The big apple shows its bite
Movie and TV projects that have taken advantage of the ''Made in NY" tax-incentive program have brought $300 million to New York City and employed 6,000 residents so far this year. According to Mayor MICHAEL BLOOMBERG's Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting, the incentives have lured business from other states, including Massachusetts, which doesn't have such enticements. Among the projects New York says it wooed is MARTIN SCORSESE'S ''The Departed," which is set in Boston and stars MATT DAMON, LEONARDO DICAPRIO, and JACK NICHOLSON. A bill in the Massachusetts House, sponsored by state Representative TOM O'BRIEN, seeks to put the state on par with others that offer such breaks. A similar bill in Rhode Island is close to approval.
On location
Speaking of movies made in Boston, Moody Street Pictures will begin preproduction of an indie film called ''Black Irish." The Waltham-based film company announced yesterday that the film, written and directed by BRAD GANN, will be shot in and around South Boston beginning next month. It stars BRENDAN GLEESON (''The Village"), MICHAEL ANGARANO (''Seabiscuit"), MELISSA LEO (''21 Grams"), TOM GUIRY (''Mystic River"), and EMILY VAN CAMP (TV's ''Everwood"). Moody Street said it is working with the Massachusetts Sports & Entertainment Commission to get the film made in the region. This film is the 12th for Moody Street producer MARK DONADIO, whose credits include locally filmed''The Legend of Lucy Keyes" and ''Made-Up."
They help make a beautiful night
U2's first show in Boston this week was preceded by a party thrown by band manager PAUL MCGUINNESS in a private suite at the FleetCenter. BONO and THE EDGE showed up to greet guests, including singer PETER WOLF, former FleetCenter chairman LARRY MOULTER, TED KENNEDY JR., WILLIAM KENNEDY SMITH, and Tudor Investment's JIM PALLOTTA. It was a memorable night for Wolf, who heard Bono dedicate ''Beautiful Day" to him from the stage. ''It was a very elegant thing to do, a sweet thing," said Wolf, who got to know U2 when it opened for the J. Geils Band during its ''Freeze Frame" tour in the early '80s . . .
After Tuesday night's show, Bono flew to Washington to have lunch with Secretary of State CONDOLEEZZA RICE. . . . Before Tuesday's show, The Edge stopped by UpStairs on the Square to have a meal prepared by chef SUSAN REGIS. . . . Among those said to be attending one of U2's final two shows at the FleetCenter are Harvard president LARRY SUMMERS, Lieutenant Governor KERRY HEALEY and husband SEAN, Aerosmith's STEVEN TYLER, AL and TIPPER GORE, and their New Jersey neighbors JON BON JOVI and his wife, DOROTHEA.
Getting their jabs in
RAY and TOM MAGLIOZZI -- a.k.a. Click and Clack, the Tappet Brothers, from NPR's ''Car Talk" -- joined ROBERT KRULWICH, the host of ''NOVA scienceNOW," in Newton to take a spin in a hydrogen-powered car for an episode airing this summer.
Mayor DAVID CICILLINE was among the hundreds of fans gathered Tuesday night at the Hi-Hat in Providence to watch local boxer PETER MANFREDO JR. lose to SERGIO MORA in the finale of TV's ''The Contender."
Talk to the hand
'You don't know anything about the movie? . . . What kinda guy are you?' An irritated Burt Reynolds, apparently slapping the face of a CBS-TV assistant producer at a New York screening of the actor's new film, ''The Longest Yard."
Steve Morse of the Globe staff contributed. Names can be reached at names@globe.com or at 617-929-8253. 
