Gulp!
Is New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s nose growing in proportion to his waist? The GOP star, who has a reputation for direct answers, is raising suspicions when it comes to his weight.
â—†To wit: Christie, who was the butt of fat man news cartoons when considering a bid for president last year, continues to tell the press he is losing weight.
â—†Scale hell: Christie, who was in Washington, D.C., last weekend for a Governor’s Association meeting, was spotted at the Fiola restaurant Saturday night eating meatballs, cavatelli pasta and ricotta-filled donuts.
Grab a napkin.
$$$$$$ …
“Them that gots, gets.”
It should come as no surprise real estate whiz Katherine Chez Malkin, the beauty with the gray hair, is the listing agent for the sale of basketball legend Michael Jordan’s $29 million mansion in Highland Park. Her new hubby is Chicago real estate mogul Judd Malkin.
Gekko Gab …
Action! Actor Michael Douglas, who played greedy Gordon Gekko in the hit film “Wall Street,” agreed to cut the FBI public service announcement against insider trading because – too many people were coming up to him on the street slathering admiration for his movie character.
â—†$$$: Douglas cut the ad for free.
The Murdoch Scandal …
The turn of the screw!!!! The Sun. In other words, the boss’s phone got hacked: Rebekah Brooks, the former editor of press tycoon Rupert Murdoch’s News of the World – which was closed in the wake of a major phone hacking scandal, had her phone tapped bigtime.
â—†To wit: Turns out her phone was hacked twice a week by her own colleagues at the News of the World. Gads!
Sports Shorts …
â—†Call ’em: Athletic stellars Tim Tebow and Jeremy Lin may be on the opposite sides of the sports spectrum – but they’ve become pals and phone chat regularly.
â—†Cover ’em: Kudos to Chicago Bulls three-point specialist Kyle Korver for donating 280 new winter coats last week to the By The Hand Club For Kids, which mentors youths at risk.
Book ’em …
A woman approached Mayor Rahm Emanuel one the Brown Line recently and reminded him about the last time they met on the train.
Emanuel had recommended two books for her to read.
“I loved them,” she said. “What’s my next homework assignment?”
Emanuel, who initially recommended “Unbroken” by Laura Hillenbrand and “The Warmth of Other Suns” by Isabel Wilkerson, suggested she read “The Sense of an Ending” by Julian Barnes.
â—†Quoth Rahm to his fellow bookworm: “While the rest of Chicago has [One Book, One Chicago], you and I have our own book club.”
Hmmm ….
Is a new political juggernaut in the making?
Sneed hears Gov. Jim Thompson, a Republican heavyweight, and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, are big invitem items these days.
â—†To wit: Thompson, who helped raise millions for “Jobs for Youth Chicago” is such a fan of Preckwinkle, he asked for her to personally present him with the award he was getting from the organization last Thursday at the Chicago Hilton.
â—†Up shot: Sneed also hears Preckwinckle is hoping to incorporate Thompson’s political savvy in finding ways to shore up Cook County’s fiscal problems.
Stay tuned.
The age thing …
Ring Ring: Several of actor Dennis Farina’s old cop pals from his days at the Chicago Police Department were quick to point out a keystroke slipup in Sneed’s column Wednesday. They wanted to absolutely positively set the record straight: Farina in not 58 … he just turned 68. Thanks guys.
Lob lore …
Retired tennis ace Martina Navratilova is joining the cast of the 14th season of “Dancing With The Stars.” Imagine. Wonder who her partner will be?
Sneedlings …
A Guinness World Record set this week: Longest paper air plane throw by former Cal QB Joe Ayoob – 226 feet, 10 inches – beating the old record by nearly 20 feet … Thursday’s birthdays: Justin Bieber, 18; Ke$ha, 25; Mark-Paul Gosselaar, 38; Javier Bardem, 43; Ron Howard, 58; Alan Thicke, 65; Roger Daltrey, 68; Harry Belafonte, 85; Dirk Benedict, 67, and Don Lemon, priceless.
