A helping of 'October Road'

When everyone's done eating tonight, Scott Rosenberg's hoping they'll turn on the TV. "I don't know if it's a genius move or not, but ABC decided to debut us on Thanksgiving," said the writer and producer of "October Road." It doesn't hurt that the show, which is loosely based on Rosenberg's post-adolescent life in Needham, airs after "Grey's Anatomy," one of the highest-rated shows on TV. The strategy worked well enough last spring that the network ordered 13 new episodes. While viewers were generally charmed by the show starring Laura Prepon, Geoff Stults, and, this season, Stacy Keibler, critics were not so impressed. "Their reaction confounded me," said Rosenberg. "As someone who's written many a [expletive] movie, I'm inured to criticism, but this show, at its worst, is like a cup of hot cocoa by the fireplace . . . I don't know anyone who's violently opposed to a cup of hot cocoa by the fireplace." (The first season is out now on DVD.) Rosenberg, who famously dated Bridget Moynahan before she dumped him for Tom Brady, says the actress is happy and her baby is, as you might expect, handsome. Asked whether he's still got a grudge against Brady, Rosenberg laughed. "Last Sunday, I was laying on the couch eating Chinese food and watching the Pats, and John Madden said he's never seen a quarterback play as well as Brady," said Rosenberg. "For me to be able to cheer that, I was shocked."

It was fitting that Brad Anderson would come back for the Brattle Theatre's big-ticket gala the other night. After all, the "Next Stop Wonderland" writer-director once worked at the Harvard Square movie house, taking tickets and selling popcorn. Anderson, who now lives in New York, didn't return empty-handed: He brought along clips from his new movie, "Transsiberian," which has local ties. Anderson initially pitched the idea for the thriller to Oscar-winning producer Michael Williams of Scout Productions. Williams liked what he heard, so he and Boston venture capitalist Todd Dagres got Anderson to write a full script. "It took off from there . . . with filming in Russia, China, and Spain," said Dagres, founder of Newbury Street's Spark Capital. "The setting is a star and the train is a star." The movie stars Ben Kingsley, Emily Mortimer, and Woody Harrelson.

Casey Affleck gets a shout-out as the breakout of the year in the December GQ, which features a smiling Bill Clinton on its cover for the mag's "Men of the Year" issue. Also on the list is New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a Medford native who is singled out for his "maverick" ways.

Former New Kid on the Block Joey McIntyre and his wife, Barrett, have a new kid. The singer, who appeared on "Dancing With the Stars" last season, welcomed a baby boy on Tuesday in LA. McIntyre's rep said the new parents are still deciding on a name. It's the first child for Joey Mac.

Former Miss Massachusetts Despina Delios and Andrea Baptiste, who was a contestant on "The Biggest Loser," are among those who will line up on the starting line this morning to run in Boston Volvo Village's annual 5K road race to benefit Best Buddies. Also slated to jog in the Turkey Day trot that dealership owner Ray Ciccolo has hosted for 10 years are state Senator Steven Tolman and state Representative Michael Moran.

Red Sox CEO Larry Lucchino and some of his front office staff paid a surprise visit the other day to Burtons Grill and they brought along the World Series trophy. The Fenway eatery has hosted a number of Sox players and management during the season including Mike Lowell, Dustin Pedroia, Mike Timlin, Curt Schilling, and Theo Epstein. We bet bringing along a World Series trophy - or two - makes getting a table rather easy.. . . Last night, Sox slugger David Ortiz took in the Celtics game.

Helping hands

Sharon Curry of the American Red Cross of Massachusetts Bay's food pantry in Roxbury got some help from Channel 7's Dylan Dreyer and Anne Allred and former Patriots player Paul Francisco - a Cathedral High alum - in handing out food to families yesterday. . . . More than $20,000 was collected at Bruce Springsteen's two concerts earlier this week for the Greater Boston Food Bank. That will translate into 43,750 meals, according to the food bank.

Things looking up for 'Sky Is Falling' animator

Boston animator David Schlafman's minute-long public service announcement on global warming has won a national contest and landed the Massachusetts College of Art alum a new Toyota hybrid SUV. "It's absolutely insane," Schlafman told us yesterday. "I'm literally walking two inches off the ground." Schlafman's spot - "The Sky Is Falling" - was picked by the public in online voting after being selected as one of 20 national finalists by a panel of celeb judges that included George Clooney, Cameron Diaz, Orlando Bloom, and Rihanna. The animation director admits the good news is still sinking in. "I entered on the last possible day," he said of his lucky run. "I can't believe it." As for the hybrid? "I don't know when I get it . . . but I need it. I was in an accident a couple of weeks ago."

Names can be reached at names@globe.com or at 617-929-8253.