An opening fit for a billionaire

Word is billionaire Brandeis alum Robert F.X. Sillerman will return to the Waltham campus for the Jan. 29 opening of the Sillerman Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy. And why wouldn't he? Sillerman, whose CKX Inc. owns "American Idol" and Elvis Presley's Graceland, only anted up $10 million to create the center. (It's designed to partner with the country's 34,000 family foundations to help them spend their philanthropic dollars more wisely.) The last time Sillerman showed up at his alma mater in 2000 - he's class of '69 - the flamboyant businessman was hard to miss, arriving on campus by helicopter.

It's about time someone wrote a biography of "60 Minutes" star Mike Wallace. But is Peter Rader the right guy for the job? Rader's just signed a deal to write "Mike Wallace Is Here," a critical look at the Brookline native and his six-decade career. (Even at 89, Wallace is still going strong - his interview with Roger Clemens airs tomorrow.) Here's the problem: Rader's a screenwriter whose best known work is the Kevin Costner bomb "Waterworld."

We're undecided about the hirsute new looks of David Letterman and Conan O'Brien. In solidarity with the striking writers, our two favorite talk show hosts finally returned to TV this week with facial hair. To us, Letterman looks a little like NFL Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen, while O'Brien resembles Groundskeeper Willie on "The Simpsons." We decided to ask a few interested observers for their thoughts.

Dan Koppen: The Pats offensive lineman, who's sporting a big red beard himself, finds facial hair to be "warmer" and "more manly," though he admits that there's an "itchy stage" that can be annoying. Of Letterman's and O'Brien's beards, Koppen said he hopes their look leads to higher ratings. "I think people appreciate the hard work that goes into it and the dedication. I'm glad they're doing it. If they need some more tips, send them to me."

Mario Russo: The celebrated salon owner approves of Letterman's beard but not O'Brien's. "Dave looks much older because of all that gray, but I'd say it's working for him," said Russo, who's never had a beard. "If he's been growing that thing since the strike started, someone's been trimming it, because it's stylized." As for Conan's crop of red, Russo called it "comical," and not in a good way. If he's smart, Russo said, Conan will cut it off. "I certainly don't think that's going to start a trend."

Aaron Ward: The Bruins defenseman has a lot of experience with beards because NHL players always grow one during the Stanley Cup playoffs, and Ward's won three Cups. "I've played with a lot of guys who just couldn't grow one," Ward said. "But not me. I grow a heavy, nasty, Grizzly Adams bush." Ward said Letterman's salt-and-pepper look reminds him of the beard 34-year-old Scott Niedermayer sported last season. "That thing was so white, it became like a reflective issue," he said. And O'Brien's beard? "He definitely needs to lose it," said Ward. "Right now, people are too busy looking at his beard to hear what he's saying."

The new issue of Vanity Fair has a flattering photo of the leading ladies in director Diane English's $18 million remake of "The Women." The portrait appears in the mag's February issue, which hits newsstands here Tuesday. Shot around Boston last fall, "The Women" stars (from left) Jada Pinkett Smith, Annette Bening, Debra Messing, Candice Bergen, Meg Ryan, Cloris Leachman, and Eva Mendes. "Studios still think it's a fluke when a women's picture succeeds," English tells VF. "I'm going to prove them wrong - again." The film opens next fall.

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