Kup's Column

June 24, 2003

BY IRV KUPCINET SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST

GOV. BLAGOJEVICH will proudly receive the Abraham Lincoln award at the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence luncheon on Wednesday at the Hotel Intercontinental. Other awardees include Rep. Jan Schakowsky, state Sen. Antonio Munoz, state Reps. Eileen Lyons and Harry Osterman.

STATE'S ATTORNEY Dick Devine is divinely happy over the birth of grandchild Patrick Fitzgerald Devine to son Matt Devine and wife Maura Farrell. Matt is a former press secretary to Rod Blagojevichwhen the governor was only a congressman. Maura is a former assignment editor at WBBM-Channel 2. Congrats to the family.

SAY WHAT? The lovely vocalist-actress Brandy ("Moesha") and her hubby, record producer Robert Smith, are calling it quits after almost two years of wedded bliss and a baby daughter. Brandy wants out. This comes at a bad time for Smith, whose father died last week.

LOCAL photog Christopher Jacobs, who recently did a private photo shoot with guitar sensation Carlos Santana (performing at the Tweeter Center in Tinley Park July 5), just finished shooting new portraits for the likes of radio commentator-author Studs Terkel, George ("Funk Master") Clinton, Tommy Chong and Gregg Allman. Chris and wife, Chrissy, recently opened an advertising agency.

HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON will be the center of attention on Friday at Phil Stefani's 437 Rush eatery, where she will be talking about her super best seller Living History, which is flying off the bookshelves around the country.

HEDY RATNER, co-president of the Women's Business Development Center, recently received a Public Service Award from her alma mater, the University of Chicago.

THEY COME AND GO: Sorry to report that after less than a year the Napa Valley Grill on State has closed. But welcome to Joe Marchetti's ristorante and the opening of another Wildfire eatery, now in Schaumburg.

GABRIELLE DYSON, daughter of WGCI-WVAZ radio head honcho Marv Dyson, is saying adios to Chicago for at least six months while she is busy teaching English in Mexico. Good luck to this smart University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign grad. . . . Congrats to the Wyndham Hotel's Allison Watson on her promotion to Director of Meeting Services.

EATIN' OUT: The handsome multimillionaire Andrew Firestone, who was the centerpiece of ABC's "The Bachelor" reality series and selected former Chicagoan Jen Schefft to be his future bride, dined with one of his pals at the Tavern on Rush. I guess Jen must be busy making her wedding plans, right Andy? . . . At another table, actor and Chicago native Billy Zane ("Phantom," "Titanic") entertained his parents for their 50th anniversary. . . . The Grotto on State was hopping last week with sports celebs including the Detroit Red Wings' Chris Chelios, the Chicago Bears' Tom Thayer and Mike Ditka. . . . Former Guv George Ryan and wife Lura Lynn eatin' at Manny's over the weekend. . . . Actress Jessica Lange and her entourage dined at Carmine's last Sunday.

ACTRESS Penelope Cruz (Tom Cruise's lady) is now sporting a snazzy, chin-length bob haircut while pop singer Britney Spears should have never cut her blond locks. That's just our "hair-raising" opinion.

RAP STAR Bizzy Bone, the former lead in the group Bone, Thugs-n-Harmony, has dropped a hot new CD titled "Bizzy Bone presents Double R." Double R (who sounds just like the late rapper Tupac Shakur) and Bizzy will be doing a concert in Maywood this August featuring Chicago's own Flawless.

MARY J. BLIGE, known as the "Queen of Hip Hop," will be in town next month to hype her latest single "Love at First Sight" from her new CD "Love & Life," dropping in stores Aug. 26.

BIRTHDAYS: Marge (Neil) Hartigan, Scott Craig, Mick Fleetwood and Peter Weller. On Wednesday: Nancy Klimley, Arnie Matanky, Carly Simon, Jamie Brown and June Lockhart.