No room for Gibson
Usually, the Hub hearts Hollywood, and is happy to host all the A-list stars who come to town to shoot movies. Not so much Mel Gibson . The Aussie actor, who'll be in Boston this fall to film the cop drama "Edge of Darkness," is getting a cold shoulder from the owners of a Roslindale apartment building. Seems the couple have denied "Edge" director Martin Campbell's bid to use their Bradfield Street building during filming. Why? They're upset about an anti-Semitic comment Mel made to the police officer who arrested him for DUI near his Malibu home. "[Expletive] Jews," the Mad Max actor told officer James Mee in 2006. "Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world." The couple isn't talking about the contretemps with Mel, but their nephew Brian Keaney, who blogs at MyDedham.org, is. Keaney told us his aunt and uncle were initially excited when Hollywood came calling. "Until they found out Mel Gibson was involved," said Keaney. "The whole family's very proud of them for standing up to [Gibson]. You can't make comments like that and get away with it." The movie, which is written by "Departed" scribe William Monahan, is about a police investigator - played by Gibson - whose activist daughter is killed under mysterious circumstances. "I think the filmmakers might come to my uncle and aunt later and see if this has blown over," Keaney said. "But the answer's going to be the same."
A Grand birthday party
Celts sharpshooter Ray Allen celebrated his 33d birthday at Shrine at MGM Grand at Foxwoods Saturday. No. 20 (with his cake) was joined by his girlfriend, Shannon, and 55 of his closest friends. Guests sipped on Moet White Star, nibbled deserts prepared by Shrine pastry chef Martin Rainbacher and danced to beats of DJ Sky Nellor.
His heart's in the Commonwealth
Actor Hamish Linklater thought it was pretty cool when Lemonhead Evan Dando returned to his alma mater, the Commonwealth School, to speak to the students there. Now, Linklater would like such an invitation. "I want to eat the Sloppy Joe lunch," the Commonwealth alum said with a laugh. The costar of the CBS comedy "The New Adventures of Old Christine," on which he plays the lovable layabout brother of Julia Louis-Dreyfus's character, Linklater fondly recalls his days at the Back Bay prep. "I don't have a sad memory from my youth," he says. Linklater is in LA these days, but the Great Barrington native - his mom, Kristin, cofounded Shakespeare and Company in Lenox - is itching to get back east and tread the boards at the Huntington and the ART. "I've got to play 'Hamlet' one more time and would love to do it in Boston," Linklater says. "They never call! I'm listed."
Island vibes
Native son Willy Mason (left) was the headliner at the first Aquinnah Music Festival, which was held under mostly sunny skies Saturday on Martha's Vineyard. The eclectic fest featured psych rock act the Billionaires, singer Jemima James, rap, and a bluegrass band. Mason, by the way, is also on the bill for the Boston Pops' show on the Vineyard Aug. 10.
Her hair loss is charity's gain
Susan Cyr will go to great lengths for a good cause - like 12 inches. Cyr, the director of the Mark R. Ungerer Driving for the Cure golf tournament at the International Golf Club in Bolton, auctioned off a foot of her flowing red locks to benefit the Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Program at Dana-Farber. High bidder Jack Blais paid $1,000 per inch for the hair, and then donated the tresses to the Harvest of Hair program, which uses the locks to make wigs for patients. "I have always had really long hair. That's how people know and remember me," said Cyr. "I would definitely do it again."
Win-win situation
Believe it or not, Brockton native Pooch Hall, star of CW's "The Game," was conflicted after watching the Celtics win their 17th NBA title. "I was excited for both teams," the former Cardinal Spellman football player told us the other night at a party in West Hollywood to hype the series. Being Bay State-bred, he loves the C's but admits that Kobe Bryant "is my man." "It was like an Ali-Frazier fight." As for "The Game," Hall said he's excited to return for a third season after being on the bubble last year. "I was definitely on pins and needles," he said. Hall's also enjoying the support of celebrity athletes like NBA All-Stars Chris Paul and Rudy Gay, both of whom have approached him to say they're fans of the football comedy.
Sarah Rodman of the Globe Staff contributed. Names can be reached at names@globe.com or at 617-929-8253. 