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Pedroia called out after crossing home
Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia may want to wear a flak jacket the next time he visits his family in Woodland, Calif. The reigning American League MVP trashes his hometown in the new issue of Boston magazine, and the locals are livid.
In an interview with mag freelancer Tommy Craggs, Pedroia calls Woodland "a dump" and says, "You can quote me on that. I don't give a [expletive]." Not one to mince words, Dustin continues: "Everyone wants to get out of there. You don't want to stay in Woodland. What do you want to stay in Woodland for? The place sucks."
(The cause of Pedroia's antipathy isn't clear, but his brother Brett, who lives in Woodland, was charged in January with child molestation, and it's possible Pedey's upset about that.)
The Sox star hasn't apologized for his remarks, but he did tell the Sacramento Bee that the comments were taken out of context. "I was laughing when I said all that," he said. "I wasn't serious. I regret that this happened. I learned that I need to be more careful."
That's too little, too late for some residents. Over the weekend, a 47-year-old man named Kenneth Samuels was arrested for making death threats to Pedroia's parents, who own Valley Tire Center in Woodland. According to cops, Samuels made multiple phone calls to the business and allegedly threatened to shoot the male members of the Pedroia family.
Mark Bachman, meanwhile, the owner of Bachman's Custom Cycles, put up a banner bearing a decidedly anti-Pedroia message. Bachman says the ballplayer picked a bad time to knock his hometown.
"In this recession, the last thing we want to do is drive revenue out of the community," Bachman told us yesterday. "We don't need to put a black eye on Woodland. That kid's been supported from day one by this community, and then he does this. It's a big slap in the face of the community."
Bachman said he received dozens of calls of support for the banner, and just one negative response, before finally taking it down.
"I got a call from Pedroia's mom," he said. "She said 'How dare you' and then hung up on me."
Affleck and his 'Company Men'; take Fort Hill
It was 50 degrees and sunny in Boston yesterday, but on Roxbury's historic Fort Hill, it was snowing. Crews with "The Company Men" - a John Wells film about corporate downsizing starring Ben Affleck, Chris Cooper, Tommy Lee Jones, and Kevin Costner - spent much of the day making fake snow for a winter scene at an old house on Highland Street. Fort Hill resident Janet Fillion told us the faux flakes were flying everywhere. Word is the producers liked the haunted look of the house so much, they've agreed to foot the bill for at least some of the structure's much-needed repairs. (Known as the Hodgdon House, the abode was built in the 1860s and is the last significant home constructed during the era of the "Fort Hill" development.) In the film, Affleck plays a onetime corporate hotshot who gets a construction gig to make ends meet. Yesterday, he and Costner could be seen milling around the property. One witness told us Affleck had difficulty handling a large piece of plywood, so he was given a smaller one. It wasn't the first time Affleck and Costner worked together. "Today was a seminal day for me because when I was in high school, I was an extra at Fenway in 'Field of Dreams,' " Affleck told us after he'd wrapped for the day. "Kevin didn't know. Today was really big. I loved 'JFK.' And at this stage of my career, I'm setting my sights on working with people like, well, in 'State of Play,' I got to work with Russell Crowe, Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren, Robin Wright Penn . . . and this is Kevin, Chris Cooper, and Tommy Lee Jones." Affleck's been bicoastal in recent days as he tries to balance work and family. The actor spent Easter in LA with wife Jennifer Garner and daughters Violet and Seraphina, then returned to Boston Sunday. Said Ben: "One of the things that's been really satisfying is being able to come back here and make movies, especially now when everyone needs more work."Entertaining thoughts of stardom
James Orrigo of Medford was the winner of the recent GetScouted.com talent competition in Burlington. The aspiring musician performed an original song, which won him points with judges Tom Rosa (a former Warner Bros. producer), and JAM'N 94.5 personalities Melissa and DJ On & On. Orrigo will now compete against other finalists for the chance to perform in a national television commercial.Dresden Doll Palmer in hometown show
Dresden Doll Amanda Palmer headed home to work with her former Lexington High drama teacher Steven Bogart. The pair, along with 20 students, are reportedly collaborating on a play inspired by the music and lyrics of the Neutral Milk Hotel CD "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea." "To say [Bogart] was my creative mentor is a huge understatement," Palmer said in a statement yesterday. "I'm afraid that people will hear the words 'high school drama' and assume that this stuff will be corny and immature, and I can't stress enough how intelligent and profound these kids are." The play's working title is "With the Needle That Sings in Her Heart," and it centers on Anne Frank.Junger to visit BPL
We're told that "Perfect Storm" author Sebastian Junger will be among the special guests at the Boston Public Library's annual "Literary Lights" dinner next weekend. Funds from last year's event were used to restore John Adams's personal 1776 copy of Thomas Paine's "Common Sense." Historian David McCullough will speak at Sunday's shindig at the Park Plaza Hotel, and joining Junger will be writers Andrew Bacevich, M.T. Anderson, Robert Darnton, Major Jackson, Jacquelyn Mitchard, and Maria Tatar.Corwin's own 'Cuisine'
Marshfield's own Jeff Corwin may be the new Rachael Ray. The Animal Planet heartthrob, who still lives on the South Shore, has been tapped to host "Extreme Cuisine With Jeff Corwin" on the Food Network. The series, set to air this fall, will have Corwin traveling the world to find great recipes in exotic places. It's no surprise to us that Corwin has inked a deal with the Food Network. The last time the Globe visited the foodie at home he was cooking up fresh scallops, lobster, and rhubarb pie.Aerosmith, ZZ Top tour
Circle June 16 on your concert schedule. That's when tour mates Aerosmith and ZZ Top will touch down in Boston. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame acts fronted by Steven Tyler and Billy Gibbons get things going in St. Louis June 10 and conclude in Detroit Sept. 16. Live Nation, which is handling ticket sales, hasn't said where the Boston date will be, but our guess is the Almost time for wine
The Nantucket Wine Festival is still a few weeks away, but founder Denis Toner and executive director Frank Neer held a preview party at BiNA osteria in Downtown Crossing. With BiNA owner Babak Bina , guests included Four Seasons executive chef Brooke Voiska, Colonnade GM David Colella, and WHDH's Janet Wu, among others. The world-renowned wine fest runs May 13-17.An edge for the playoffs
Last week, it was the Bruins' hair. This week, it's their beards. B's Marc Savard and Shawn Thornton yesterday enjoyed a final shave at Barbershop Lounge before the team's playoff push. The close shave was coordinated by WZLX's Karlson & McKenzie morning show.Names can be reached at names@globe.com or at 617-929-8253. 
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