Philly icon set to knock out Broadway

THE GREAT WHITE WAY is about to get a little more Philly.

Producers of a musical version of "Rocky" have announced that they are bringing the story of the Italian Stallion to Broadway after a run in Hamburg, Germany, where it was called "Rocky: Das Musical." They expect it to be at the Winter Garden theater by February.

Produced by Sylvester Stallone and Stage Entertainment USA, "Rocky" was written by Thomas Meehan ("The Producers," "Hairspray"), with music by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens ("Ragtime").

The Broadway version will include both the "Gonna Fly Now" theme and Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger," written for "Rocky III."

"This is not boxers doing a kickline," Bill Taylor, managing director of Stage Entertainment USA, told the Associated Press.

Is it bad that I kind of wish it was? Fingers crossed for an Apollo Creed jazz hands number!

* Jim Cramer, host of CNBC's "Mad Money," came home to roost last week when he filmed a live show at Villanova University's campus.

He likes touring colleges because it's important for young people to invest, Cramer told me. But did he put his literal money where his metaphorical mouth was when he was youngster?

Of course the Wyndmoor native did.

In 1977, Cramer won $800 in the Phillies Home Run Payoff off of a homer courtesy of Greg "The Bull" Luzinski.

"I took $800 and bought a Ford Farmount, and the rest I gave to my mutual-fund manager," Cramer said. "If you do it early, it will compound."

While the fiscal responsibility was nice, hearing his name called as the jackpot winner was even better.

"I couldn't believe when they called my name," Cramer reminisced. "It was Whitey! It was so long ago, Ashburn was new. Kalas had just started!"

* Arianna Huffington will speak at Drexel University tomorrow at 6 p.m. The Huffington Post founder will give a free talk on the future of traditional media and how social media has changed journalism. To hear the excellently-accented Huffington's views, email Jennifer Yusin (jyusin@drexel.edu) to be put on the will-call list.

* In other college-bound news, Dr. Temple Grandin and her mother Eustacia Cutler, who were famously played by Claire Danes and by Julia Ormond, respectively, in an HBO biopic, will be at La Salle University and Greentree Partnership's annual autism conference on May 2.

Eagles guard Evan Mathis and defensive end Phillip Hunt will take part in the Eagles Chess Tournament at Lincoln Financial Field tomorrow, taking on 225 participating grade- and middle-school students throughout Philly.

* In other Eagles out-and-about news, Brent Celek will open the eatery Prime Stache in Old City tomorrow. Celek has already had success with a location in Wildwood. Prime Stache replaces the 879 Lounge, the bar owned by Celek and buddy, offensive lineman Todd Herremans.

* Chef Bobby Flay was in town promoting his new book Bobby Flay's Barbecue Addiction, but I heard he was partying it up at the Swann Lounge at the Four Seasons when he was doing his book-selling thing.

* Les Claypool, leader of jam banders Primus, stopped by Square 1682 while he was in town playing a solo show at the TLA last weekend.

* Legendary gangsta rapper Schoolly D stopped by MilkBoy the Studio's Spring Thing party, looking quite fly in a seersucker blazer and bow tie.

* Comedians Jamie Denbo and Jessica Chaffin, who appear in the Melissa McCarthy-Sandra Bullock comedy "The Heat," dined at Amis and played skee-ball at Dave & Busters while they were in town.

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