstrong is 55. Singer Jermaine Jackson is 54. Actor Gary Dourdan (“C.S.I.”) is 42. Actress-comedian Mo’Nique (“The Parkers”) is 40. Rapper-actor Mos Def is 35. Actor Rider Strong (“Boy Meets World”) is 29.

CELEBRITY DOCKET

Tyler Perry has won in a Texas lawsuit brought by a woman who said he stole her material for his hit movie and play “Diary of a Mad Black Woman.” Jurors in the east Texas town of Marshall found Donna West did not present evidence that supported her claim of copyright infringement. In the lawsuit, filed in 2007, West argued that Perry used material from her play “Fantasy of a Black Woman.” Perry, who testified during the trial, insisted that his screenplay is an original work. The 2005 film made about $50 million. Attorneys for West said they plan to seek a new trial.

WHERE WE RANK

Eyelids feeling a bit heavy? It may not be the quality of prose in Buzz. Then again, it might. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just released a study that says 16 percent of Georgians —- nearly one in 6 of us —- have persistent problems staying awake during the day. Not only that, but 35 percent of Georgians wake up in the morning feeling unrefreshed.

Contributing: Wendell Brock, Richard Eldredge, Sonia Murray, Jill Vejnoska and news services

Got a tip for Peach Buzz? 404-526-2749 or buzz@ajc.com