GUESTS AT last week's Chef's Dinner to benefit the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society are still talking about chef Georges Perrier's profanity-laden rant directed toward Philadelphia magazine president David Lipson.

Perrier, at the Hyatt Regency Penn's Landing event cooking on behalf of Le Bec-Fin, approached Lipson to complain over Le Bec-Fin's ranking (46) in Philly mag's recent list of Top 50 restaurants.

Observers said they feared Perrier would have a heart attack as he cursed and screamed at Lipson, who calmly heard the fiery Frenchman out. When we reached Lipson several days later he defended Perrier, saying "Georges is very passionate. He's done a lot for Philadelphia, he put us on the culinary map.

"It was just Georges being Georges," said Lipson, who went into Le Bec-Fin for lunch with his father Herb, Philly mag chairman, the next day where they sat down with Perrier and resolved their differences.

Perrier politely declined comment when we reached him.

Meanwhile, the annual culinary event raised more than $187,000 for PAWS, according to PAWS President Dana Spain.

Out and about

Danielle Staub, the "Real Housewife of New Jersey," whose involvement with prostitution and drug dealing in the 1980s became a point of major drama on the Bravo series, chatted it up with Phillies slugger Ryan Howard at the new Dusk club at Caesars in Atlantic City Saturday night.

Rittenhouse Square-raised DJ AM, aka Adam Goldstein, is a partner in the new club and kept the crowd going while spinning the July 4 opening-night party where Shane Victorino accompanied Howard to A.C. after the Phillies pounded the Mets for the second time in a three-game weekend sweep.

* Geno's Steaks owner Joey Vento was a big hit with the crowd at Memories (Amherst & Madison) in Margate Friday night where club owner Jerry Blavat celebrated his 69th birthday. Geno's provided cheesesteaks at the Geator's party where Pat Croce popped in and where the Trampps kept the crowd dancing with "Disco Inferno" and more.

Movie matters

"The Best and the Brightest," starring Neil Patrick Harris, wraps shooting in Philadelphia this week, with a pivotal scene being filmed today and tomorrow at the Water Works restaurant and lounge in Fairmount Park.

We hear Water Works partner Anastasia Karloutsos, wife of owner Michael Karloutsos, and her sister Sophia Agorastos, also a partner in Water Works, secured roles as extras in the restaurant scene.

* The untitled James L. Brooks project is already here and quietly began production last week. The film, which stars Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd, Owen Wilson and Jack Nicholson, was formerly called "How Do You Know," which was printed on labels on boxes of equipment in a truck parked outside Macy's in Center City on Thursday.

We're told shooting will take place later this week at the Armory at Drexel.

Eskin joins Byko comedy show

610 WIP's Howard Eskin will co-host the 19th annual Stu Bykofsky's Candidates Comedy Night, a benefit for Variety, the children's charity, Aug. 19 at Finnigan's Wake (3rd & Spring Garden). Eskin is subbing for longtime co-host Rhea Hughes, of WIP, who's expecting her first child around that date. "Rhea has always brought beauty and charm to the show," jokes People Paper columnist Bykofsky. "We decided to go in a different direction with Eskin."

Six candidates perform at this year's show: Pennsylvania Supreme Court candidates Jack Panella and Joan Orie Melvin, controller candidates Alan Butkovitz and Al Schmidt and district attorney contenders R. Seth Williams and Michael Untermeyer. Tix are $60 and tables of 10 are still available and tax deductible. Checks payable to Variety can be mailed to: Variety, c/o Ellen Ganley 2nd Floor, 1520 Locust St. Phila, PA 19102. Or by phone: 215-735-0803.

Pillow talk

AroundMainLine.com publisher Sarah Lockard and longtime QVC model Monica Walker Miraglilo are hosting a pillow party at Miraglilo's Fill-a-Pillow (304 Berkeley) in Haverford from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday. Cocktails and appetizers will be served. No children or men are allowed, though guys may be outside gawking if the party to create custom pillows turns into a sexy drunken pillow fight. RSVP to RSVP@aroundmainline.

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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.