Baby plans reportedly interest Affleck, Garner
BABY TALK Britney Spears is pregnant and husband Kevin Federline couldn't be happier. Reports say Demi Moore wants to have a baby with beau Ashton Kutcher. And now Star magazine reports that Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner might be anxious to join the new-parents club. ''As far as Ben's concerned, Jennifer can't get pregnant soon enough," a source Star describes as being ''close to the actor" told the magazine. ''He's 100 percent sure he's found the person he wants to spend the rest of his life with." Last week, reports that Affleck had proposed to Garner after throwing her a surprise 33d birthday party on April 16 dominated the media. Star reported that guests at the party were told by Affleck and Garner that a wedding date would follow the announcement of their baby plans. ''They said they want kids soon, and it was only right for them to let both families know their intentions," the Star source is quoted as saying. ''There's serious talk of just going off and getting married somewhere exotic without anyone from either family there."
'OUR FATHERS' IN TOWN Actor Christopher Plummer, who plays Cardinal Bernard Law in the Showtime movie ''Our Fathers" about the Catholic Church sexual abuse crisis, will be in Boston on Tuesday. Plummer will be joined by author David France for a screening of the film at Parris in the Faneuil Hall Marketplace. The film will be followed by a question-and-answer session with local abuse survivors and their advocates, including Olan Horne and Bernie McDaid from the Survivors of Joe Birmingham, William Gately from Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, and Jim Post from Voice of the Faithful. The film will air May 21 on Showtime.
GETTING REVVED UP Former Chrysler chairman Lee Iacocca was an intense student of the Museum of Fine Arts exhibition ''Speed, Style, and Beauty: Cars From the Ralph Lauren Collection" yesterday afternoon. Touring with his daughter Kate Iacocca Hentz, the former auto exec wore headphones as he inspected the cars collected by Ralph Lauren that are now on display until July. Iacocca is in town to raise money for his diabetes awareness charity, JoinLeeNow, which daughter Kate runs. JoinLeeNow has already raised $2 million toward its $11 million goal to fund clinical trials and diabetes research at Massachusetts General Hospital. . . . After viewing the exhibition, the Iacoccas had lunch at the MFA's Bravo.
TWO SCHEMES FOR PONZI Boston-based production company Robbins Entertainment has purchased the movie rights to Mitchell Zuckoff's latest book ''Ponzi's Scheme: The True Story of a Financial Legend." Terms of the deal, negotiated by Richard Abate and Ron Bernstein at International Creative Management, were not disclosed. Zuckoff is a professor at Boston University and a former Boston Globe reporter. His book will be adapted by novelist Mark Leyner. . . . Another film project about 1920s scam artist Charles Ponzi is being developed by Two Rams Entertainment, based in Natick.
ARTS FUNDING The Institute of Contemporary Art, rising on the waterfront, announces more good news today: A $1.5 million gift from John Hancock to support programs for teens in its new building. ''We are deeply grateful to John Hancock for its generosity, its commitment to young people in Boston, and its vision of a vibrant waterfront," said ICA director Jill Medvedow.
HAPPY UNDER FIRE Celeb chefs Todd English and Ming Tsai were joined by food author Michael Ruhlman at a premiere party in New York City for the PBS show English and Tsai host, ''Cooking Under Fire." The party, held at English's Olives eatery in the W Hotel, was attended by Boston foodies, chef Ken Oringer of Clio and Tosca's Ed Kane, and a host of New York food types, including Daniel Boulud of the NYC hotspot Daniel. ''Cooking Under Fire" airs tonight on PBS.
Geoff Edgers of the Globe staff contributed. Names can be reached at names@globe.com or at 617-929-8253.
