Comic Kathy Griffin has found her happy place: The Buckhead Diner. Griffin, who was here recently to film an episode of "Drop Dead Diva," is back for work on another show. Here's how she spends her free time.

Kathy Griffin posed with assistant manager Sean Ehrman on one of her trips to the Buckhead Diner. It's chic how their outfits coordinate.

Kathy Griffin has visited other, more formal restaurants, such as Bistro Niko. But the servers there probably don't tote their clients, like server Brian Boyle did during one of Griffin's visits to the Buckhead Diner.

We guess there are times when even the Buckhead Diner feels too fancy for the "Life on the D-List" star. Then it's time to hit the Waffle House.

Continue reading Kathy Griffin’s culinary tour of Atlanta »

Newsweek

Newsweek’s cover photo pairing images of the former Kate Middleton, now Duchess Catherine, and the late Princess Diana as if Diana were still alive, isn’t going over big across the pond.

“What inspired the once awesome Tina Brown to become Newsweek’s grave-robber?” demanded a piece in the Telegraph. The column called the image, where Diana’s image has been digitally aged, “ghoulish” and in bad taste.

“This kind of stunt is more suited to a junk-filled tabloid than a serious political magazine, as Newsweek claims to be,” the column continued.

The magazine trumpets “Diana at 50: If She Were Here Now,” by Brown. Its online offerings include this dummy Facebook page, where Diana “friends” Camilla Parker Bowles and her ex, Prince Charles, “likes” the transaction.

So is this unethical or just weird? The invented photojournalism certainly doesn’t purport to be real, which would clearly cross a line. (The AJC has not digitally aged any dead people that I know of. The …

Continue reading Does Newsweek’s Kate-and-Diana cover creep you out? »

Jennifer Hudson, who won an Oscar for her role in “Dreamgirls,” has arrived to join the cast of “The Three Stooges.”  She plays a nun.

“Working with Jennifer Hudson today,” actor Sean Hayes tweeted on Tuesday. “Looking forward to hamming it up with her. I think we should have a sing-off.”

Hayes also tweeted this “sneak peek” photo, at the right.

The project has been hopping around quite a bit and is in Cartersville again today. We understand part of Old Alabama Road near Woodland High School. If you’re driving in that area today you may want to think about another route, although with school out for the summer there’s hopefully not too much traffic.

The movie, also starring Will Sasso, Larry David, Jane Lynch and Chris Diamantopoulos, has put out numerous casting calls for young people and it appears to be working out.

“We got some cute little kids on set today and they keep snapping my suspenders,” Sasso tweeted earlier today. “I keep reacting as Curly and we all laugh and …

Continue reading Jennifer Hudson arrives to join “Stooges” »

Put your game face on, folks. The new football-themed USA show “Necessary Roughness” needs a bunch of extras to work a full day on Wednesday.

Specifically they’re looking for folks who are from New York (or can at least embody a New York state of mind) and who represent the diversity of Long Island, which is where the show is set even though it is filmed here.

From the casting call:

“They should be 35-42 years old, Italian, Puerto Rican, Greek – a real melting pot.”

If you’re interested email your resume, photo and contact information to roughatl@gmail.com with “NY Reunion” in the subject line.

“Necessary Roughness” stars Callie Thorne as a therapist who helps football players work out their issues off the field. Mehcad Brooks stars as one of the players. Here is a great article that gives lots of details about the show.

It’s been filming in Midtown lately.

Continue reading “Necessary Roughness” needs extras »

Lauretta Hannon, left, celebrates with Powder Springs Mayor Pat Vaughn and a swarm of beehive ladies.

We attended a literary function on Saturday where everyone stood around sipping chardonnay and nibbling brie and saying erudite, writerly things.

Ha! Just kidding.

We actually ran down to Powder Springs where local author and National Public Radio commentator Lauretta Hannon, dubbed “the funniest woman in Georgia” by Southern Living, christened The Hive, her new literary loft. “Y’all get some moonshine!” the author of “Cracker Queen” said to the crowd of nearly 200 that showed up. (The signature cocktail she served is also known as Lightning Lemonade, which is quite legal).

Powder Springs Mayor Pat Vaughn read a proclamation welcoming The Hive to the historic downtown strip of shops and restaurants, then assisted with the “ribbon cutting,” where she, Hannon and a bunch of ladies with tremendous hair all snipped yellow police crime tape.

“Only Lauretta …

Continue reading A moonshine toast to the “Cracker Queen” »

Mayor Kasim Reed with artist Radcliffe Bailey and his wife Victoria Rowell at the Friday night opening of Bailey's new show at the High Museum of Art.

