The Phillies first baseman and a female companion stopped by, unaware that the restaurant was closed for a wedding. Restaurant staff invited the pair inside for a drink and when owner Michael Karloutsos and family told Howard about the place cards, he happily areed to surprise the bridal party, getting a hug from the bewildered bride.

To thank Howard for being a good sport the kitchen sent him onion soup and tuna ceviche and lobster bisque for his date.

Howard was later seen backstage along with teammate Jimmy Rollins at Power 99's Powerhouse concert at the Wachovia Center headlined by Jay-Z. The hip-hop superstar dedicated his hit "99 Problems" to Michael Vick, who was also backstage.

Chio chases naked man

Wired 96.5's Chio encountered a naked man trying to gain entry into his South Jersey neighbor's car and house early Saturday after coming home from a sleep study. Chio asked the man what he was doing and he replied "I am just wasted, man. I'm with Tony."

Chio, whose real name is Tim Acosta, called Cherry Hill police but continued to keep an eye on the man who, neighbors told him, had also tried to enter their homes. Chio used the incident to remind wife, Shawn, to always lock the door, as she sometimes forgets. Shawn says that she was upset that she slept through the incident as she would have loved to have had a video clip of her husband chasing a naked man. Cherry Hill police eventually apprehended the man.

Diamond Kuts is blowin' up

Power 99's DJ Diamond Kuts, the only female mixer on local airwaves, was a big hit in Atlanta at the BET Hip Hop Awards, which air at 8 tomorrow night. Diamond Kuts, who has toured with Chris Brown and Lil' Mama, performed alongside Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj and Gucci Mane. Diamond Kuts hosts BET's late-night hip-hop video show, "The Deal," along with Memph Hitz.

Dawn already done at Fox 29

Wednesday was Fox 29 anchor Dawn Stensland's last day at the station. Her departure was announced Wednesday as coming before the end of the year, but we reported Thursday on PhillyGossip.com that station management decided that if the Phillies clinched that night, that Stensland, who anchored the 10 p.m. news and subsequent Phillies coverage, would not return. She had scheduled vacation Thursday and Friday and sure enough, the station is running promos touting tonight's debut of new anchor team of Kerri-Lee Halkett and Thomas Drayton.

Movie matters

* "The New Year Parade," by La Salle grad Tom Quinn, opens Friday at the Ritz at the Bourse and screens through Nov. 5. The family drama centers arond the Mummers parade and features the South Philadelphia String Band. There will be cast and crew Q&A's Friday and Saturday after the 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. screenings. See a trailer at thenewyearparade.com. There will be costume contests at the 7:30 and 9:30 Halloween shows, and part of the box office goes to the Save the Mummers Fund.

* Husband/wife filmmakers Ed M. Koziarski and Junko Kajino screen their directorial debut, "The First Breath of Tengan Rei," to benefit Antioch College, at 7:30 tonight at the Roxy Theatre (2023 Sansom). Suggested donation is $15. The couple met as students at Antioch.

Out and about

* Patti LaBelle looked "slim and gorgeous with fabulous sunglasses," says our spy, while dining with friends the other night at Sang Kee Asian Bistro (339 E. Lancaster), in Wynnewood.

* Cherry Hill's Casey Exton, publisher of Tattoo Review and Skin Art, among four other tattoo magazines, is still showing off his receipt from the Bellagio's Bank Bar. Exton, who was in Las Vegas for The Biggest Tattoo Show on Earth ordered an "Absolut on the rocks." His tab read $17 - $14 for the vodka and $3 for the ice.

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.