Clio's cooking up a storm for 10th
Clio's chef-owner Ken Oringer (left) has tapped some huge names in the food world to celebrate the 10th anniversary of his famed eatery in the Eliot Hotel on Sunday. Among the 10 chefs cooking the 10-course sold-out dinner -- sensing a theme here? -- are Andoni Luis Aduriz, who's jetting in from San Sebastian, Spain; Toronto's Susur Lee, and Jose Andres of Washington, D.C. Local culinary stars pitching in at the $1,000-per-head charity feast are Michael Schlow of Radius, Blue Ginger's Ming Tsai, and Angela and Seth Raynor of The Pearl on Nantucket.
Zoo bash boasts rain forest 33 stories high
It's never easy to throw a swanky bash for hundreds of people, but imagine trying to create a tropical rain forest at the top of a 33-story office tower. That's what event planner Elizabeth Samia's doing today, in preparation for tonight's Zootopia soiree at 60 State Street. The Zoo New England fund-raiser has a lot of heavy hitters on the guest list, including new Bentley College prez Gloria Larson, former UMass chairwoman Grace Fey and husband Ted, and Channel 5's Rhondella Richardson. "We're bringing in 1,000 tropical plants," said Samia of Longwood Events. "Seven- and 8-foot palms, all different ferns, banana leaf trees, bird of paradise trees." Don't tell us: King Kong's not available to carry everything up there, right? "We have a really large freight elevator," she said, "and really great support."
Let him not eat cake
LA resident and former Boston Pops maestro John Williams turned 75 earlier this year, but his Symphony Hall posse didn't get a chance to celebrate with him. So on Wednesday, after the Presidents at the Pops concert, the Oscar winner was feted at an intimate backstage party, complete with cake and champagne. On the shortlist: singer Maureen McGovern, TV's Gwen Ifill,
Easygoing Willis feels good about new 'Die Hard'
Bruce Willis's low-key demeanor belies how he feels about "Live Free or Die Hard," the fourth installment in the blow-'em-up series, opening June 27. "I'm very proud of this movie," the very svelte actor said yesterday at the Four Seasons Hotel. He's also proud of his great relationship with his ex-wife, Demi Moore, and her newish hubby, Ashton Kutcher. Why do they all get along so well? "The simplest answer I can give . . . is that everybody put the children first," he said.
Connery says no to 'Indiana Jones'
The next "Indiana Jones" flick will not be a father-son affair. Sean Connery says he will not return to play dad to Harrison Ford's globe-trotting adventurer. Connery played Indy's father in 1989's "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," the third installment of the franchise directed by Steven Spielberg and produced by George Lucas . "I get asked the question so often, I thought it best to make an announcement," Connery, 76, said in a statement posted yesterday on Lucasfilm's "Indiana Jones" website. "I thought long and hard about it and if anything could have pulled me out of retirement it would have been an Indiana Jones film." (AP)
Akon tosses teen, hurts fan's head
Police in Fishkill , N.Y., are looking into an incident at a concert Sunday in which R&B star Akon tossed a teen off the stage and onto another spectator. Audience members at Dutchess Stadium said a spectator lobbed something at Akon and the singer, 34, asked the crowd to point out the culprit. A security guard picked out a 15 -year-old and sent him up to the stage, where Akon hoisted him onto his shoulders and flung him into the audience, The Poughkeepsie Journal reported yesterday. The boy landed on Abby Rosa , who told the newspaper she quickly felt a headache and blurry vision and was later diagnosed with a concussion. (AP)
Man sues studio over scene in 'Borat'
The hit movie "Borat" has drawn yet another lawsuit, this time from a man filmed running away from the fictional Kazakh television reporter on the streets of New York. Last year's "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" was driven by comedian Sacha Baron Cohen's improvised encounters with ordinary Americans who become his unsuspecting comic foils. A man anonymously identified as John Doe has filed suit against 20th Century Fox over the scene in which he is "fleeing in apparent terror, screaming for Mr. Cohen to 'go away,' " court documents say. (REUTERS)
Star turn lands Costa in hospital
What started out as a playful intro to his NECN "TV Diner" show landed Billy Costa in the hospital with an injured right shoulder on Wednesday. Costa was filming a segment at the Boston Children's Museum when he tried to do a somersault. It didn't go so well. But he was back at his post on Matt Siegel's Kiss 108 show yesterday, sling and all.
Affleck has soft touch on 'Hardball'
Anyone who doesn't think Ben Affleck aspires to a career in politics isn't paying attention. And judging from his appearance yesterday on "Hardball," the Cambridge-bred actor will make a fine, middle-of-the-road candidate someday. Asked about impeaching President Bush, for instance, Affleck told Chris Matthews: "While I understand that feeling, and feeling really angry and feeling really kind of frustrated, I really do, that seems unlikely and counterproductive." Ben, who's a Barack Obama supporter, was also asked about Hollywood's hypocrisy when it comes to the environment. "I've never been particularly good at being green," he said. "I love the internal combustion engine."
It's a baby girl for McDonough
Congrats to actor Neal McDonough and his wife, Ruvé Robertson, who have a new baby, Catherine Maggie. McDonough, who hails from Dorchester, is on the Sci-Fi TV series "Tin Man," which stars Zooey Deschanel, Richard Dreyfuss, and Alan Cumming.
Boys & Girls Clubs boot A-Rod
Alex Rodriguez's off-the-field antics are causing him problems, and we're not talking about those silly Sox fans wearing blond babe masks. The Boys & Girls Clubs of America has pulled a TV spot featuring A-Rod because of concerns about the ballplayer's behavior. "We are deeply concerned about the continuation of ads that might send the wrong messages to our children," the BGCA said in a statement yesterday. The very-married Yankees star has been publicly skewered since he was snapped in the company of a buxom blond stripper while in Toronto.
Hayley Kaufman of the Globe staff contributed. Names can be reached at names@globe.com or at 617-929-8253. 