Mayor Kasim Reed and a number of local notables joined about 150 arts patrons Friday night for the opening of  “Radcliffe Bailey: Memory as Medicine” at the High Museum of Art.

Bailey’s wife, the actress and author Victoria Rowell, along with actor-actress couple Boris Kodjoe and Nicole Ari Parker, NBA great Julius “Dr. J” Erving and actor and director Kenny Leon were among the dedicated fans who braved the weird weather to enjoy the event. The heavens parted not long before the evening was to start, so the events team hustled to move the “blue carpet” festivities indoors. Nice work!

Radcliffe Bailey and Victoria Rowell wtih Nicole Ari Parker and Boris Kodjoe

Here’s a link to a great interview with Bailey, who moved with his family to Atlanta in 1972 and attended the old Atlanta College of Art next door to the High.

Continue reading Mayor Kasim Reed and local celebs at Radcliffe Bailey opening »

AP photo

Atlanta’s Usher has a sassy business proposal for Pippa Middleton, dubbed Her Royal Hotness by those wags across the pond.

He wants to make her a lingerie model.

Us magazine reports details of the R&B star’s brilliant plans.

“I’m going to be approaching her in the next few weeks and setting up a meeting this summer,” Usher told Us.

Uh .. good luck with that. Given the Firm’s collective heart attack when Carole Middleton, mom of Pippa and Duchess Catherine, was caught chewing gum in public, we’re thinking this idea won’t get very far.

(Then again, the former Kate Middleton is a former lingerie model, sort of, kind of, herself.)

If nothing else comes from Usher’s big plans, we leave you with the hope that MTV UK’s nickname for the famous sister sticks: P-Middy.

- Jennifer Brett/The Buzz/jbrett@ajc.com

Continue reading Usher to Pippa: model lingerie for me »

Jazzy Rebel Photography

Kandi Burruss, Phaedra Parks and Sheree Whitfield, three of the “Real Housewives of Atlanta,” hit the gym last night.

The ladies weren’t there to pump iron but to strut their stuff.

The occasion was the VIP pre-opening fete for Urban Active Buckhead, an upscale fitness center at 3535 Peachtree Rd. The 40,000 facility is tricked out with training areas and indoor tracks, 115 pieces of cardio equipment, a free weights floor, along with a fully supervised kids’ playroom with computer and gaming stations, movie viewing area, basketball court and even a nursery.

Urban Active plans a community grand opening from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday if you’d like to check it out. They’re planning more celeb visits from noon to 1:30 p.m., with actress Jasmine Guy confirmed to stroll the red carpet.

Others on the list include Atlanta Falcons player Harry Douglas, former Falcon Jamal Anderson, former Baltimore Ravens player Daniel Wilcox, singer Brandi D, actor Chris …

Continue reading “Housewives” Kandi Burruss, Phaedra Parks, Sheree Whitfield hit the gym »

AP photo

Is it time to say “See ya, Snooki? So long, Situation?”

Us magazine reported that MTV would recast the show to save a few bucks – each member of the cast reportedly makes $100,000 per episode.

“After this group comes back from Italy and shoots season 5 this summer, that will be the end for them,” the mag says, quoting producer sources.

But wait! The magic might not be over!

MTV apparently says the recast rumors aren’t true. So keep your fingers crossed for whichever outcome seems more appealing to you.

Either way, “Shore” fans can be assured of quality screen time with their beloved stars of the reality show – Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, Jenni “J-Woww” Farley and Paul “DJ Pauly D” DelVecchio – have already signed up for spinoffs, Us reported.

And one this is certain: Snooki is also a published author, although reviews of “A Shore Thing” are, uh, mixed. “I LOVE Snooki, don’t get me wrong, but this book is awful,” a reviewer named Sara posted on the Amazon page for the …

Continue reading So long, Snooki? MTV rumored to be recasting “Jersey Shore” »

Doesn't this look like fun? AJC staff photo by John Spink

Are you good at lurching around, affecting blank stares and a displaying a yen for human flesh? Are you ok with long hours and a wardrobe and makeup job that says “Graveyard Chic?”

AMC may have a gig for you.

The network’s hit show is shooting its second season through November and they’re currently accepting applications from folks who want to be extras.

Judging from the scene TWD recently filmed in Cobb County, this likely means they need a lot of folks to stumble around. This photo from that day of filming the zombie parade gives you an idea of what you might be in for.

Email your resume and photo to twdextras@gmail.com. It’s generally a good idea to include height, weight, age and other specs.

Continue reading “The Walking Dead” needs extras »