How’s this for “ships passing in the night”: A minute or so before Archbishop Francis George and his entourage arrived at the Drake for Wednesday’s lunch, comedian/actor Sinbad and his entourage exited the hotel and climbed into a limo.
More George: Archbishop George caps off his celebratory week with this: violinist Rachel Barton performing “Ave Maria” at the civic welcoming committee’s dinner honoring him Saturday at the Chicago Hilton and Towers.
Political football: INC. hears from several sources that part of a new McDome deal, which is close to reality, might include landing a second National Football League team for the facility. Another team would mean twice as many guaranteed dates–and more revenue–from the stadium. Given the bumbling of CEO Mike McCaskey these days, the climate is right for the Bears to have local competition.
Court report: Oprah Winfrey’s name has popped up on court documents again, and this time it’s in a tug of war over photos by Chicago photographer Paul Natkin that were used in her book “Make the Connection.” The suit, filed Wednesday in Cook County Circuit Court, asserts, among other things, that Natkin’s photos (including that famous photo of her hauling fat in a wagon) were used without authorization and that Winfrey has refused to return several thousand photographs Natkin took as a free-lance photographer for the show. A spokeswoman for Winfrey’s Harpo Productions said, “We don’t comment on legal matters.”
Airwaves: Barbara Weeks, vice president for business affairs at CLTV, has been named Bob Gremillion’s replacement as station boss. Gremillion recently was named CEO of the Sun-Sentinel, South Florida.
Decisions, decisions: INC. hears Gov. Jim Edgar’s son, Brad, has been transferred from Chicago to Colorado. This means the Guv and Brenda will be farther from daughter-in-law Stacey and grandson Dakota. This also means that if Gentleman Jim were to become a U.S. senator and have to reside in Washington D.C., the Edgars would be even farther from their beloved grandchild.
Party time: Veteran Springfield pol watchers say it was obvious Illinois House leader Mike Madigan is back in power: His Tuesday night funder at a local country club was bigger than ever, despite the fact it was scheduled opposite the Bulls. Shuttles had to be used for those using remote parking lots.
Crazy country: A production of the hit musical “Always . . . Patsy Cline” plans to open off-Broadway next month in New York, and you can bet there will be shades of Chicago in it. A production of “Always,” directed by Brian Russell and currently running at the Apollo Theater here, has been so successful that playwright Ted Swindley and national producer Randy Johnson have been in town to check out Russell’s interpretation of the play.
Movie coup: “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” the Julia Roberts-Cameron Diaz picture filmed last summer around Chicago, will premiere here June 23 at Piper’s Alley (the same day it premieres in L.A.) as a benefit for a tree-planting program of the Chicago Gateway Green Committee.
Passages: Thursday birthdays: Peter Benchley, 57; Melissa Gilbert, 33; Beth Henley, 45; Keith Jarrett, 52; Don Rickles, 71; Toni Tenille, 54; Alex Van Halen, 42.
Picture this: Union League Club members might notice their portrait of Theodore Roosevelt is no longer hanging in its customary spot. The painting is being shipped out Friday to Washington, where it will hang on loan in U.S. Commerce Secretary Bill Daley’s office. It’s not a first for the club. When Sam Skinner was U.S. transportation secretary, he borrowed an Abraham Lincoln painting for his office.
