Dan Gross: Care to square-off with Joey Buttafuoco?
WANNA TAKE a shot at Joey Buttafuoco? The auto mechanic, who found infamy in 1992 when his underage girlfriend Amy Fisher shot his wife, Mary Jo Buttafuoco, in the face, is seeking a challenger to fight in the Celebrity Boxing Federation's CBF 13 Nov. 20 at the Philadelphia Airport Ramada. Buttafuoco, who did four months in jail on a statutory rape conviction over his affair with 16-year-old Fisher, has dabbled in boxing before. In 2002, he defeated wrestler Joanie "Chyna" Laurer in Fox's "Celebrity Boxing."
Interested candidates can e-mail celebrityboxing@gmail.com to be considered for the CBF 13 Buttafuoco bout. Before that is CBF 12 Oct. 10 at the Marple Sports Arena, which is headlined by Marvin Hagler, Jr. against actor Billy Link. Tickets for the CBF bouts are available by calling 800-677-8499 or online at ticketlynx.com.
Meanwhile, CBF promoter Damon Feldman can be seen on today's episode of Judge Jeanine Pirro (Noon, CW Philly 57). He's defending a suit from George "Tailor Made" Weisgerber, of VH1's "I Love New York" and "I Love Money."
Out and about
* Comedian Jeffrey Ross stopped for a Scotch at Ray's Happy Birthday Bar (Passyunk & Federal) Thursday night after a sandwich at Pat's King of Steaks. Earlier Ross read from his new book, "I Only Roast the Ones I Love: Busting Balls without Burning Bridges," at the Free Library Central Branch.
* U.S. Sen. Bob Casey caught the Eagles game from Section 138 at Lincoln Financial Field where he sat with Anastasia and Michael Karloutsos, owners of the Water Works Restaurant and Lounge, and their family.
* Reese Witherspoon went for banana cream pie at Jones (7th & Chestnut) the other day while shooting the annoyingly-untitled James L. Brooks film at Union Trust (717 Chestnut). The actress was intrigued by and asked her server about the mural behind the bar, which is a rendering of 1950 Miss America finalists.
* Eagles quarterback Michael Vick sat at a window table at Rouge (205 S. 18th) Saturday afternoon where he had an eggwhite omelet.
* Jerry Springer stopped for chili Saturday afternoon at Locust Rendezvous (1415 Locust), just down the street from the Academy of Music where he starred as Billy Flynn in "Chicago" last week. The talk-host took pictures with fans.
* Mayor Nutter and former NFL great Emmitt Smith dined the other night at DelFrisco's (15th & Chestnut).
Birds on the radio
Sheldon Brown and Quintin Mikell host "Outside the Huddle," from 6 to 8 tonight and every Monday night from Kaminski's Sports Bar (1424 Brace) in Cherry Hill. They'll talk about the games and sign autographs.
Defensive lineman Trevor Laws will talk football and more on 102.9 WMGK with host Ray Koob from 7 to 8 tonight and each Monday when Koob broadcasts his entire 7 to midnight show from Chickie's & Pete's (183 Route 130) in Bordentown, N.J. Laws will stick around Chickie's until 8:30 meeting fans and playing Nintendo Wii.
Brent Celek, Victor Abiamiri and Alex Smith dropped by the Trump Taj Mahal last Monday afternoon where ESPN 97.3's Mike Gill and Pete Thompson broadcast from the Ego Bar and Lounge weekly from 2 to 7 p.m.
Family matters
Although her second child is due momentarily, Karen Hepp, formerly of NBC 10, is scheduled to emcee the Philadelphia Leadership Awards gala tomorrow at Bryn Mawr College. Good thing she'll be near the Birth Center where she and husband Brian Sullivan, who lives in Wynnewood, plan the delivery of their second son. In March 2007, Hepp, who is now an anchor/reporter at Fox5 in New York, went into labor with her son Quinn on an Amtrak train where Sen. Chris Dodd, of Connecticut, helped her steady her breathing.
Among honorees at the Philadelphia Leadership Awards are State Sen. Connie Williams; Lynn Yeakel, director of Drexel's Institute of Women's Health; and the Honorable Ann Butchart. The event is sponsored by Women's eNews, a nonprofit online news service covering women's issues.
* Celebrity wedding planner Donnie Brown will sign his new book, "Donnie Brown Weddings: From Couture to Cake," from noon to 2 Wednesday at the David's Bridal at the Metroplex in Plymouth Meeting. Brown's clients have included LeAnn Rimes. Speaking of David's Bridal, Lisa Cipriotti, a buyer for the Conshohocken-based company, was just engaged to David DiBello, of Chartis Insurance. Cipriotti, a Broomall native and Merion Mercy and University of Delaware graduate, and DiBello, a Haverford High and Temple grad, plan to wed July 31.
Short stuff
Congrats to Colby "Colb" Tyner, who is off to Cleveland where he's been hired as program director of Radio One urban programming stations WENZ and WEAK. He last was PD at 100.3 the Beat, and he also formerly worked on Power 99.
* Army corporal and human resources consultant Kevin McAleese will be seen on today's episode of "Deal or No Deal" (Noon, NBC10) along with host Howie Mandel. Even though it's already taped, we wish Kevin luck.
* To celebrate the start of the fifth season of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation has put together a tour itinerary of local sights that have been seen on the show. The GPTMC has previously done as much for "Rocky" and the books of Jennifer Weiner. You can see the "Sunny" itinerary at GPTMC.com/sunny.
Visit PhillyGossip.com for Dan's latest updates or follow PhillyGossip on Twitter. Have a tip? Call 215-854-5963, or e-mail grossd@phillynews.com. For recent columns, visit go.philly.com/dangross.
