So others may survive

It wasn't long after Gregg Carey was voted off ''Survivor: Palau" that US newspapers were full of real-life survivors, folks who'd been left homeless by the tsunami in South Asia. ''It put my experience, my fame, in perspective," said Carey, who grew up in Ashland and lived in Boston before moving to Chicago. ''I have a soft spot for what happened over there." (Carey, you'll recall, lasted until the 12th of 14 episodes of ''Survivor: Palau," which was eventually won by fireman Tom Westman.) To the extent he has any, Carey's using his celebrity now to help those other survivors. With the aid of his CBS castmates, Carey has created the Tsunami Challenge, an effort to aid the tiny fishing village of Villachchenai. (Check out www.thetsunamichallenge.org.) ''I never asked to be on '' 'Survivor,' I was picked out at a bar," Carey said. ''But things happen for a reason."

That’s Dr. Super Bowl champ to you
Bob Kraft's better half has a new title. Myra Kraft was in Israel over the weekend, where she received an honorary doctorate of philosophy during commencement ceremonies at the University of Haifa. The wife of the Patriots' owner, and mother of four boys, was recognized for her charitable efforts on behalf of the state of Israel and all Jewish people.

Jurkowitz returns to the Phoenix
After nearly 10 years at The Boston Globe, media writer Mark Jurkowitz is heading back to the Boston Phoenix, where he worked from 1987 to 1994. Jurkowitz, who'll hold the title of senior writer and media critic, replaces Dan Kennedy, who's leaving the alternative weekly to teach journalism at Northeastern. In addition to his column in the print edition, Jurkowitz will be writing a daily online piece. . . . And Wendy Pierce, who's been flacking for Kortenhaus Communications the last few years, is taking a new position as director of marketing for Boston's Shreve, Crump & Low, as well as Schwarzschild Jewelers in Richmond, Va.

Gee, nice quilts
A line of people snaked around the block Monday for a sneak peek at the Quilts of Gee's Bend, a new exhibit opening today at the Museum of Fine Arts. In all, nearly 7,000 people showed up at the MFA's Memorial Day Open House to see quilts made by several generations of women in an isolated Alabama community and to meet 32 of the quilters. The women not only discussed their quilts but rocked the audience with some impromptu gospel singing. ''I've never seen people clapping and swaying and putting their arms around each other in a museum gallery before," said MFA spokesperson Kelly Gifford. ''That didn't happen with the [Ralph Lauren] cars."

Around town
''My Summer of Love" stars Emily Blunt and Natalie Press were at the MFA Monday for a Q&A about their movie, which opens June 17. The delightful British duo aren't well known, but that's likely to change. Blunt has a role in ABC's miniseries ''Empire," which airs this month, while Press plays an Orthodox woman who falls in love with her brother in a movie called ''Song of Songs." . . . After working out at Sports Club/LA Saturday, Bono made his way to the Four Seasons, where he enjoyed a Numi green tea with his lunch. On Friday, U2 bassist Adam Clayton was spied at Rialto in the Charles Hotel.

Sweet nothings
'He's the most amazing man in the whole world.' Twenty-six-year-old actress Katie Holmes, talking about her new 42-year-old boyfriend, Tom Cruise

Globe staff writer Linda Matchan contributed to this column. Names can be reached at names@globe.com or at 617-929-8253.