Washington and 'Great Debaters' at Harvard

Hollywood paid a visit to Harvard last night as two-time Oscar winner Denzel Washington, accompanied by his wife Pauletta, hosted a screening of his new movie "The Great Debaters," which was partially shot on the campus of the World's Greatest University. Based on a true story, the film, which has been nominated for a Golden Globe, is a feel-good flick about a debate team from all-black Wiley College that battled racism on its way to beating many of the nation's top debate teams, including Harvard's. The period piece - the movie takes place in the 1930s - is getting a lot of positive press, and Denzel, who stars and directs, is certainly doing his part to promote the picture. Last week Washington hosted a screening at Wiley College, in the tiny East Texas town of Marshall. (In the movie, Washington plays educator and poet Melvin Tolson, coach of the Wiley debate team.) "[Denzel] is a man of integrity with a strong commitment to education, and believes the film symbolizes the quest of African-Americans in the early 20th century to not only become educated but to represent themselves superbly among the best and brightest of our nation," said Dr. S. Allen Counter, director of the Harvard Foundation, sponsor of last night's event. The feeling was mutual. "We would not have been able to film here at Harvard without Dr. Counter," said Denzel, who answered questions from students and VIPs for about 30 minutes. Pauletta received an award from the foundation for her philanthropic work related to education. The film, co-starring Denzel Whitaker and Jurnee Smollett, and produced by Oprah Winfrey, comes out Christmas Day. . . . Meanwhile, another Oscar winner, Martin Scorsese, dined last night at Boston Public. "The Departed" director and a party of nine feasted on a meal prepared by chef Pino Maffeo.

Pats players Rodney Harrison, Ty Warren, and Richard Seymour played host to the 15th annual Salvation Army/New England Patriots Children's Holiday Party yesterday at Gillette Stadium. More than 200 children from Salvation Army centers throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island attended. The kids played games, got autographs, visited with Santa, and walked away with toys provided by the Patriots Charitable Foundation.

After 26 years as a pediatrician at the South End Community Health Center, Gloria White-Hammond (inset) is hanging up her stethoscope - on a daily basis, at least - so she can focus on ending the violence in Sudan's Darfur region. White-Hammond was honored last night at the Washington Street health center at a gathering that included the Boston Public Health Commission's Dr. Barbara Ferrer, Tufts Health Plan CEO Jim Roosevelt, Harvard Pilgrim poobah Charlie Baker, and the Boston Foundation's Robert Lewis Jr. Also on hand were center director Tristram Blake and Yandei Andrews, whom White-Hammond first saw as a patient when she was just 3 days old. An ordained minister, White-Hammond will continue to work with her husband, the Rev. Ray Hammond, as pastors at the Bethel AME Church in Jamaica Plain. White-Hammond will pour her considerable energy into My Sister's Keeper, a nonprofit that partners with women in Darfur to help them rebuild their communities.

Here's hoping Ray Allen brings his A game tonight. The Celts shooter is one of several NBA stars who're taking part in a food bank fund-raiser sponsored by vitaminwater. The sports drink will donate 10 meals to the Greater Boston Food Bank for every point scored by Allen and the other participating stars, including Tracy McGrady, Dwight Howard, Tony Parker, and Chauncey Billups, whose team, the Pistons, play the Celts tonight.

Dick Vitale, who's been calling college basketball games for nearly three decades, is temporarily going on the disabled list. That's because Dickie V is recuperating from throat surgery performed yesterday by surgeon-to-the-stars Dr. Steven Zeitels at Mass. General Hospital. (Zeitels's past clients include Steven Tyler, Julie Andrews, Cher, and Denyce Graves.) According to ESPN, the 68-year-old Vitale will be on the shelf at least until February but will post regularly on ESPN.com and dickvitaleonline.com.

Dozens of pink, doughnut-shaped balloons lined part of Boylston Street yesterday, marking that most coveted Back Bay treat: free parking. It was all a ploy to promote the release of "The Simpsons Movie" on DVD. And beyond picking up the tab at the parking meters, the campaign collected more than $1,000 worth of toys for Mayor Tom Menino's Toys for Tickets program, which forgives parking fines for items that can be distributed to the city's kids in need.

If you tune into WRKO-AM (680) this morning at 10 expecting to hear Todd Feinburg, you won't find him. The all-chat station has replaced Feinburg, who held the spot for three years, with Reese Hopkins (inset), who starts today. Hopkins formerly worked on Sirius Satellite Radio's "Ask the King" program and the "Star & Buc Wild Morning Show," which aired on New York's Hot 97.1. Officials said yesterday Feinburg was offered another spot at WRKO, but he declined.

Are the Miami Dolphins counting on divine intervention to beat Tom Brady and the Patriots? The Fish, who won for the first time last weekend, may have finally found the secret to success: prayer. According to a Miami TV station, a local minister said a prayer for the Dolphins before Sunday's game, and, miraculously, they beat the Baltimore Ravens. With the legacy of the unbeaten '72 Dolphins at stake, there's no doubt the team will take a knee again. So how do the Pats play defense against God? Turns out they have a higher power of their own. Team chaplain Walt Day performs a service for God-fearing Pats players before every home and away game, and this week will be no different. What's his message? Day, who also ministers to Red Sox players, didn't return our call yesterday.

Marblehead resident Neil Tejwani lost nearly 150 pounds before being bounced from last week's episode of "The Biggest Loser." But the 25-year-old chemical engineer, who topped 460 pounds, said he's most thankful for the things he's gained. "I got my life back," Tejwani told chat host Ellen DeGeneres on yesterday's show. Although the "Biggest Loser" winner was announced on NBC last night, Tejwani said that among the other things he appreciates is having his girlfriend, Stefanie, with him for the past five years, being able to fly in one seat on a plane, and rooting for his favorite team. "I'll be able to see my beloved Red Sox at Fenway Park," Tejwani said.

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