NAMES
`The Truth' comes to town; a call to help veterans
By Carol Beggy & Mark Shanahan, Globe Staff, 11/25/2003
TRUTH SERUM Over some backstage Corona and pizza, comedian Janeane Garofalo mused about her unpopularity with conservative pundits Bill O'Reilly and Rush Limbaugh. The former Allston resident, in town to MC the "Tell Us the Truth" show (featuring Steve Earle, Tom Morello, and Billy Bragg, among other lefties), said she must be doing something right. "To be reviled by the narrow-minded is the highest compliment," Garofalo said. "They're like professional wrestlers or carnival barkers with zero awareness throwing red meat to the dopes." For his part, Bragg admitted he'd rather be back in England with his wife and young son but feels it's important to speak out now. "I said to my wife, `I have to go,' and she said, `I know,' " said Bragg. "We all recognize it's an election year, and we want to focus activists."
A FRIEND TO THE VETERANS By broadcasting recently from the Brockton VA Medical Center, sports radio jock Eddie Andelman was trying to help the folks who depend on the hospital. Well, it worked. After reading about the gambit in the Globe, a local company donated $10,000 in prepaid phone cards so patients can call friends and family. "The health care they get is second to none," Andelman said. "But the budget doesn't leave a lot for the other things these guys need." Also donated were a 57-inch TV, $20,000 worth of clothes, and a pile of coats. "They take these guys out for walks, but they don't have enough coats," Andelman said. "Can you imagine? They have to wait until someone returns with a coat."
THERE'S A PARTY GOING ON The Palace nightclub, the folks who almost brought you L.L. Cool J, announced they've lined up Sean Paul to appear at JAM'N 94.5's Christmas party with Ramiro and Pebbles. But it won't be easy to get in. To get a ticket, you have to be caller No. 25 when Sean Paul's Christmas greeting plays on the radio. The Palace swears the hip-hop sensation will show, unlike Ladies Love, who ditched at the last minute, disappointing 4,500 patrons and dissing Palace owner Russell Robbat.
MEN OF GOODWILL Demonstrating that it's better to give than to receive, Patriots receivers David Patten and Deion Branch and some teammates showed up at Goodwill's Boston headquarters last night to hand out food baskets to 200 needy families. Others doling out baskets included Ty Warren, Antwan Harris, and Daniel Graham.
BEN FOLDS Unlucky in love and at the box office, actor Ben Affleck is trying his hand at high-stakes poker. The Cambridge homeboy paid $10,000 to enter the Showdown at the Sands Poker Tournament in Atlantic City and proceeded to play for six hours and 140 hands on the first day. So how'd he do against 18 of the world's best players? Showdown at the Sands airs on FOX Sports Net on Thanksgiving.
SAY ANYTHING Called "Last Boy Standing," the contest in YM works like this: The young misses for whom the magazine was created review the 12 "insanely cool and cute" guys and vote for their favorites online. The dude with the fewest fans each month is booted. So why are we telling you about this? One of these studs, 20-year-old Luke Hedrick, is a junior at Harvard. Asked to name one person, living or dead, he'd like to meet, Hedrick replied, "I've never really believed in this question." Too bad, we do, but we can't vote him off.
Jim Sullivan contributed to this column. Names can be reached at names@globe.com or at 617-929-8253.
© Copyright 2003 Globe Newspaper Company.
