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Dan Gross: Boxing promoter picks new headliner used to low blows
By Dan Gross
Philadelphia Daily News
Jul 30, 2008
JUST TWO days after NBC 10's Vai Sikahema defeated Jose Canseco by technical knockout in their Atlantic City bout, Damon Feldman 's Celebrity Boxing Promotions is already seeking a challenger for its next fight. John Wayne Bobbitt is coming to the area and is ready to fight any non-professional fighter who weighs less than 225 pounds. Feldman's promised $1,000 to the challenger for the Aug. 14 fight in Atlantic City in which the fighters will box for three one-minute rounds with large gloves and headgear. Bobbitt, of course, is famous for having had his penis cut off in 1993 by his then-wife Lorena Bobbitt. After the penis was reattached, Bobbitt used it in the porn films "John Wayne Bobbitt: Uncut" and "John Wayne Bobbitt's Frankenpenis." Interested challengers, who practically have their trash-talk already scripted for them, should apply by e-mail to damonfeldman@hot
mail.com. Meanwhile, Feldman says that Canseco wants a rematch with Sikahema, who launched a torrent of blows on the bad boy of baseball right from the opening bell. Canseco said that he'd barely trained.
Will DeMentri be on-air today?
No word from NBC 10 on whether Vince DeMentri will be back on-air this afternoon. The 4 p.m. NBC 10 anchor was to return today from a vacation he'd requested prior to being pulled off air July 3 after being questioned by station management over an alleged incident of vandalism of colleague Lori Delgado 's car. Meanwhile, sources tell us that Delgado's car, which was said to have been severely keyed, was a brand-new Lexus. Bummer. As for DeMentri's car, one of his neighbors at his Center City high-rise says that the Frankford-raised and able-bodied newsman routinely parks in a handicapped space there.
Brady, Congress, honor Valli
Frankie Valli was surprised onstage at the Mann Center Friday by U.S. Rep. Bob Brady , who presented the singer and former "Sopranos" actor a congressional resolution, which Valli's longtime friend Jerry Blavat suggested. The Geator introduced Valli at the show and also took the stage for Brady's speech in which Valli was also presented an American flag flown over the Capitol in his honor. The Geator's weekend rubbing elbows with politicians didn't end there. Yesterday, at Gov. Rendell 's request, he - along with Chubby Checker and Bobby Rydell - presented a retrospective of Philly sounds and dances at the National Governors Association meeting at the Convention Center.
Out and about
Monica Malpass looked Cougarific in a skin-tight red dress as she tore up the dance floor at the Philadelphia Style Hot List party Thursday night at the Crystal Tea Room. The 6ABC anchor and a younger companion worked it on the floor to the sounds of CTO's Big Walt and the Groove . Phils slugger Pat Burrell looked as though he should be on the dance floor, perhaps doing Latin swing, with his loud white and purple, leaf-printed shirt and heavily-pleated black pants. The mag celebrated the launch of its new issue, which features Plymouth Meeting actor Terrence Howard on its cover.
* The newest Sixer Elton Brand dined at Rouge (205 S. 18th) Friday on classic chicken and mashed potatoes. While eating, Brand, there with a pal, also did a live phone interview with 610 WIP's Howard Eskin .
* Van Morrison hosted South Philly born rocker Charlie Gracie at his Thursday show at the Tower Theatre. Morrison and manager Willie Richardson arranged to meet Gracie and his family before the show and again at the Four Seasons on Friday. Gracie's opened for Morrison a couple times, and the pair have been pals since the 1990s when Morrison started popping up when Gracie played in Newport, South Wales, not far from Morrison's England home.
Justice talks Phils on Big Talker
The Big Talker 1210 AM's Dom Giordano has Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito tonight on his 6-to--10 show. The pair will talk about the court and the Phillies, as Alito is a lifelong fan. *
Visit PhillyGossip.com for Dan's latest stories. Have a tip? Call 215-854-5963, or e-mail grossd@phillynews.com . For recent columns, visit go.philly.com/dangross.
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