Lil' Kim pays Palace a visit; Pats tackle benefit
CROWD PLEASER As the last of her entourage was patted down, Kimberly "Lil' Kim" Jones finally stepped out of the souped-up black van idling in The Palace's parking lot. It was 12:30 a.m. Saturday. Wearing sunglasses, a fur coat, and, if you can believe it, jeans cut for someone even lil'ler, Notorious K.I.M. and friends quickly climbed the fire escape, the scent of a certain herb heavy in the air. "How are you?" she said sweetly, greeting club owner Russell Robbat at the entrance to Rio. For the next hour or so, the diminutive rapper -- in heels, she might be 4 foot 10 -- happily posed for photos and performed one song ("Magic Stick"). "No Foxy Brown questions and no plastic surgery questions," cautioned Gene Nelson of Queen Bee Entertainment. (Unlike rap rivals Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls, Kim and Foxy have traded gunfire and lived to tell about it.) Shedding her fur to reveal a shimmering chain-mail top, Kim explained that she's taking a break from music to do some acting. Her next film, "Nora's Hair Salon," costars Bobby Brown, who also appeared on-screen with Kim in last year's forgettable "Gang of Roses." "I know he's going through some [expletive] right now, but that's my boy, and I'm always with him in spirit," she said. "When Bobby's focused, he's really a great actor." In the same way that Brown is misunderstood, Kim insisted, there's a lot more to her than X-rated lyrics and a bodacious, barely clad bod. "I've got a new line of watches and shoes coming out," she cooed. "When people look at me, they think of diamonds. I'm like a young black Elizabeth Taylor."
A NOVEL MEAL Writer Chang-rae Lee, whose recently published novel "Aloft" is getting good notices, dined at UpStairs on the Square the other night after a reading at the Harvard Book Store. A self-proclaimed foodie who now and then pens articles for Gourmet magazine, Lee chose a first course of wild salmon tartare with piquillo peppers, cumin, and sherry vinegar followed by wild striped bass with borlotti beans, prosciutto, and Meyer lemon. He signed copies of his new novel for co-owner Mary-Catherine Deibel and chef Amanda Lydon, who cling to their literary leanings as retired English majors. POW! Of all of Spider-Man's enemies, and he's had a bunch, The Punisher is one of the best -- a Vietnam vet who becomes a vigilante. Finally, someone's bringing The Punisher to the big screen (cleverly, the movie's called "The Punisher"), and the star, Thomas Jane, will be at Newbury Comics (cleverly, the store's on Newbury Street) tomorrow at 3 p.m.
OY VEY Promoting his upcoming show at the Orpheum, Jackie Mason cracked wise on WRKO's morning show the other day. The Jewish Republican jokester said President Bush's prospects for a second term are looking good, especially considering who he's running against. "[John] Kerry is all mixed up -- `I fought a war and I'm against the war,' " Mason said. "Kerry doesn't even need an opponent -- he can debate himself."
DOING GOOD Turns out Patriots receiver David Givens does occasionally leave the dance floor. Over the weekend, he and teammates Lonie Paxton and Dan Klecko showed up at the annual Home Run for the Homeless benefit for the Shelter Legal Services Foundation. During the live auction for dinner with Givens, we're told, Paxton informed folks that he'd be there, too.
SIGHTINGS Pats QB Tom Brady and his girlfriend, actress Bridget Moynahan, were spotted picking up their bags at Logan's international terminal Saturday. . . . Dining at Saint after WBCN's birthday party at Felt the other night were a couple of guys with showbiz names -- the radio station's program director, Oedipus, and Gary Dell'Abate, better known to many of you as Howard Stern's pal Baba Booey. . . . ESPN's "National Hockey Night" host Steve Levy checked out Bill Bellamy's show Saturday at the Comedy Connection.
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