Garner recalls hot time in Cambridge

Had Robert Brustein been watching ''Live With Regis and Kelly" yesterday, the dean of American drama would have been humored. Or horrified. There was Jennifer Garner -- who's staying at Brustein's Cambridge crib while her hubby, Ben Affleck, directs ''Gone, Baby, Gone" -- admitting that the Fire Department paid a visit to the pad recently. The actress, on the talk show circuit selling the ''Alias" series finale, said one of her culinary quirks is that she cooks, er, hot. ''Does this ever happen to you?" she said. ''You'll put a little oil in the pan . . . and the next thing you know the room is kind of smoked up?" That's what happened to Ben, Jen, and baby Violet, who started screaming when the fire alarm sounded. ''So [Ben] rips this thing out of the wall," said a giggling Garner, who then turned to the camera and apologized to Brustein on national TV. ''Sorry, people-we're-renting-the-house-from," she said. ''We did rip it out, but we'll fix it." The silly story concluded with eight Cambridge firemen carrying hatchets standing at the door. Contacted yesterday, Brustein chuckled but declined to comment. About ''Gone, Baby, Gone," by the way, Garner revealed that Morgan Freeman has joined the cast.

After 'Idol,' Brown stays in spotlight

Strangely, Ayla Brown doesn't have strong feelings about the finalists on ''American Idol." ''I really don't," said the songbird who was bounced from the show back in March. ''But I can tell you I didn't predict any of them would be in the final three." Brown, whose mom and dad are Channel 5 news reporter Gail Huff and state Senator Scott Brown, said she's been singing here and there since returning from LA. (She was at the Alley Cat Lounge last night performing as part of an ''Idol"-themed viewing party.) Bound for BC in the fall on a basketball scholarship, the high schooler said she's been writing lyrics and may release a CD soon. ''Anything's possible," she said.

Horovitz tribute lineup a family affair

This summer's tribute to Israel Horovitz is taking shape. Not only will Jill Clayburgh, Peter Boyle, and Lindsay Crouse be feting Gloucester Stage's retiring founder, but so will some of their kin. With his daughter Lucy Boyle and sister Alice Duffy, Boyle will do a reading of Arthur Miller's ''All My Sons" on July 30. (Joe Pacheco, Melinda Lopez, and Richard McElvain round out the cast.) Two days later, Clayburgh reads Wendy Wasserstein's ''The Sisters Rosensweig" with Lily Rabe, her daughter with playwright David Rabe. Also, as part of the send-off, two-time Tony winner Judith Ivey will perform a one-woman show July 24. No word on whether Horovitz's son, Adam, better known as the Beastie Boys' Ad-Rock, will be making the scene.

Just as he did in Boston, Johnny Damon's getting his groove on in the Big Apple. The Daily News reported yesterday that Damon was out partying until the wee hours the other night to celebrate the birthday of his wife, Michelle. The cute couple was at 40/40 swilling Cristal and apple martinis with the club's owner Jay-Z, the babelicious Beyonce, and teammates Derek Jeter and Bubba Crosby. So how'd Johnny do the day after staying out till 4 a.m.? He and Jeter each went 1 for 4 and the Yanks lost to the A's, 5-1. . . . Word is Steven Foster's famous sons, Ben and Jon, are investors in their father's latest Boston restaurant venture. But don't expect the boys to be hanging around Match on Mass Ave. They're way too busy. Ben's got a big role in the summer blockbuster ''X-Men: The Last Stand" as well as in Nick Cassavetes's upcoming ''Alpha Dog." Meanwhile, Jon's shooting ''Tenderness" with Russell Crowe. . . . William Petersen, who plays Gil Grissom on ''CSI," will star in the Trinity Rep's production of ''A Dublin Carol," which runs for five weeks starting in December. . . .

Patriots Benjamin Watson and Vince Wilfork joined Pats Hall of Famer Andre Tippett at the opening yesterday of Body By Brandy 4 Kidz Gym in Roxbury. . . .

''Disappearances" director Jay Craven and the film's star Christy Scott Cashman were at Tuesday's premiere at Jimmy Tingle's Off Broadway. . . .

The fresh face opposite R.D. Sahl on NECN yesterday? New anchor Beth Shelburne, who hails from Alabama.

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