Gossip should have no friends

[September 3rd, 2008]

FEEDING JOHN MALKOVICH: The quirky star of the upcoming Coen Brothers comedy Burn After Reading, John Malkovich, popped up at the new Pearl District hotspot 50 Plates last Tuesday. “ He came in for coffee,” said chef Randal St. Clair. “It was a total surprise.” St. Clair thought that would be the last they’d see of the actor. So it was a bit of a shock when Malkovich rolled in with his family come suppertime, when he dined on shrimp and grits and St. Clair’s stellar barbecue short ribs. “He was quiet and gentlemanly,” says St. Clair. “We made sure no one bothered him.” It’s rumored Malkovich may be in town for a film project...

HIGH CHAIR: Transgender Portland woman Laura Calvo, had a front-row seat to history last week at the Democratic National Convention. Last Thursday, Calvo, a convention delegate, checked her email spam and found what she thought was a bulk email from the Obama campaign. Instead it was an invitation to be seated with the Obama and Biden families as Barack gave his acceptance speech in Invesco Stadium. After what the former policeman called an “awesome” security check, Calvo was led into the inner circle where she sat near newsies including the Today Show’s Ann Curry and Fox-TV’s Chris Wallace. “We weren’t surrounded by big money donors,” says Calvo. “Besides the Obama and Biden families, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Majority Leader Harry Reid, it was all my friends who work for grass-root causes across the country.”

MARRYIN’ MAYOR: Last Sunday, Mayor-elect Sam Adams officiated the wedding of former Travel Portland head honcho Joe D’Alessandro and his partner David Jones in San Francisco. Adams actually married a straight couple, his friends Evan Pilchik and Dana Mackin, on April 6 after they bought him a Universal Life Church minister’s license. Adams and his boyfriend, Oregonian scribe Peter Zuckerman, jetted to the city by the bay just in time for D’Alessandro and Jones’ big day. What did he charge for joining two men in matrimony? Adams replied: “I do this stuff for free.”

OUT ON THE TOWNE: The first LocalCut “Karaoke FutureStar Explosion” at the Towne Lounge last Sunday lived up to its awkward and epic name. Local musicians like Nick Jaina and Alan Singley made appearances, as did Spoon’s Britt Daniel (though we failed to persuade him to sing). But then club owner Angelo Puccinelli dropped the bombshell that Towne Lounge will likely close its doors after Halloween. The venue has failed to turn a consistent profit, and Puccinelli says he can’t see a way to keep it going on his own. He is looking for locals who’d be interested in picking things up where he leaves off. WW/LocalCut hosts two MusicfestNW local showcases at the Lounge this Friday and Saturday. See musicfestnw.com for details.

CHEESED: In last week’s review of Belly Timber (“Two Drink Minimum,” Aug. 27) we commended David Siegel’s “fluffy cheese pierogi.” The traditional pierogi in fact contained no cheese. We regret the error, and still endorse the dumplings.