Actress Maria Bello talks twice about Haiti

ACTRESS MARIA BELLO is pulling double-duty when she's in town this week.

The Norristown-born actress, whom you can see next playing a much-hotter wife to Kevin James' "hey-didja-know-this-guy-is-fat?" character in "Grown Ups 2," will speak Thursday at the fourth-annual 95.7 WBEN-FM Woman of the Week Luncheon.

The event - hosted by Marilyn Russell, who interviews powerful ladies about town (including me!) - is part of the station's series, broadcasting Sundays at 7:30 a.m. Check it out in podcast form at ilikebenfm.com. Bello is joined by Lisa Oz, another Philadelphian making good. Oz is an author, a radio host and wife of celeb doc Mehmet Oz.

At the luncheon, Bello will discuss We Advance, an organization she co-founded that seeks to empower women in Haiti.

Although the luncheon is off-limits to those with a Y chromosome, Bello will also talk We Advance at the Great American Pub (123 Fayette St., Conshohocken) on Friday. For $50 ($80 per couple), you can hang with Bello from 7 to 10 p.m. to raise money for We Advance. There will be dinner, tunes and raffles. Buy tickets at the door.

And don't be afraid to tell her that she's too good to be a in a movie like "Grown Ups 2."

* In other charitable news, the Spruce Foundation hosts its 2013 gala Saturday at the World Cafe Live. It will issue four grants in the areas of Arts and Culture, Health and Wellness, Education, and LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning). To attend, go to ph.ly/SpruceGala2013 to purchase tickets.

Adam Leon always wanted to be a filmmaker, so when he went to the University of Pennsylvania, graduating in '03, he decided to major in . . . African-American studies? A strange decision for a white boy with dreams of making movies.

"I was disappointed with some of the classes I was taking. It wasn't challenging, not in terms of workload, but in terms of engagement," Leon told me. "But in those classes, people were much more open."

Leon's first film, "Gimme the Loot," about two New York teenage graffiti artists who want to tag the apple at Citi Field, starts its run at the Ritz at the Bourse on Friday, after getting its Philly premiere at the Philadelphia Film Festival in October.

Leon, who worked with Woody Allen after college, wanted to tell "an adventure that was set in a world where you normally see something bleaker." Although it's NYC-set, "Gimme the Loot" has many elements that could be transposed to Philadelphia, especially the city's neighborhood-based culture. "It's these neighborhoods with these really different personalities that all come together into this big city," he said.

If there's one thing Leon thinks Penn students are missing out on, it's the exploration of those neighborhoods. "Philly has a lot of personality," Leon said. "I miss it."

* In other Philly movie news, City Councilman David Oh presented a citation from Council to legendary soul singer Billy Paul at the Reelblack screening of "Am I Black Enough for You?" Council honored the "Me and Mrs. Jones" singer for his career and contributions to the city.

* "True Blood" actress Tanya Wright, a grad of Newtown's George School, teams up with the Art Sanctuary for the Philadelphia premiere of her film "Butterfly Rising," which she wrote, directed and stars in, at 6:30 p.m. April 17. R.S.V.P. to the free screening at butterflyrisingmovie.eventbrite.com.

* Get used to hearing the name Damon Erik Williams. The Philly native and Temple grad stars in the short film "Tiramisu," premiering Sunday at the Soho International Film Festival in New York. But he'll go international next month when "Tiramisu," about two hit men whose plans go awry, screens at the highly respected Cannes International Film Festival, one of the first fests to set the stage for Oscar season.

WRNB switched formats from urban adult contemporary to oldies this week, but had yet to comment on the status of their on-air talent. But Elroy Smith, program director for the newly named Old School 100.3, says Dyana Williams, Lady B and Tom Joyner will remain with the station, which will be going temporarily DJ-less for the next two months.

The Rolling Stones announced a nine-city U.S. tour, including a June 18 stop at the Wells Fargo Center. No info about tickets has been announced yet, including when tickets go on sale or how much they'll cost, but it's the Stones, so assume you'll be paying a pretty penny to watch Mick and Keith hobble around the stage.

* Local cover band Mr. Greengenes will call it quits after 20 years of service. Their final show will take place at Xfinity Live! on April 27. Tickets will go on sale soon, but check out Facebook.com/xfinitylive to vie for some before hoi polloi gets them.

On Twitter: @PhillyGossipDN