Mayor Kasim Reed and a number of local notables joined about 150 arts patrons Friday night for the opening of "Radcliffe Bailey: Memory as Medicine" at the High Museum of Art. Bailey's wife, the actress and author Victoria Rowell, along with actor-actress couple Boris Kodjoe and Nicole Ari Parker, NBA great Julius "Dr. J" Erving and his wife Dorys and actor and director Kenny Leon were among the dedicated fans who braved the weird weather to enjoy the event. The heavens parted not long before the evening was to start, so the events team hustled the "blue-carpet" festivities indoors. Nice work!
Buzz in our ear
Like so many other celebrities who pass through town, Kathy Griffin has sought sustenance under the bright neon lights of the Buckhead Diner. The comedian and actress, who was in town recently to film a "Drop Dead Diva" episode, has returned for more work. She tweeted a photo of herself trying to find the bottom of a Buckhead Diner milkshake glass on Monday evening. Her Twitter feed said her latest gig is a stint on a new show launching July 24.
Filming updates
The movie "Jayne Mansfield's Car," co-written and directed by Billy Bob Thornton, has headed south to LaGrange. After filming on Monday, Thornton and co-stars Robert Duvall and Kevin Bacon were seen unwinding at a popular LaGrange watering hole called Idle Hour..."The Three Stooges," which has been shooting all over metro Atlanta and beyond, was filming at Central Park in the Old Fourth Ward area on Tuesday.
Say what?
"I went on the show and went into a personality coma."
Whole Foods fishmonger and butcher Justin Balmes of Marietta, diagnosing the cause behind his short-lived run on "Food Network Star," which airs at 9 p.m. Sundays. A full interview with the candid, introspective Balmes is online at blogs.ajc.com/radio-tv-talk
Overscene
Actress Katrina Bowden, known to "30 Rock" fans as Cerie, has signed on to join the cast of "American Reunion," which is filming in Atlanta this summer. She was spotted at Spice Market Monday night dining on a salad, kumquat charred chicken and green curry veggies. Our sources told us she likes her cuke martinis without the sugar.
Celebrity birthdays
Movie producer Robert Evans is 81. Songwriter L. Russell Brown is 71. Actor Gary Busey is 67. Comedian Richard Lewis is 64. Actor-turned-politican-turned-radio personality Fred Grandy is 63. Rock musician Ian Paice (Deep Purple) is 63. Singer Don Dokken (Dokken) is 58. Rock singer Colin Hay (Men At Work) is 58. Actress Maria Conchita Alonso is 54. Actress Sharon Lawrence is 50. Actress Amanda Donohoe is 49. R&B singer Stedman Pearson (Five Star) is 47. Actress Kathleen Wilhoite is 47. Producer-writer Matthew Weiner ("Mad Men") is 46. Musician Dale Baker is 45. Actress Melora Hardin is 44. Rap DJ Shadow is 39. Country musician Todd Sansom (Marshall Dyllon) is 33. Singer Nicole Scherzinger is 33.
Contributing: news services
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