PEACH BUZZ: Fans frenzied at premiere of ‘Twilight’

As executive director of the Grammys’ Atlanta chapter, Michele Rhea Caplinger knows a little something about hyperventilating fans. But nothing prepared her for the pandemonium outside the Mann Village Theatre Monday night in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Westwood, the site of the “Twilight” premiere.

“I’ve been to nine Grammys but this was crazy!” Caplinger told Buzz via cellphone Tuesday. Thankfully, Caplinger had a couple of Atlanta bodyguards on the red carpet: Ed and Dean Roland of Collective Soul, whose song “Tremble For My Beloved” is on the “Twilight” soundtrack (currently the No. 1 album on the Billboard charts). The rocking Rolands were personally invited to the premiere by “Twilight” author Stephenie Meyer, who has also become a bit of a rock star since writing the phenomenally popular series of vampire books.

Meyer, a Collective Soul fan, originally included snippets of lyrics from “Tremble” in “Breaking Dawn,” her fourth book in the “Twilight” series.

The movie features young actors Robert Pattinson as head hunky vampire Edward and actress Kristen Stewart as beautiful heroine Bella (think “Gossip Girl” meets “Dark Shadows”). But most of the screams were reserved for Pattinson.

“He handled the frenzy as best he could,” Caplinger said. “He seems really grounded.”

“Tremble For My Beloved” receives primo placement in the film as well. Caplinger says she and the Rolands were thrilled to see the rocker used prominently in an early pivotal scene when Edward saves Bella from a near-death experience.

Caplinger says the decade-old song, originally included as the lead-off track on the Stockbridge-birthed band’s 1999 “Dosage” album, was written for Ed Roland’s now 10-year-old son Lindsey. For her part, the Grammy guru says, she had a handle on the popularity of the books and how hotly anticipated the movie is thanks to her own 14-year-old, Sarah, a major Meyer fan.

“She’s a little beside herself with me today,” Caplinger conceded with a laugh. “But I’m out here on Grammys business and Ed just called and asked if I wanted to go. I’m planning to make it up to her and her friends this weekend with a viewing party sleepover in Atlanta. But I still may have to explain why I didn’t get her an autograph!”

Recommendations for Wren?

Do you have some sage recommendations for tweaks to the 2009 Atlanta Braves roster? You may want to fire up the laptop Thursday at 3 p.m., when Braves executive vice president and general manager Frank Wren will be live on Braves.com to field questions from baseball fans. Wren, in his ninth season with the Braves, recently completed his first year as the team’s executive vice president and GM.

In order to be part of the online conversation, fans have to register in advance on either Braves.com or MLB.com. Registration is free.

A novel concept

At last week’s Atlanta Pet Rescue benefit at Park Tavern in Midtown, we were immediately intrigued by the table of guys scrutinizing jewelry under fluorescent lights in the back of the facility. Turns out it was Arnold Shapiro and Michael Nelson, the proprietors of the Marietta business Gold Fund Raising Concepts. And unlike a lot of local businesses these days, Shapiro and Nelson’s is booming.

“We’re booked straight through the holidays,” Shapiro told Buzz. Essentially, Gold Fund Raising Concepts gets invited to metro Atlanta fund-raisers and social gatherings, where attendees are invited to bring old gold to said soiree and sell it for cash (Nelson was guarding a stack of greenbacks large enough to stifle the voice-over guys for both the Saxby Chambliss and Jim Martin attack ad campaigns). Mere minutes into the fund-raiser, the company had already collected about 20 pieces in a Ziplock bag and paid out $600. According to Shapiro, Gold Fund Raising then, in turn, donates 60 percent back to the nonprofit.

“With the economy the way it is, people need cash and nonprofit contributions are also down,” he said. “When you factor in the price of gold, this is win-win for everyone.”

Recently at Zaban Park at Marcus Jewish Community Center in Dunwoody, the company cut the JCC a check for $10,000.

Said Shapiro: “We’ve been invited back!”

CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS

Actor Alan Young (“Mr. Ed”) (above) is 89. Talk show host Larry King is 75. Talk show host Dick Cavett is 72. Media mogul Ted Turner is 70. Fashion designer Calvin Klein is 66. Actress Allison Janney (“The West Wing”) is 48. Actress Meg Ryan is 47. Actress Jodie Foster is 46. Country singer Billy Currington (below) is 35.

OVERSCENE

Rapper Young Jeezy dining with a friend at Chima Brazilian Steakhouse. We’re told he enjoyed “the lighter fare, chicken, salmon, etc., and chose not to eat any red meat.” Jeezy the young also ordered a bottle of Far Niente Napa Valley wine.

Contributing: News services