Expect rocking time

An eclectic crowd is expected at tonight's bash celebrating the opening of BOKX 109, the new restaurant at Hotel Indigo in Newton. The guest list includes Sammy Hagar, Joan Jett, members of AC/DC, former Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider, Ed McMahon, and retro rockers Terri Nunn of Berlin, Debbie Harry of Blondie, Pat Travers, and Linda Rondstadt. The common denominator seems to be the restaurant's creator, Lou Carrier, who made a lot of friends while working at the Hard Rock Hotel. "Lou's one of those people who has an amazing ability to draw people to him," Snider told us yesterday. "If he's involved, I know the place will have a rock 'n' roll attitude and vibe." Snider said he wouldn't be surprised if Carrier puts a few of his famous friends to work in the kitchen tonight. "Everyone's got a little something they cook," Snider said. "I'm the grill man at my house."

Bobby Brown (above left, with Michael Bivens) and his New Edition homeboys celebrated their 25th anniversary the other night in LA. The man band got together at the annual Rhythm & Soul Music Awards, where they were honored with the Golden Note Award. "Over the last 25 years, New Edition has experienced success on multiple levels to become true legends," said ASCAP chairman Marilyn Bergman. "The group has firmly left their mark on today's music, and ASCAP is very proud to honor them."

In the end, Doc Rivers's Gatorade-soaked shirt fetched a whopping $55,000 for the Shamrock Foundation. The shirt, autographed by Rivers and C's captain Paul Pierce, was auctioned this week by WEEI. The winning bidder, who hasn't been ID'd, offered $35,000 for the custom shirt worn by Rivers during Game 6 of the NBA Finals. In addition, Gatorade donated $10,000, and a second anonymous donor pledged $10,000.

Despite having to curtail the event, the Red Sox wives still managed to raise $350,000 at their annual Picnic in the Park. "Everything you wouldn't want to happen happened," Mike Lowell's wife, Bertha, told us yesterday. "[Sunday'] game started late, then it went to extra innings, and then it rained. But, hey, a lot of the players hung out, and we had a great time." The event, emceed by actor Mike O'Malley, was a benefit for the Red Sox Foundation. Due to the lousy weather and late hour, the event's auction had to be postponed. (It'll be rescheduled.) Auction items of interest this year include a game of Guitar Hero with Dustin Pedroia, Big Papi's baritone on your answering machine, a backstage pass to a Dropkick Murphy's show with Jonathan Papelbon, and a golf game with Hideki Okajima.

New England Cable News is moving veteran news anchor Chet Curtis to its "News Day Live" show, airing weekdays from 4 to 6 p.m. Curtis will cohost with Leslie Gaydos and Beth Shelburne and provide the kind of in-depth interviews previously featured on the "Chet Curtis Report," which is ending its run from 7 to 7:30 weeknights. Starting July 7, NECN is also expanding its "Good Morning Live" show one hour, from 5 to 9 a.m.

Rock, paper, scissors is child's play, right? Not to Chicopee's Sean Sears, who, unbelievably, walked away with $50,000 after winning the 2008 Bud Light/USA Rock Paper Scissors League Championship in Las Vegas. The systems analyst for Mass Mutual next travels to China to play against champs from Canada, Guam, Hong Kong, and Ireland for the title of the "world's best rock, paper, scissors player." No kidding. "It's a little bit of luck, but also being able to read your opponent and determine if there's a pattern," Sears told us yesterday, explaining the secret of his success. "You basically go with your gut." Asked if he trained for the finals, Sears laughed. No, he said, like the rest of us, he rarely even plays rock, paper, scissors. "This is just something I heard about, so I entered," he said. League commissioner Matti Leshem was mighty impressed, calling Sears "the most polished champion in the storied history of this colossal event." So what's Sears going to do with his windfall? "The responsible thing would be to put it toward student loans," he said, "but I don't know if I'll do that."

Doug Flutie's many friends turned out yesterday for the former QB's celebrity golf tournament and the party preceding it. (Alas, the golf game was washed out.) Supporting the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism were Pats players Larry Izzo, rookie quarterback Kevin O'Connell, Stephen Neal, Kyle Eckel, Antwain Spann, and former Pats receiver Tim Dwight. The guest list at yesterday's event at Pinehills in Plymouth also included ESPN's Chris Berman, Olympic skier Bode Miller, and sportscaster Lesley Visser.

Want to bowl with Josh Beckett at the ace's celeb-heavy charity event next month? Organizers of the 2008 Beckett Bowl announced yesterday they're selling $2 raffle tickets at netraffle.org, and winners will have an opportunity to bowl with Beckett and VIP buddies July 10 at Town Line Ten Pin in Malden.

Former Nashville mayor Bill Purcell was yesterday named the new director of Harvard's Institute of Politics at the John F. Kennedy School of Government. Purcell, who succeeds Jim Leach, has spent more than 30 years in public service, law, and higher education. He was an IOP fellow in the fall of 2007.

Godsmack singer Sully Erna treated a few lucky WAAF listeners to a tutorial yesterday. A onetime drummer, Erna stepped back behind the skins as part of the station's "Get Smacked, Get Schooled" event.

Joseph P. Kahn of the Globe staff contributed. Names can be reached at names@globe.com or at 617-929-8253.