From 98 Degrees to 'Hottest Girl'
Jeff Timmons got started Saturday on his second career: TV host. The former member of 98 Degrees was at Plymouth Memorial Hall, where he and a camera crew were taping a prospective TV show called "The Search for the World's Hottest Girl." Timmons, who's working on the show with Boston-based Dolce Vita Productions, treated the crowd to a few tunes.
Yes, yes, she'll take the dress
Actress Donna McKechnie (second from left), who's starring in the Reagle Players' current production of "No, No, Nanette," knew just where to go for wardrobe advice. McKechnie paid a visit to Yolanda's, the Waltham bridal boutique owned by Yolanda Cellucci (left), and she brought along a couple of her castmates, Mary Jane Houdina (second from right) and Waltham Mayor Jeannette McCarthy (right), who plays Pauline, the disgruntled maid, in the musical comedy. We're told McKechnie bought four dresses, all of which she plans to wear in future touring productions of the show.
The ABCs of Celtics fandom
Geez, everyone is jumping on the Boston Celtics bandwagon. No sooner did the C's win their 17th championship than Team Baby Entertainment has produced "Boston Celtics Baby: Raising Tomorrow's Celtics Fan Today," a DVD geared to the infant and preschool set. Available in stores Aug. 19 and narrated by Finals MVP Paul Pierce, the DVD's divided into four quarters, and uses Celts footage, graphics, and, of course, merchandise, to teach kids to count, spell, and recognize shapes and colors.
Going green
Ah, nothing says summer like a zucchini festival. West Stockbridge celebrated the green squash over the weekend, and "Today Show" film critic Gene Shalit was the celebrity emcee.
Act in Boston: check
The movie "The Bucket List" was bad, but the premise wasn't. At least Brett Rounsaville didn't think so. In the movie, two terminally ill characters played by Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman create a to-do list before they kick the bucket, fanciful activities like sky diving, scaling the pyramids, and going on an African safari. At 27, Rounsaville isn't dying and he doesn't have much dough, so his list is a little less interesting. It includes sleeping in a lighthouse, touring the Crayola factory, and collecting honey from a hive. "This is stuff you see other people do, and you think, 'That'd be awesome,' " said Rounsaville, who hails from California. He passed through Boston recently because No. 25 on his list was: Be in a movie. "I was an extra in 'The Surrogates' with Bruce Willis," said Rounsaville. "I was in the background in a beauty shop scene." We wanted to talk more, but Rounsaville was off to Iowa to ride a horse through a covered bridge.
Report: Tom and Gisele huddle up
Tom Brady and girlfriend Gisele Bundchen dined at Bricco in the North End the other night. The couple, who've been coming and going from Brady's Beacon Street abode in recent days, may be getting even more serious. In Touch Weekly reports that No. 12 is about to move into Bundchen's renovated West Village townhouse. Brady has his own place in New York - an $18 million condo at the Time Warner Center - but it's on the market.
Here's to Nantucket
Nantucket has been abuzz in recent days. First, former veep Al Gore and Senator John Kerry were knocking around the island raising dough for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. Then, Great Harbor Yacht Club founders Gary McCarthy and Blake Drexler hosted their Boat Barn Ball to celebrate construction of a new clubhouse. (The evening's smoking band, Soul Solution, also played at Paul McCartney and Heather Mills's wedding.) Saturday saw baton twirler Keith Lockhart lead the Pops' annual seaside show, which featured Joel Grey and a few words from CBS "Evening News" anchor Katie Couric. (Couric paid tribute to the dearly departed Tim Russert.) Finally, NPR's Cokie Roberts was front and center at the Straight Wharf Restaurant, participating in a fund-raiser for WCAI and WNAN, the public radio stations serving the Cape and the islands.
Striking a pose
In town to shoot a movie, Mel Gibson stopped by Kings Lanes to bowl a few strings over the weekend. On his best behavior, sipping a Diet Coke with lime, he told staffers it was just his second time bowling. Expect to see Mad Max out and about for the next few months. He's here - and in Northampton - filming the cop drama "Edge of Darkness" with costars Robert De Niro and Shawn Roberts. Before leaving the Back Bay bowling alley, Gibson took a few photos with employees and autographed a pin.
Names can be reached at names@globe.com or at 617-929-8253. 