Morning Jacket, Pops team up in style

As he stood on the Symphony Hall stage for the first time yesterday, My Morning Jacket's main man Jim James had one important question to ask the Boston Pops. ``Were you guys planning to wear standard attire for `Letterman'?" he wondered, looking at the orchestra's artistic planning director, Dennis Alves. Turns out that June 8 -- two weeks before the Kentucky combo partners with the Pops for a pair of shows at Symphony Hall -- My Morning Jacket, conductor Keith Lockhart, and 13 Pops players will perform on ``The Late Show With David Letterman." Actually, Alves said, the Pops were considering dressing down, emulating My Morning Jacket's gruffy, truck-stop chic. But they could be persuaded to stick with the elegant concert attire. ``Great," James said, ``because we're thinking of renting tuxedos, just to sort of class it up."

Epstein talks fund-raiser, not fiancee

Reporters whiffed yesterday when they asked Theo Epstein to talk about his engagement. (The Globe reported yesterday that the Red Sox' general manager and his maiden, Marie Whitney, had reached a long-term deal over the weekend.) Speaking at a Fenway Park press conference to announce the details of this summer's Hot Stove, Cool Music fund-raiser, Epstein wouldn't dish about Whitney. ``That's a private matter and shall remain so -- unless you're willing to make a sizable donation." He was joking, but you wouldn't know it from the look on his face. Instead, Epstein and his brother Paul were all about the bash at the ballpark July 12 and the eight great social-service agencies that it will benefit. (To date, the Hot Stove events have raised more than $1 million, including the generous donation just received from Tudor Investments director Jim Pallotta.) Aside from winning the occasional World Series, raising dough for do-good groups is ``the most satisfying part of this job," said Epstein. Tickets for the show, featuring Buffalo Tom, Kay Hanley, Juliana Hatfield, the Gentlemen, the Click Five, and a surprise special guest, go on sale today at 877-Red-Sox9. The surprise? The smart money's on Sully Erna and Godsmack.

Later in the day, Epstein entertained Pearl Jam at the park. Singer Eddie Vedder and the boys shagged fly balls, tossed the pigskin with Gabe Kapler, and chatted with Peter Gammons.

Report was off the Mark

The folks on Wingo Way have their Wahlbergs confused. It's not Donnie, but baby bro' Mark Wahlberg who bought the film rights to John ``Red" Shea's memoir about working for James ``Whitey" Bulger. And it was Mark's peeps who called Channel 56 to get a copy of Karen Marinella's recent interview with Shea. But Donnie will have dealings with Channel 56. He recently filmed a pilot called ``Runaway" and it'll air locally on Channel 56. The show -- the only new drama ordered by CW, the network created by the combination of the WB and UPN -- also stars Leslie Hope of "24" and Sarah Ramos of "American Dreams."

Ernie Boch joins 'Rescue' party

Auto magnate Ernie Boch Jr. has always had an itch to be in the spotlight, so it's not much of a surprise to hear that he made his way to the New York City set of Denis Leary's ``Rescue Me." There Boch joined WAAF radio guy Greg Hill and comic actor Lenny Clarke, who has a recurring role on the show that opens its third season Tuesday. They all attended Wednesday night's premiere party in the Big Apple. . . . Fraternal filmmakers Bobby and Peter Farrelly stopped by Game On! for a pregame bite Wednesday night. . . . Actor John Malkovich might have nine movie projects in the works, but yesterday he was busy getting a jump on his holiday weekend grocery shopping at Shaw's in Porter Square.

Patriots QB Tom Brady offered a few words of encouragement to supporters and participants of City Year at the group's gala last night on Boston Common.

Geoff Edgers of the Globe staff contributed. Names can be reached at names@globe.com or at 617-929-8253.