Icepack Illustrated: Jerry Blavat, Todd Carmichael, David Lynch
Please note: This article is published as an archive copy from Philadelphia City Paper. My City Paper is not affiliated with Philadelphia City Paper. Philadelphia City Paper was an alternative weekly newspaper in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The last edition was published on October 8, 2015.
News, gossip, goings-on.
Kit Harington and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, stars of Tri-Star Pictures’ Pompeii attend a special screening at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, Jan. 27. ***HOUSE COVERAGE*** ©Scott Weiner 2014
Adam "Low Cut Connie" Weiner and Jerry Blavat on stage at the Kimmel Center.
Stephen Starr and Todd Carmichael in a scene from the upcoming Feb 4 episode of Dangerous Grounds. Photo: Nancy Glass Productions.
Eagles General Manager Jim Murray (center) at the 110th Philadelphia Sports Writers Association Dinner at the Crowne Plaza in Cherry Hill, NJ, as Tony Leodora looks on. Photo: Zack Hill/Flyers
Ike Richman, Vice President of Public Relations for Comcast-Spectacor, celebrated his (actual) 25th anniversary with the company that owns the Philadelphia Flyers by jumping into the dunk tank at the Flyers Wives Fight for Lives Carnival on Jan. 26.
Jim Carrey, actress Barbara Bach, musician Ringo Starr, director David Lynch, Marjorie Bach and musician Joe Walsh arrive at a benefit honoring Ringo Starr with the Lifetime of Peace & Love award at the El Rey Theater on Jan. 20 in L.A. ©Scott Weiner 2014
Birdy visits Radio 104.5 performance theater in Bala Cynwyd, Pa on January 28, 2014 ©Scott Weiner 2014
James Durbin visits with Nick at MIX 106.1 performance theater in Bala Cynwyd, Pa on January 27, 2014 ©Scott Weiner 2014
Rihanna arrives at the Roc Nation Pre-Grammy brunch presented by MAC Viva Glam at a private residency on January 25, 2014 in Los Angeles, California ©Scott Weiner 2014
Willow Smith, Jaden Smith arrive at the Roc Nation Pre-Grammy brunch presented by MAC Viva Glam at a private residency on January 25, 2014 in Los Angeles, California ©Scott Weiner 2014
Will.i.am and Rosie Perez attend the TRANS4M concert benefitting The i.am.angel Foundation at Avalon on January 23, 2014 in Hollywood, California ©Scott Weiner 2014
Can I just say how happy I am for Ellen Yen and Eli Kulp over at Fork, High Street on Market, and now, their partnership with David Fields at a.kitchen and a. bar. I’ve made many firsts when it came to Fork: about Kulp coming here from NYC after simply banging into him one night during one of my usual fabulous dinners at Fork, how Fork was getting a décor-and-design re-do, how they were changing Fork etc., to a high end breakfast nook (which became the now-acclaimed High Street). That’s why I’m over the moon that they’re expanding their genius into the Rittenhouse area and helping Fields take care of business with Kulp pulling triple duty executive chef duty. Cheers to all involved.
Jerry Blavat said the funniest thing when introducing Adam Weiner and the rest of Low Cut Connie when they opened the show for The Geator’s Great Voices of the ‘60s program at the Kimmel: “This is the new Jerry Blavat.” Not that the old one is going away. At the after-party event on the Kimmel’s third floor attended by Gary US Bonds, members of the Tokens, and Pierre Robert (who lost weight with a new diet and workout regimen and looks great), Blavat revealed that he secretly had open heart surgery during the Christmas holiday. “You’re the first one I’m talking about this with,” said Blavat, showing me the scars. “I’m telling my daughter tonight.” He’s a dynamo, planning his next Kimmel event for April (an all-doo wop affair) as well as doing a little recording for Low Cut Connie’s up-coming album. Weiner wouldn’t spill the beans on the name of the album or what labels were looking at it seriously (“I should know next week or so,” says Weiner), but he did tell me some of the additional guests other than Blavat on the new album: Ray’s Happy Birthday Bar owner/saxophonist Lou Capp (who was at the Kimmel with his wife), Vincent “Big Pussy” Pastore, Dean Ween and, on a tune dedicated to Lou Reed entitled “Little Queen of New Orleans” about a trans street-walker in New Orleans, “the great Merrill Garbus from Tune-Yards as well as some of Sharon Jones’ Dapettes,” says Weiner. In the immediate future, look for Low Cut Connie’s cover of “Jump into the Fire” on the Harry Nilsson tribute record out next week on the Royal Potato Family label, This Is The Town: A Tribute to Nilsson (Vol. 1).
Coffee man and adventurer Todd Carmichael debuted the second season of his Travel Channel show Dangerous Grounds the other night at Stephen Starr’s Frankford Hall. While there, Carmichael let loose info about the program’s Feb. 4 guest: none other than Starr himself, live from Buddakan. Wasn’t that a Cheap Trick album?
Remember I dropped the exclusive first on the Philly girls from VH-1’s Mob Wives’ First Blood, their new careers as singer/video vixens and when they would make their debut (Mob Wives upcoming reunion show)? Natalie Guercio’s iTunes-bound new single, “Delicious,” is out and its video with Ryan Banks, Teknartist, and Wives Philly co-star Alicia DiMichele has clips being shown throughout the internet. Lit Ultra Bar (where it was shot, in part) looks good.
The Philadelphia Horticultural Society and Philadelphia Flower Show have created an interactive hub called the Green Room in the real world as well as the virtual. Spooky, right? Well, they are looking for a host to interact with social media sorts and green thumbers in person. You can submit a video of all your related skills to facebook.com/theflowershow.
WHOWHATWHERE: How did Ike Richman, vice president of public relations for Comcast-Spectacor, celebrate his birthday and 25th anniversary with the company that owns the Philadelphia Flyers? By jumping into the dunk tank at the Flyers Wives Fight for Lives Carnival on Jan. 26. Mazel tub. Scary Spice Mel B and her film producer husband Stephen Belafonte were spied supping at Zama along the Row at Rittenhouse. Flyers owner Ed Snider gave away a Distinguished Humanitarian Award to ex-Philly Eagles GM Jim Murray at the 110th Philadelphia Sports Writers Association Dinner at the Crowne Plaza in Cherry Hill, NJ. Game of Thrones’ Kit Harrington has a brand new red wedding to attend, a premier screening of Pompeii with co-star Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, at the Franklin Institute. One-time American Idol contestant James Durbin hung tough with DJ Nick at MIX 106.1 in Bala Cynwyd, the same sleepy burg and radio building where Birdy stopped at Radio 104.5. Honorary Philadelphian David Lynch hosted Jim Carrey, Barbara Bach, her husband Ringo Starr and musician Joe Walsh at the David Lynch Foundation’s benefit honoring Starr with the Lifetime of Peace & Love award at the El Rey Theater in Los Angeles. Right around the corner, Philly rapper/actor Will Smith’s kids Willow and Jaden Smith hung out with Rihanna at the Roc Nation pre-Grammy brunch presented by MAC Viva Glam.
