Ad spotlights local sports stars

Look for Bruins legend Bobby Orr to join Sox players Josh Beckett, David Ortiz, Jonathan Papelbon, and Curt Schilling in a new 30-second commercial for Reebok about hometown heroes that will air tonight during the World Series. Former New Kid Donnie Wahlberg narrates the ad, which also includes Patriots hotshots Laurence Maroney and Ben Watson, and BC legend Doug Flutie. Speaking of Wahlberg, he and brother Bob were supposed to be guests of Reebok at Fenway for Game 2. While Bob made it, flight delays from LA kept Donnie from heading to the park. . . . In other Wahlberg news, actor Ryan Gosling says that he's being replaced by Mark Wahlberg in "The Lovely Bones" because Wahlberg's a better fit for director Peter Jackson's adaptation of the 2002 Alice Sebold bestseller. It's not because Gosling recently gained 20 pounds or that he's "too difficult" to work with. "I think people are making it a far more interesting story that is actually is," Gosling tells Parade.com. "Peter and I tried to make it work and ultimately it just didn't. I think the film is much better off with Mark Wahlberg in that role."

Hard to believe, but publishing one's own book can lead to commercial success. Case in point is Brunonia Barry of Salem, who just landed a seven-figure contract for two books - one she earlier published herself, the other as yet unwritten. The first novel, which Barry self-published last month, is "The Lace Reader." It got such strong advance reviews, and strong enthusiasm from local booksellers and book groups, that William Morrow, part of the Rupert Murdoch/HarperCollins empire, grabbed the book and Barry's next one, reportedly for more than $2 million. "The Lace Reader," in which a group of women can read the future in the patterns of lace, will be published in the fall of 2008. You can still order the self-published version on Amazon.com, but, according to a Morrow spokeswoman, not for long. Who knows - if the book becomes a zillion-seller, the self-published copies might become collector's items.

Human rights activist Gloria White-Hammond was surprised to get a call from a Philadelphia-based law firm saying she was the first recipient of the Duane Morris Leadership Award and its $25,000 cash prize. A pediatrician and ordained minister, White-Hammond was honored at a soiree at the Museum of Fine Arts Koch Gallery on Thursday by Duane Morris chairman Sheldon Bonovtiz and others, including Martin Shulkin, managing partner of the firm's Boston office. On hand for the celebration were some of the Sudanese women White-Hammond has helped through My Sister's Keeper, a nonprofit she cofounded.

When "Today" show correspondent Amy Robach needed a Boston tour guide she called on "ER" star Maura Tierney , who skipped the usual haunts and visited spots like Sullivan's hot dog stand at Castle Island instead. The segment, which airs tomorrow, also follows Tierney, a Hyde Park native, to Newbury Comics, where the actress spent a lot of time and money as a kid. As for her quick trip home, Tierney told us: "It's great to have a chance to work and visit family."

Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer has been named honorary chairman of the Boston Music Awards. "Aerosmith plays all over the world, but it all starts and comes back here to Boston for me," Kramer said in a statement.

"According to Jim" star Jim Belushi is being sued by the father of his former driver, who accuses Belushi of selling a used 2001 Land Rover that needed $6,000 in repairs. Rhode Island resident Ted Lewandowski worked as Belushi's driver when the star was filming "Underdog" in Providence. Lewandowski told Belushi about wanting to buy a car for his 78-year-old father, and the actor referred Ted to eBay, where his SUV was for sale, said Steve Vander-Pyl, a Pawtucket-based private investigator working for the Lewandowskis. An LA small claims court found in February that Belushi did not owe Ted Lewandowski any money. Since then, Lewandowski's father has pursued his claims in Rhode Island. "We even went to the 'Underdog' premiere to serve Mr. Belushi the papers for this case," said Vander-Pyl.

Emmy- and Tony-winning actress Jane Alexander was at Boston University the other night with her husband, writer-director Edwin Sherin, to talk about their careers and the donation of their archives to BU's Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center.

Grandmaster Flash, the first rapper inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, was at Berklee College of Music this week to present a master class on his "quick-mix theory," which uses the turntable as an instrument. "So many people don't know that this is the actual pillar that hip-hop sits on. . . . I'm always interested to tell that story to college kids." Flash, whose real name is Joseph "Biggie Grand" Saddler, had only one regret about his visit to Boston - that the Sox are playing in the World Series. "Don't talk to me about it," says Flash, a Yankees fan. "You can smash the Sox, and they're still like that guy in the casket who's moving one finger. . . . It's like, 'It's alive!' You guys sure are resilient."

David Mehegan contributed to this column; material from AP was also used. Names can be reached at names@ globe.com or at 617-929-8253.