Film gives Affleck food for thought

The filming of "Gone, Baby, Gone" here last year gave actor-director Ben Affleck a glimpse into how many people rely on such organizations as the Greater Boston Food Bank. "We did a lot of location scouting . . . and you knock on a lot of doors and you go into a lot of homes . . . and I saw the need," said Affleck, who worked with volunteers at the Food Bank yesterday. "What I saw sort of surprised me. I saw a lot of working poor." Affleck's visit, part of a national push by America's Second Harvest, is a prelude to Wednesday's groundbreaking for the Food Bank's new 110,000-square-foot facility behind the Roxbury center. As for whether he'll throw more than his star power behind the food bank, Affleck said, "I'm about to write a gigantic check." While in town, Ben and his wife, actress Jennifer Garner, went to the Sox game Saturday, where they sat in Sox owner John Henry 's seats. Last night, the couple was expected to catch Huntington Theatre's "Present Laughter," which stars Garner's "Alias" costar Victor Garber.

Better digs than Dix for Cianci

Former Providence mayor Vincent "Buddy" Cianci's first day of work at the luxe Beacon Hill hotel Fifteen Beacon has been delayed because officials from the Bureau of Prisons haven't signed off on his work plan. Cianci was released late last week from a federal prison in Fort Dix, N.J., where he had been since 2002, following his corruption conviction. He'll report for orientation tomorrow, and Wednesday will be his first day of working in the swank hotel's marketing department, according to George Regan, a spokesman for the Fifteen Beacon's owner, Paul Roiff. While in Boston, Cianci is staying in Coolidge House, a Huntington Avenue halfway house, where we spied him catching a smoke outside Saturday.

Former New Kid Joey McIntyre and his wife, Barrett, are expecting their first child. The 34-year-old song-and-dance man broke the news while kib itzing on his website about the couple's new house: ". . . In the meantime, I just bought a new house in LA . . . we loved the beach in Venice, but what can I say . . . that freakin' commute kills ya. Plus, it's really a dream house for us, and we are gonna need some more room . . . because MY WIFEY IS PREGNANT!!!!!!! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?!!! I can!"

Imagine the luck of Nicole Rubin, a local youngster who happened to be celebrating her bat mitzvah at the Dedham Marriott, the same hotel where most of the artists who performed at JAM'N 94.5's Summer Jam were staying. Bobby Valentino and Mims were apparently so amused by the sight of 13-year-olds dancing to Top 40 they decided to crash the party Saturday. Mims was the bigger hit. As soon as he popped in, the suburban pre-teens began dispatching text messages with the news. JAM'N reps said the artists usually demand thousands for a party appearance.

Actress Alyssa Milano made her first trip to Fenway this weekend, taking in Saturday's game and returning for last night's tilt. "It's so intimate," Milano said on WEEI sports radio before yesterday's game, "like seeing a big rock band in a small club." A big Dodgers fan, Milano designed a line of clothing with Major League Baseball and had an autograph signing at Twin Enterprises on Yawkey Way before last night's game.

Yankees skipper Joe Torre had dinner at Davio's on Saturday after the game. Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada grabbed lunch at Avila in Park Square on Friday. Yanks pitcher Luis Vizcaíno had lunch with his family on Friday at Anthony's Pier 4. . . . Ashley Papelbon, wife of Sox pitcher Jonathan Papelbon, and their bulldog, Boss, sporting a black-tie outfit, participated in a canine fashion show as part of Paws for Pride Day at the Faneuil Hall Marketplace on Saturday.

Rock shock
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has split with his wife of 10 years. The 35-year-old pro wrestler-turned-action star announced his separation from wife Dany Garcia Johnson in a statement to People magazine. "We've been fortunate enough to spend the last 17 years together as a couple and look forward to spending the rest our lives together as best friends and business partners," the statement said. "We will continue to advance and manage our business interests, our philanthropic efforts, and most importantly the raising of our child together." Garcia Johnson is the CEO of a wealth management firm. The pair have a 5-year-old daughter, Simone Alexander. (AP)

That Stephen Colbert sure is funny, and he sure has some funny ideas about books. Just ask "The Kite Runner" author Khaled Hosseini. Hosting a breakfast Saturday at BookExpo America, Colbert tangled good-naturedly with Hosseini, whose novels include "The Kite Runner" and a new best seller, "A Thousand Splendid Suns." Colbert introduced Hosseini by stating that he had not read "The Kite Runner," a million-selling novel about two Afghan boys and the tragic recent history of their country, and assumed it was a book about a boy who loves kites. "I loved yo-yos, so I can relate," Colbert said, who then referred to "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by groaning, "Great, another book about global warming." Hosseini declined to play the straight man. "You trashed 'The Kite Runner,' " Hosseini accused his host, alleging such mistreatment on "The Colbert Report," Colbert's Comedy Central satire of television punditry. "It is un-American to diss 'The Kite Runner.' " (AP)

"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" led the North American box office for a second weekend, while the pregnancy comedy "Knocked Up" opened No. 2 with better-than-expected sales. According to estimates issued yesterday, the third installment in Walt Disney Co.'s buccaneering franchise earned $43.2 million in the three days beginning Friday. Its 10-day total stands at $216.5 million. But the second Pirates film, "Dead Man's Chest" had earned $258 million after the same time last year. "Knocked Up" opened with $29.3 million, equivalent to its production budget. (REUTERS)

Meredith Goldstein of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Names can be reached at names @globe.com or at 617-929-8253.