Dan Gross: John Bolaris moving to Long Island, N.Y.

JOHN BOLARIS HAS GIVEN UP on Philadelphia. Or at least on finding a job here. The former Fox 29 meteorologist is moving at the end of September to Long Island, N.Y., where he owns a vacation home.

"I've exhausted all avenues. I still have some hope, though it's dim, that I can be here," said Bolaris, who hoped to work in town as his daughter Reina Sofia, 8, lives here with mom, Tiffany McElroy, former NBC 10 anchor.

"I'm not going to continue paying a mortgage in New York and paying rent here," said Bolaris, who is working with producers of a potential reality show about a group of TV weatherpeople.

The show is from the producers of Bravo's "Million Dollar Listing." Casting agents for the show did not return our inquiry Wednesday about the program or whether it would feature Bolaris.

Bolaris' girlfriend of more than a year, Erica Smitheman, is not moving with him, but Bolaris says the pair are very much still together and that Smitheman will bring his daughter up to see him on weekends when he doesn't come back to town.

Bolaris is still scheduled to testify Oct. 9 in federal court in Miami against a group of people arrested and charged with scamming tourists in Miami nightclubs.

Bolaris was drugged by two women who ran up $43K in charges on his American Express card while the weatherman vacationed in South Beach in 2010.

Madonna spent Monday at the Wells Fargo Center rehearsing for her concert there Tuesday night. It was the first show of her North American tour. Many fans were upset that she didn't take the stage Tuesday until close to 10:30 despite an 8 p.m. ticket time. But she apologized for the delay well into the set and said she just wanted to make sure the show was perfect for her fans.

Bradley Cooper was surprised to see Howard Eskin at Fox 29 when the Rydal-raised actor stopped by "Good Day" Tuesday to promote "The Words."

Cooper told Eskin, who starts on air as sports anchor at Fox 29 Sept. 4, that he grew up listening to his WIP radio show.

Watch our video interview with Cooper and lifelong friends Lee Sternthal and Brian Klugman, who co-wrote/co-directed "The Words," at PhillyGossip.com.

So much for that Temple of the Dog reunion some people were hoping for at Sunday's Budweiser Made in America concert.

Pearl Jam is still headlining, but Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell's website posted Tuesday that he is canceling his set due to "a scheduling conflict."

Cornell revealed Monday that he will perform Saturday at a huge campaign rally for President Obama in Des Moines, Iowa.

Surely Cornell could play both locations on different days, what with planes, trains and automobiles to transport him from Iowa to Philadelphia. A source close to Cornell denies the Obama gig caused his Made in America cancellation and also says Cornell's camp told event organizer Live Nation on Aug. 16 that he could not perform and Live Nation never announced the cancellation.

Cornell tweeted Wednesday that "Some people f----- up' and that he had "pulled out of the MIA Festival 2 weeks ago." He also posted to apologize to fans who "were not told" he canceled.

A Live Nation spokesman did not return an email asking when Cornell canceled on the festival.

Kathy Griffin debuted her new single, "I'll Say It," Sunday for the crowd at Borgata's Mixx nightclub, where the comedian partied after her sold-out show at the hotel's Event Center.

* The Ugandan Little League team received a tremendous round of applause when introduced at McFadden's at Citizens Bank Park before Tuesday's Phillies/Mets game. The players and coaches took photos and talked with Phillies fans and had dinner, followed by cake for dessert. The team had been invited to the park by Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins, and was able to take in batting practice and meet players in the clubhouse. The kids also danced with the Phillie Phanatic on the field in the fifth inning.