Names

Scene around the Vineyard

Harry Belafonte at a Martha's Vineyard gathering. (Peter Simon)

By Mark Shanahan & Meredith Goldstein

Globe Staff / August 29, 2009

Text size – +

VINEYARD HAVEN - Though his voice is raspy after recent surgery on his vocal cords, Harry Belafonte was looking quite spry for a man of 82. Dressed in a crisp white shirt and summer slacks, the King of Calypso could have passed for a much younger man as he greeted people at Carly Simon’s store.

His secret? The words on his baseball cap said it all: No Need to Rush.

Though a good friend and supporter of President Obama, Belafonte was not on Martha’s Vineyard this week to hang out with the first family. Indeed, he didn’t even see the Obamas while bunking at the Tisbury home of designer Kenneth Cole and wife Maria Cuomo.

“We speak,’’ Belafonte told us, referring to the president. “Not as often as we used to, but we speak. It’s his time alone now.’’

The singer’s wife, Pam, smiled.

“We’ve also been a little busy,’’ she said playfully. “We couldn’t fit it in.’’

The Belafontes were here to relax and also to attend Thursday’s get-together at Midnight Farm, the groovy Vineyard Haven boutique co-owned by Tamara Weiss and Carly. The occasion was the release of “Airlift to America,’’ a new book by Tom Shachtman about the effort in the 1960s to bring talented African students, including Barack Obama Sr., to the United States to study.

Turns out Tamara’s mother, Cora Weiss, was one of the original organizers of the airlifts, and the first plane in 1959 was paid for because Belafonte, Jackie Robinson, and Sidney Poitier, all signed a fund-raising letter.

Also at the book party were actress Brooke Adams and Carly’s sister Joanna Simon, who’s been in the news of late. The former opera singer was Walter Cronkite’s companion for the final four years of his life, but was omitted from the newsman’s will. (Cronkite left his considerable estate to his three children and assistants.)

Simon has known for some time that she was not in the will, and though she didn’t want to talk about it with us, she made it clear that her feelings for the most trusted man in America are unchanged. Walking past a portrait of Cronkite in the window of the Vineyard Haven gallery owned by her brother, photographer Peter Simon, Joanna extended her hand and said, “That’s my man.’’

Inside, she picked out a piece of jewelry designed by her sister-in-law, Ronni Simon, to wear to Cronkite’s memorial service next month at Avery Fisher Hall in New York. (She told us both Obama and Bill Clinton will speak.)

“I loved Walter very, very much,’’ Joanna said.

Otherwise, the hubbub surrounding the president’s visit waned yesterday as clouds blocked the sun for the first time during the Obamas’ vacation. Governor Deval Patrick was on the island to attend an afternoon fund-raiser at the Oak Bluffs abode of Deborah and Duane Jackson. Guests included Carol Fulp, Barbara Lee, Ron Homer, Wayne Budd, Lani Guinier, Charles Ogletree, Charles Stith and Dr. Deborah Prothrow-Stith. Originally scheduled for last night, the event was moved up because the governor and others were returning to Boston for the funeral today of Ted Kennedy. Patrick was scheduled to get together with Obama after last night’s private memorial service at the Kennedy Library.

Stars go to bat for Jimmy Fund

The second day of the WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon brought more big names to Fenway last night. Comedian Dane Cook threw out the first pitch, Aaron Neville sang the national anthem, and Kelly Clarkson was scheduled to perform “God Bless America’’ during the 7th inning stretch. Clarkson, who we’re beginning to suspect is a Sox fan, even stopped by Fenway earlier in the day to help WEEI’s fund-raising. Another visitor was comedian Frank Caliendo, who was in town for a gig at the South Shore Music Circus last night and the Cape Cod Melody Tent tomorrow. Caliendo, known for his impressions, toured the ballpark, chatted with Jason Varitek, and tried game announcing using Sox announcer Carl Beane’s mike. The previous night’s Jimmy Fund guests included Denis Leary, Lenny Clarke, and Donnie Wahlberg, who spent much of the night hanging with Dr. Edward Benz, president of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Wahlberg went on to celebrate his 40th birthday at the nightclub Rumor.

Love is in the air

Newton actor John Krasinski - whose character Jim on “The Office’’ will marry Jenna Fischer’s Pam on TV this fall - is engaged in real life to “The Devil Wears Prada’’ actress Emily Blunt, the actor’s rep confirmed to People. The two have been dating since last year. In June, when Krasinski was in Boston to promote his movie “Away We Go,’’ in which he played Maya Rudolph’s boyfriend, he confessed to us that he was proud to have made a movie about a happy, successful relationship - a love story with no drama and a happy ending. Now we know why.

Deen cancels plans

Southern cook Paula Deen is not in Boston this weekend. The Food Network personality was supposed to stop by the Greater Boston Food Bank to make a donation and then cook live for an audience at the Bank of America Pavilion tonight, but yesterday afternoon she postponed her trip because of an illness. Deen had told us earlier in the week that this would be her first trip to Boston. “This will be the most northern I’ve ever been,’’ an excited Deen told us by phone in her sweet southern drawl. “I love the Boston accent. You pahk your caah. I love that!’’ Oddly enough, Deen was expected to dine while in town at Ruth’s Chris Steak House. Paula, that’s not even a local chain.

Around town

Before the city was taken over by politicians, dignitaries, and celebrities celebrating the life of Ted Kennedy, David Cassidy, who sang the national anthem before Thursday night’s Red Sox game, was spotted at the Foundation Lounge, Tim Wakefield dined at Kingfish Hall, and Ben Affleck was seen with a camera-in-hand shooting more scenes for his movie “The Town.’’

Read the Names blog at www.boston.com/namesblog. Names can be reached at names@globe.com or at 617-929-8253.