PEACH BUZZ: Air Jordans snapped up in no time

It was balmy outside Walter’s Clothing in downtown Atlanta last week when a line of shoe-lovers formed, all waiting for a chance to buy a $230 pair of Nike Air Jordans. (It was a special shoe, the 23rd release, in their 23rd year of sales and named for Michael Jordan, the Chicago Bulls’ famous No. 23, not to be sold until, natch, Dec. 23.)

When temperatures dropped into the 20s this week, the folks at Walter’s dismissed the line, promising that if those who’d camped out came back Tuesday morning, they’d be the priority buyers.

Indeed, the shoes were gone a few minutes after the store opened at 8:30 a.m. Antonio Chaney, a store manager, said that in reality, they were gone last Tuesday when the line formed.

Out of the two dozen people in line for the 23 pairs that Walter’s had to sell, maybe one or two wanted to wear the red and black sneaker, Chaney said. Most didn’t even care about the size; they just wanted to resell them.

It’s hardly the first line that’s formed outside Walter’s for a pair of shoes —- it happens whenever there’s a limited-release sneaker. This one was special for its scarcity (only 23 stores got them); but as far as looks, it was just “OK,” Chaney said.

“Nothing like the old retros,” Chaney said. “It’s more a collector’s shoe.”

Z-Spree helps kids in two Georgias

Atlanta Hawks center Zaza Pachulia became a very tall St. Nick Monday afternoon (the guy is 6 feet, 11 inches tall, after all) for 20 children from the Mothers Raising Sons organization. The occasion: a holiday shopping “Z-Spree” at Toys “R” Us in Buckhead. We’re told that after Pachulia helped the small fry select their toys, the kids in turn assisted Pachulia in purchasing holiday gifts for children in his home country of the Republic of Georgia. We’re told that the gifts will be distributed to children who lost fathers in the nation’s recent military conflict.

After a few days off to celebrate the holidays, Pachulia and his teammates will be back at work at Philips Arena on Saturday as they take on the Chicago Bulls at 7 p.m.

A ‘Classic’ gift for TV viewers

For tonight’s Christmas Eve viewing on Turner Classic Movies, Robert Osborne personally selected two of the presents waiting to be opened, starting at 8 p.m.

During a visit to his Atlanta set recently, Osborne told us that he personally lobbied for tonight’s TCM premieres of “The Cheaters” from 1945 and 1946’s “Cluny Brown.” Of “The Cheaters,” Osborne writes in this month’s TCM program guide that he selected it because he considers it “a delightful Christmas-oriented movie almost nobody has heard of with Oscar winner Joseph Schildkraut, Billie Burke and a wonderful cast.” And while “Cluny Brown” isn’t technically a Christmas flick, Osborne says “it’s one of those warm, witty comedies perfect for the holiday with the magnetic pairing of Jennifer Jones and Charles Boyer.”

It was left to TCM programming exec Charlie Tabesh to make the movie magic happen, however.

“Christmas Eve is really Robert’s baby,” Tabesh told Buzz. “And it wasn’t too difficult to make it happen since we already had good relationships with the studios who own the films. It’s a nice way for our viewers to relax and destress.”

And Osborne also oversaw this year’s scheduled New Year’s Eve marathon of “That’s Entertainment” films as well.

“We liked those because they’re easy for people to come in and out of if they’re busy doing other things,” said Tabesh.

So how difficult was it to get Osborne to part with his traditional New Year’s Eve lineup of Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers films?

Laughing, Tabesh conceded: “Robert would probably like to see Fred and Ginger every New Year’s Eve! We just decided to change it up a little this year.”

HIGH FIVE

Music

1. Neil Young, “Sugar Mountain (live)”

2. David Byrne and Brian Eno, “Everything that Happens Will Happen Today”

3. Pavement, “Brighten the Corners (reissue)”

4. Lucinda Williams, “Little Honey”

5. Blitzen Trapper, “Furr”

CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS

Author Mary Higgins Clark is 81. Rock singer-musician Lemmy (Motorhead) is 63. Singer Mary Ramsey (10,000 Maniacs) is 45. Actor Mark Valley is 44. Singer Ricky Martin is 37. “American Idol” host and Dunwoody High grad Ryan Seacrest (below) is 34.

Contributing: Jamie Gumbrecht and news services

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