Hanging around the bar and party circuit again, we're finding out about homecomings, anniversaries and film crews traipsing about. To wit . . .
EYES ON ESPN:
Know why an ESPN film crew was hanging around Dr. Rick Abramson's office recently?
Shooting segments for a documentary. It will be a Christmas Day show on sports figures and their success stories, including boxer Aaron Pryor turning his life around - from world-class boxer and huge money maker to substance abuse and broke to current role as church deacon and assistant coach of Cincinnati Golden Gloves. But still not rich.
Which is what he's doing with Dr. Abramson and colleague Dr. Stuart Krug, ophthalmologists who are treating him for free.
"A friend asked me to take a look, but warned that he didn't have a lot of money," Abramson said. "I said sure, because I thought we could help."
Pryor's problem was his left eye: A bad repair job in 1982 had deteriorated to where he was nearly blind in that eye. Two retinal surgeries later, Pryor now sees well enough that Abramson thinks his work is done.
ESPN has been tracking the story. The crew was in Abramson's office twice, interviewing the doctors and shooting them at work on Pryor's eye.
No time has been set yet for the broadcast.
HOMECOMINGS:
That would be comedian Blair Shannon, back in town a lot lately after years working Las Vegas and cruise ships and popping up on TV with fellow comedian Sinbad.
It wasn't happy news that brought him home: Wife Amy passed away at age 39 from leukemia. He's off the road now, at home and caring for 6-year-old Chelsey.
"I'm trying to get re-established in Cincinnati after being on the road so long. I'll still do an occasional cruise ship, but it's hard to be funny right now.
"I am enjoying my time with Chelsey, but it's a heck of a way to come by it."
One other result of Amy's battle: Shannon is involved with the Leukemia Society, doing what he can to scare up bucks. Like a show - songs and jokes - Dec. 12 at Sycamore Gardens with the Tuxedo Big Band. "I figure if just half the Cincinnatians I've met on cruise ships show up, we'll sell out," he says.
CLAP IT PLEASE:
Know what calls for a round of applause? KZF Gallery, celebrating its 10th anniversary with a show and a twist, too: It's also a reunion. The gallery is in the offices of KZF Inc., the huge design and architectural firm in the Grand Baldwin Building (seventh floor). Open since '88, the gallery is there for clients wandering in, for the public and as a way to expose local talent.
Right. The talent. That's where the reunion enters the picture: The anniversary show opening today is new work by 10 artists who showed at the gallery during one of each of its 10 years.
Tom Schiff, representing 1988, will show cibachrome prints; Brad Smith (1989) has hand-colored silver prints; Toi Ungkavatanapang
(1995) has mixed-media wall sculptures; painter M. Katherine Hurley (1997) has oils on canvas.
And yeah, they're all expected at the show. Meaning we'll get to see a lot of air kisses and updates.
The gallery is free and open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays.
Psst! appears Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Have an item to report? Call Jim Knippenberg at 768-8513; fax: 768-8330.
Psst! appears Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Have an item to report? Call Jim Knippenberg at 768-8513; fax: 768-8330.
KNIPPENBERG ARCHIVE
