War of words heats up

Will the Prudential Barnes & Noble see a showdown Monday? Peeved over the Herald's Peter Gelzinis calling him "Worcester's most famous punk," Denis Leary yesterday challenged the columnist to meet him "man to man" at the book signing for "Why We Suck: A Feel Good Guide to Staying Fat, Loud, Lazy and Stupid." At issue is Leary's controversial statements about autism, and his belief that "inattentive mothers and competitive dads" exploit the diagnosis to cover up poor parenting. "I don't want to punch him in the face, obviously that's my first instinct, 'cause I'm a punk from Worcester," Leary told John Lander and Kelly Malone on Mix 98.5 yesterday. "I want to talk to him. And if you want to sell newspapers because my name is going to be on the front page, let's do it the right way." And then Leary went on, with suggestions for other topics Gelzinis could take up, such as the various fund-raising activities the comedian's involved in. We put in a call to Gelzinis, but got no word on whether he'll join Leary at high noon for a duel of words.

Ben Affleck's bride Jennifer Garner was granted a restraining order yesterday against a fan she says has been stalking her for six years. The "Alias" star's attorney was in an LA courtroom yesterday and won three years of protection for Garner, Affleck, and their daughter, Violet. Garner petitioned for protection from 36-year-old Steven Burky. In a sworn statement, the actress said she believed Burky's "obsessive, threatening and stalking behavior" posed a threat to her and her family.

Alt-rocker Ryan Adams has a reputation for being a rake, but maybe his relationship with Juliana Hatfield is serious after all. Adams is on the cover of the new Relix magazine, and inside he describes Hatfield as his "squeeze." Then there's this: While browsing at the House of Guitars in Rochester, N.Y., Adams says he's buying her a 1969 custom, three pick-up, walnut-colored Gibson SG with white pickguards. "That's the one I'm gonna stick the ring in," the singer tells the storyteller. Hmm.

Sadly, North Attleborough's Karan Takhar (left) wagered everything and came up empty on the "Jeopardy! Teen Tournament" Wednesday night. Takhar, who made it to the tourney's semifinals, will still take home $10,000 for his efforts.

Apparently working off some post-election stress, VP-elect Joe Biden spinmeister Larry Rasky took over the turntables at Emerson's college radio station, WERS, for an hour Wednesday night. Rasky won the slot in an alumni fund-raising auction last spring. In an e-mail to friends, signed "Spin Doctor," Rasky said he was fulfilling a "lifelong dream of becoming a DJ." On his playlist: "Space Cowboy," by the Steve Miller Band, and "25 or 6 to 4" by Chicago.

The Girl Scouts celebrated several leading ladies yesterday at the Westin Copley Place. Among the honorees at the organization's annual Leading Women breakfast were Bank of America's Michele Courton Brown, legal eagle Susan Esper, former lieutenant governor Kerry Healey, onetime ambassador Swanee Hunt, BJ's COO Laura Sen, and the Rev. Liz Walker.

Howard Stern sidekick Artie Lange grew up in Jersey, but he's still big in Boston. Lange, who's doing two shows at the Wilbur Theatre tonight and a book-signing tomorrow at the Borders in Back Bay, told us his shtick sells best in New England. "It's a blue-collar sports town, and that's where I do well," said Lange, whose new memoir is called "Too Fat to Fish." The bonus of performing in Boston are the bars and sausage carts around Faneuil Hall. "I'll tell you, I got addicted to those," he told us. "If I'm in Boston for more than 24 hours, I will hit that sausage stand."

Kowloon celebrated its 58th anniversary Wednesday night, with a ton of folks coming out to toast the Wong family. Gathered around the bubbling fountain were "American Idol" contender Ayla Brown and her dad state Senator Scott Brown, former Celtics Jo Jo White and Hank Finkel, Celtics PR maven Heather Walker, former Bruins Rick Middleton, Jean Ratelle, Ken Hodge, and Gerry Cheevers, Louie Bello, Boston's Sib Hashian and Barry Goudreau, car czar Ernie Boch, Johnny Pesky, boxer Micky Ward, and nightclubbers Ed and Joe Kane. Speaking of Joe Kane, he says he's gearing up to celebrate his "29th annual 21st birthday" at Shrine at MGM Grand at Foxwoods tonight and at The Estate tomorrow. Apparently he just can't face the big 5-0.

Hizzoner Tom Menino and former Mayor Ray Flynn were among those at a fund-raiser the other day for the Arthur Jones Marrow Donor Initiative. The event, to raise awareness in the black community about the importance of bone marrow donation, raised $11,000. Jones, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who worked for the Globe and later served as spokesman for Flynn, former Governor Mike Dukakis, and former president Bill Clinton, suffered from chronic lymphocytic leukemia and died in October 2006.

The Celtics are just a whirlwind of do-gooding lately. Fresh off raising money for Paul Pierce's foundation, Kendrick Perkins, Glen "Big Baby" Davis, Bill Walker, and Patrick O'Bryant spent Wednesday afternoon reading to kids at the United South End Settlements. The event was part of the NBA's Read to Achieve program.

Globe Correspondent Nick Zaino contributed. Names can be reached at names@globe.com or at 617-929-8253.