WWE's Cena enjoys visit home

Nearly eight hours before last night's World Wrestling Entertainment's sold - out SummerSlam, more than 100 people were gathered outside the VIP parking area at the TD Banknorth Garden yelling for each of the pro wrestlers and personalities as they entered. That kind of fanatic dedication might surprise some, but not WWE superstar John Cena. ``That's not just because we're in Boston, I'll get fans yelling at each stop, no matter how big the city is," said Cena, a West Newbury native, who met with media yesterday at Legend s in the Garden. ``They know everything about what we're doing. . . . It's actually great," said the wrestler, who will be making his movie debut starring in ``The Marine" this October. It's a role Cena said he wanted because of ``the story. We've done a lot with the troops, [the WWE] was over in Baghdad." Cena, who got to spend a couple of days in his hometown , said he likes going back to West Newbury where his mom used to own an ice cream shop. Does he attract as much attention there ? ``It's not about that. When I catch up with the guys, we never talk about that, we just catch up," said Cena. ``It's nice to have both."

Wrestling stars, legends hit the town

Several of the WWE stars and legends hosted a party at WaterWorks in Quincy to launch on-demand WWE programming on Comcast. On hand for the Saturday evening party were Candice Michelle, Carlito, Mr. Kennedy, Gregory Helms, ``Mean" Gene Okerlund, ``The Mouth of the South" Jimmy Hart, ``Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBlase, Faarooq, and ``Hacksaw" Jim Duggan. . . . Later a slew of the wrasslers and their crew (more than 50, we're told) headed out to chow down at the Kowloon in Saugus. Among those nearly cleaning out the kitchen and sushi bar were Randy Orton, Carlito, Spirit Squad, The Highlanders, 500-pound Viscera, Charlie Haas, Shelton Benjamin, and Finlay. In the private dining room were a dozen of the WWE ``divas" including Lita, Trish Stratus, Torrie Wilson, and Lilian Garcia.

‘Children’ will play at New York festival

``Little Children," director Todd Field's much-anticipated big-screen adaptation of Belmont author Tom Perrotta's bestseller about young married couples interacting in the suburbs, is among the 28 films selected for the 44th annual New York Film Festival , which opens late next month. ``It's got a great cast, and from what I hear, Kate Winslet's performance is terrific," Perrotta told us recently of the film that also stars Jennifer Connelly and Patrick Wilson. Field, who got an Oscar nod for his screenplay for ``In the Bedroom," co - wrote the screenplay for ``Little Children" with Perrotta. Other films selected for the festival include Stephen Frears' s ``The Queen," starring Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth II in the story of the royal family following the death of Princess Diana. And Sofia Coppola's ``Marie Antoinette," which stars Kirsten Dunst as France's last queen.

Pop singer Ashley Parker Angel's Saturday in the area meant some work and scores of screaming fans. Starting with an afternoon appearance at the Hanover Mall (where he was nearly toppled by a gaggle of young girls in matching pink shirts), the MTV prince then headed to Boston for a concert at the Hatch Shell for FM radio station Kiss 108, before heading off with some of the station's DJs to the Malden nightclub Rain for a broadcast. But Angel told us he had to make one stop before his late-night on-air gig -- his hotel room to drop off all the gifts he received from fans throughout the day for his recent birthday.

Cyndi Lauper's sold - out concert at Provincetown Town Hall Saturday night closed out the annual Business Guild Carnival. . . . Rocker Jon Bon Jovi took in the Red Sox game Saturday. . . . For the third year in a row, Senator Ted Kennedy skippered his yacht ``Weatherly" to a victory in the Nantucket Regatta. Kennedy's crew included his wife, Vicki, and his son, Ted Jr. The Classic 12- Meter Regatta is part of the eight-day event that benefits the Nantucket Community Sailing program that provides sailing lessons to the Nantucket community. . . . Yankees catcher Jorge Posada had dinner at Avila on Saturday. Over at Davio's, Steve DeFillippo's other Park Square eatery, injured Yankees outfielder Hideki Matsui grabbed a bite, as did Yanks third base coach Larry Bowa.

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