Levine growth malignant, but removed

By Mark Shanahan and Paysha Rhone  |  July 23, 2008

Doctors have found the growth on conductor James Levine's kidney to be malignant, according to a statement released yesterday by the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The maestro, who was hospitalized July 15 for surgery to remove a growth on his kidney, has been released from the hospital. (The BSO isn't saying what hospital.) According to yesterday's statement, Tom Levine, the conductor's brother, reported that doctors "found the growth to be malignant, but it was very small and confined to the central area of [Levine's] right kidney, which was then removed. Fortunately, because of early detection, it had not spread to the surrounding tissues, blood vessels, or lymph nodes. Doctors reported the surgery was completely curative and no further treatment is necessary." Tom Levine also stated that his brother was very relieved by the doctors' report, is in good spirits at home, and looks forward to conducting the opening events of the 2008-'09 seasons of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Metropolitan Opera.

Actors Robert Townsend, Ruby Dee, and Michael Ealy are just a few of the big names expected to host films and Q&A sessions at the 10th annual Roxbury Film Festival, which kicks off Monday. Townsend will screen his latest movie, "Of Boys and Men," while Dee will close the festival with "Steam."

When MIT architecture professor Larry Sass contemplated his proposal for the Museum of Modern Art's new prefab and sustainable house exhibit, he knew exactly what style he wanted: shotgun. "Shotgun houses are traditional slave housing," said Sass, who unveiled his home Sunday - one of five in "Home Delivery: Fabricating the Modern Dwelling," which runs until Oct. 20. "I always wanted to do something that called attention to African-Americans' contribution to architecture." The 44-year-old Harlem native is one of few - if any - African-American architects to exhibit at the museum, he said. "And I've been hanging around MOMA a long time." Sass took three students to New Orleans last August to learn about traditional shotgun houses in the Ninth Ward. From their studies, they designed a 5,000-piece plywood and plastic house (plastic on the bottom to protect from flooding and termites) buildable with rubber and metal mallets - no nails. It came together like a big puzzle, he said. The pieces were cut by a computer-controlled router and delivered to New York City, where it took three people - give or take one - 22 days to build. By next summer, Sass plans to travel back to New Orleans to build a completely functional shotgun, with lights, bathrooms, and an outer skin. "We've demonstrated that you can work this way," he said.

Courting fans for new plates
Glen "Big Baby" Davis surprised drivers at the Watertown Registry of Motor Vehicles yesterday. The Celtics forward hung out behind the welcome desk, promoting the team's new license plate, which benefits Children's Hospital Boston. (The plate will be available when 1,500 people sign up.) "He was pretty funny," said spokesman Sean Flanagan, of Davis's performance. "He was calling out numbers, like 'next!' He was running around, making photocopies." Davis, toting the NBA Championship Trophy, posed for pics with about 100 fans. Celtics President Rich Gotham and the Celtics dancers were also on hand.

Wanted: Furry green monster of indeterminate sex to high-five Sox fans at Fenway. Sound familiar? In addition to shopping for a reliable reliever, the Sox are in the market for a second Wally. Team spokeswoman Susan Goodenow told us yesterday that the new Wally will help the old Wally. "We want to make sure that we support the Wally program with Wallies," said Goodenow. "Between school and city functions, and also corporate events, we get a lot of requests for Wally." According to an MLB job posting, applicants must be available on weekdays, weeknights, weekends, and holidays - in other words, every day - and have a minimum of one year experience as a sports mascot, theme-park character, or actor. Most importantly, applicants must be able to withstand high heat and be able to lift 50 pounds.

Red Sox legends Dwight Evans, Fred Lynn, and Dennis Eckersley will raise money for the Red Sox Foundation at a dinner at Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar tomorrow night. The pricey ($250 per plate) but public feast, cooked up by Executive Chef Jason Carron, will feature four courses, fine wine, and a Q&A with the players, hosted by WRKO talker and former House speaker Tom Finneran.

World Wrestling Entertainment star, rapper, and West Newbury native John Cena is a busy guy. Sunday, he was brawling (for work) in a New York parking lot. Monday, he was shooting WWE's "Raw" at Mohegan Sun and giving an on-camera hug to dad John Cena Sr., who got stuck signing autographs. Yesterday, he stopped by to shill for the Gillette Fusion razor. Sadly, not on the wrestler's to-do list yet: resurrecting his feud with Kevin Federline, who battled Cena in a ring fight a few years back. "If he's gonna come back, we're gonna have a doughnut on a pole," Cena joked, "or a Big Mac eating contest."

Would you like wine with your Grand Marquis?
With the opening of the new Davio's at Patriot Place just a few weeks away, owner Steve DiFillippo is frantically training the restaurant's 65 employees. Yesterday, the charges were put through their paces in, of all places, Don Rodman's car dealership in Foxborough. Since DiFillippo doesn't yet have a certificate of occupancy for the restauarant, Rodman cleared the showroom of the Fords, Lincolns, and Mercuries, and set up a makeshift classroom for the servers. "We have to get them to drink the Kool-Aid," DiFillippo joked yesterday. Davio's at Patriot Place opens Aug. 1 and the next night Bruce Springsteen plays Gillette Stadium. "It's going to be crazy," said DiFillippo, who estimates he's seen the Boss more than 100 times. "We're going to find out pretty quickly if the classroom worked."

Hours after he was arrested, questioned by London police, and released, Christian Bale (inset) has denied allegations of assault made by his mother and sister. The 34-year-old star of "The Dark Knight" spent four hours at a police station, but was not charged. British media had reported that Bale's mother and sister complained he had assaulted them at the Dorchester Hotel in London on Sunday night. Representatives for Bale released a statement denying that an assault took place. Meanwhile, there are reports circulating that Bale was arrested for verbal assault. In England, there is such a thing as Class 4 and Class 5 verbal assault, with the former classified as an "an intent to cause alarm." (AP and TMZ)

Kid Rock has been sentenced to a year's probation and fined $1,000 for his role in a fight at a suburban Atlanta Waffle House last fall. The 37-year-old was also sentenced Monday to six hours of anger management counseling and 80 hours of community service. The entertainer, whose real name is Robert J. Ritchie, pleaded no contest to one count of simple battery. Four counts of battery were dropped. (AP)

Balthazar Getty, who has been photographed smooching actress Sienna Miller, has announced that he's splitting from his wife, Rosetta Getty, with whom he has four children. In a statement released Monday, the 33-year-old actor said, "In light of the fact that many pictures have surfaced in print and on the Internet which has caused myself and my family great embarrassment, I felt it necessary to at least acknowledge publicly that yes indeed my wife and I have separated." The "Brothers & Sisters" actor was recently seen with Miller, who was topless, on a boat off the Amalfi coast. (People.com)

TV's best-known movie review show has gone from hosts Siskel and Ebert to Ebert and Roeper to Roeper and guest critics - and now it's Lyons and Mankiewicz. Ben Lyons, a Hollywood reporter and film critic for "E! News" and others, and Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz will take over "At the Movies" when its new season begins in September, Disney-ABC Domestic Television said yesterday. Don't look for the syndicated program's "thumbs up-thumbs down" ratings to return. Roger Ebert shares a trademark lock on it with the widow of his late cohost, Gene Siskel. (AP)

'I am disappointed that someone I held with such high regard turns out to be such a bigot.' Bloc Party singer Kele Okereke, who claims former Sex Pistols singer John Lydon used racist language during a squabble at the Summercase Festival in Spain

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