Dan Gross: Fumo, Carolyn Zinni engaged
JUST DAYS before he is to be sentenced on a federal corruption conviction, former state Sen. Vince Fumo and girlfriend, Carolyn Zinni, are now engaged. As we reported first yesterday on PhillyGossip.com, Fumo, 66, proposed to Zinni, 51 - who stood by his side during his trial - over the weekend down the Shore.
The pair may wed before his sentencing on July 14, but neither Fumo nor Zinni, both married twice before, returned requests for comment.
Legal and political insiders suggest that in addition to a romantic gesture, Fumo could be trying to ensure that Zinni, who runs a dress shop in Springfield, Delaware County, will be the one to handle his business affairs while he is in federal prison. Some have speculated that a quickie wedding could allow Fumo to receive conjugal visits, but a Bureau of Federal Prisons spokeswoman said yesterday that there are no conjugal visits for inmates, spousal or otherwise.
Amber kissin' Chris Brown?
South Philly raised model Amber Rose, who sat front-row at the BET Awards with Kanye West, her on-again, off-again boyfriend, reportedly made out with singer Chris Brown at Diddy's White Party in Beverly Hills, the New York Daily News reports. Brown, of course, recently pleaded guilty to beating his ex-girlfriend Rihanna. Amber did not return a text yesterday seeking comment.
Out and about
* Filmmaker James L. Brooks and a party of 10 dined at Davio's (111 S. 17th) over the holiday weekend. Brooks just started production on an untitled romantic comedy starring Paul Rudd, Reese Witherspoon, Owen Wilson and Jack Nicholson. He picked up the check and left a good tip.
Also at Davio's over the long weekend were Phillies rookie John Mayberry Jr. with a date and Reds Micah Owings and catcher Ramon Hernandez.
* Charles Barkley, his wife, Maureen, and her father dined at Sullivan's Steakhouse (700 W. DeKalb), in King of Prussia, Sunday.
* "Real Housewife of New Jersey" Danielle Staub, who dabbled in prostitution and coke-dealing in the 1980s, picked up a Roberto Cavalli at Eleganza at the Pier Shops at Caesars over the weekend.
Boutique owner Kimberly Lucasti helped her select the designer dress, which she wore Saturday to club dusk.
* New York Mets Johan Santana, Luis Castillo, Livan Hernandez and Francisco Rodriguez dined at Bleu Martini (24 S. 2nd) late Friday night and shopped Saturday afternoon for jeans and clothes at Blue Black (611 South) while their driver Big Penny, of Transline Airport One, idled outside in an Escalade.
Speaking of the stinkin' Mets . . .
Aldan's Dan DelloBuono just revealed himself to Howard Stern's producer Gary Dell'Abate, a major Mets fan, as the guy who's been prank calling the "Wrap Up Show," which airs after the Stern show on Sirius/XM. DelloBuono has called in more than 20 times using the first name of a Phillies player and infuriating Dell'Abate aka Baba Booey by saying the Mets suck.
TV talk
Congrats to Daily News columnist Solomon Jones, who's entered into a development deal with NBC's Peacock Productions to work on a TV show based on his humor columns about family life.
Jones writes Saturdays in the Daily News and covered the same topics for Philadelphia Weekly. He also is community outreach director for U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah.
Jones says that at the moment they're planning a reality show, but it could turn into a sitcom.
The show may include his wife, LaVeta, who formerly worked in television but now stays home to care for their daughter Eve, 7, and son Solomon, 4. Jones hopes to also include his daughter Adrianne, 17 this month, from a previous relationship.
* Katie Cavuto, the West Chester native contestant on "The Next Food Network Star," was sent home on Sunday's episode.
Cavuto runs a personal chef service called Healthy Bites. *
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.
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