BY JIM KNIPPENBERG
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Keeping eyes and ears open on the bar and party circuit, Psst! has heard all kinds of things . . .
NO SHOW: So Jerry Lewis didn't show, but most everyone else in town did.
Referring here to Inside Media's client party Thursday where company owner Rob Riggsbee took over Longworth's in Mount Adams, opened the taps (big time) and invited tons of advertising and media types.
He also books vintage rock groups to play the party. Last year, it was Peter Noone of Herman's Hermits fame. This year, it was Gary Lewis and the Playboys (yes, Lewis, as in Jerry Lewis' son).
Which is why the senior Lewis was expected. Even had a room booked at the Cincinnatian. But, says show producer Omar Farag, a schedule conflict mucked it up.
"Too bad," Farag said. "They haven't always been on the best terms. This was to be a reunion."
So instead of a reunion, the crowd saw Shur-Good exec Bobby Schmitt
grease up and do his Elvis act with the Playboys.
And they saw high-end schmoozing. Jacor CEO Randy Michaels and COO Bobby Lawrence worked the room. Ditto WKRQ general manager Jim Bryant (he's being sued by Jacor, something that could have made for dicey fun but didn't); Q102 voices Brian Douglas and Jodi Legg (her 0-Six was the opening act), WGRR's Jim LaBarbara, Channel 19's Pat Barry, Channel 9's Denny Janson and enough others that it was taking a good hour to get across the room. Whew.
BYE-BYE BIRD: Sesame Street's Big Bird, we mean. Seems he was swiped from the Convention Center early this month and no one knows his whereabouts.
This is unfortunate, because he has a personal appearance Sept. 11 but can't keep the date if he's being held captive.
At issue is a 6-foot Big Bird cutout the Cincinnati Arts Association has been using to promote the upcoming Sesame Street Live at events around town. Such as the All About Kids, where he stood outside the CAA booth.
Fine. But when CAA staffer Michele Couture went back the day after the event to pick him up, Big Bird was gone. Couture searched the garbage, scrounged around other booths, quizzed Center employees, all with no luck.
Only conclusion? Someone swiped him. So now the CAA is offering a reward for his return: Two tickets to the Nov. 27-29 show at the Aronoff. Call 977-4181.
CARDS ARE GOING OUT: Yeah, yeah, we know it's early for Christmas cards, but Josh Sneed is sending them anyway.
Specifically, he's mailing them to attorney Rick Ganulin, the Cincinnatian who's suing the U.S. government to have Christmas demoted from national holiday status.
Sneed, a staffer at Go Bananas Comedy Club, calls it his Attorney Who Stole Christmas campaign. His goal is to amass a boatload of cards to ship to Ganulin.
Ganulin has frequently said he's no grinch, just convinced Christmas is a religious event and has no place in the national holiday scheme of things.
Sneed wants to change his mind but needs more cards. Mail last year's leftovers (seems everyone has 'em) to The Attorney Who Stole Christmas, Go Bananas Comedy Club, 8410 Marketplace Lane, Cincinnati 45242.
Oh yeah, and please, Sneed says, "no profanity or death threats. We don't want any lawsuits." Just Christmas cheer.
Psst! appears Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Have an item to report? Call Jim Knippenberg at 768-8513; fax: 768-8330.
KNIPPENBERG ARCHIVE