Boys like fans
It's hard to believe, but only a few years ago Martin Johnson and his bandmates were huddled in an attic apartment in Taunton eating Cup-a-Soups. How times have changed. Yesterday, the Bay State-bred band known as Boys Like Girls were at Showcase Live in Foxborough, doing a meet-and-greet with a few of the 600,000 or so fans who bought the band's debut album. "It's a chance for us to show the people who've been with us from the beginning how much we appreciate them," said Johnson, who grew up in Andover. (Bassist Bryan Donahue is from Wrentham, drummer John Keefe is from Mansfield, and guitarist Paul DiGiovanni is from Leominster.) The band also premiered its new DVD yesterday. Called "Read Between the Lines," it features 45 minutes of concert footage and a lot of backstage scenes. Said Johnson: "It's so important to us that we have real fans that'll be there 'til the end . . . We did a bunch of tours in a van and a bunch of shows in front of 15 people, so this is special."
Homeboy Ben Affleck (above) hosted "Saturday Night Live" this weekend, and the highlight was his impression of pompous Keith Olbermann. Affleck did a decent job capturing the "Countdown" anchor's smug, self-satisfied tone while blustering on about nothing. But the best was the way the Cambridge-bred actor swiveled in his chair to catch up with each camera transition. Good night and good luck.
Brandeis film buff Alice Kelikian continues to attract talented types to campus. Tonight, veteran actor Richard Jenkins will be in Waltham to screen his film, "The Visitor," and next week Melissa Leo pays a visit to Brandeis to show her buzzed-about new film, "Frozen River." Kelikian, chairwoman of the school's film studies program, hosts Mark Ruffalo on Nov. 15. The actor will screen and talk about "What Doesn't Kill You," the South Boston-based drama that was well received at the Toronto International Film Festival. All of the screenings will be at the Edie and Lew Wasserman Cinematheque at Brandeis.
Onetime Talking Head David Byrne used his time wisely while in town to play at the Wang. Brian Eno's art-loving co-conspirator lingered at LaMontagne Gallery checking out the Cristina Toro and Steven Walls exhibition, and paid a visit to the ICA to eyeball the work of artist Tara Donovan. . . . Sox slugger David Ortiz stopped into The Estate in the Back Bay over the weekend. . . . Bulls assistant coach Del Harris dined at the Park Square Legal Sea Foods. . . . Medford's own Laurel McGoff, who appeared in the TV show "Kid Nation," not only sang the national anthem at the Bruins game the other night, but she got to meet goalie Tim Thomas.
A Belushi-inspired benefit
A crowd of comedians, including Tony V, Mike Prior, and Jack Lynch, honored the memory of dearly departed "SNL" star John Belushi at a benefit Saturday for Right Turn, the Arlington-based recovery center for artists and performers. Belushi's widow, Judy Belushi-Pisano, was expected to attend the fund-raiser at the Regent Theatre, but canceled at the last minute. . . . Bravo to BSO conductor James Levine, who is among the first recipients of an NEA Opera Honor. Levine was to receive the award with fellow honorees Leontyne Price, Carlisle Floyd, and Richard Gaddes in D.C. Friday, but we're told the baton-twirler took ill and RSVP'd his regrets. The award is the nation's highest honor in opera.
Kids will be kids
New Kids on the Block are older, but maybe not more mature. Word from the road is that Donnie Wahlberg and Danny Wood have installed a stripper pole in their tour bus. A rep for the band confirmed to the New York Post that the Carmen Electra stripper pole was given to the dynamic duo, complete with instructions, as a gift from their publicists. Unlike their bandmates, Wahlberg and Wood are single at the moment.
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