icepack

by A.D. Amorosi

Some people are charmed. Like Dave Chappelle. Love Chappelle's Show. Have a portable replica of his "Wrap It Up" light box just to quiet gabby assholes. But how else to explain a comic — whose previous career high was Half Baked — raking, reportedly, $50 million from Comedy Central for coming up with "I'm Rick James, bitch!" That phrase, destroyed by white people before poor Rick James had to go and pass away Friday, got abused to the point of near-physical violence (me versus them) over the weekend. (The worst abuse? A retarded Daily News story written by Scott Flander, Aug. 7). I digress. "Charmed" also describes Stephen Starr's rushed-but-ready opening of Continental Mid-town. Does anyone remember the weather before Friday — bleak, black torrential rains with drops hitting harder and thicker than hams? Funny, then, that the skies not only calmed on Friday, but graced a usually jungle-torrid August with calm, cool, elegant autumn winds. That's charmed. The crowds — ensconced in clover-shaped conversation pits, atop Eero Aarnio-designed pony chairs, in line to hit the penthouse rooftop — were proud as peacocks to be there. Their bobbling heads and bending necks, craned as if made of cheap rubber tubing, irksomely watched to see who saw them. Yet, when they spied Starr, they melted. If there were 600 to 800 people that night, Starr could've got 600 to 800 blowjobs. With Continental Mid-town open, Starr's Barclay coming plus Avram Hornik restaurants Jimmy's Milan and Di Bruno's Cafe soon due, here's an idea: While all eyes are downtown, Old City has an opportunity to remake/remodel itself with the funky intimacy of South Street and the tony eclat of RitRow. To Starr (who's got the majority of his restaubars in OC), Larry Cohen and the owners of Fork, Khyber, Glam, Tin Angel: Regroup. Get more cops in. Turn OC around before it's too late. … Then there're places no one wants to go to with people no one wants to be seen with. That's where WB's reality show ElimiDATE will film this week: O'Neal's, Finnigan's, Roosevelt Pub. Where long, hawk-faced women and the piggish men who glove them date savagely and sportingly for the camera. Only Eulogy's Coffin Room seems a fun, fab choice, Aug. 14 at 10 p.m. "Our coffins would come in handy if it was permanent ElimiDATE," jokes owner Mike Naessens. … Shock: Khyber bar manager Lisa Sloat (no longer using her married name, Anderson) has left her post. "It was a mutual thing," says Sloat after having bartended and managed Khyber's bar for four years. "I'm just looking to move on." Look for Steve Simons to manage the bar at present. … Preaching to the converted — that's all it is when Bruce Springsteen, R.E.M. and co. play Moveon.org's Vote for Change show at the WachCenter Oct 1. Poor lil' Michael Stipe'll get spit on a whole bunch during that requisite groin-straining duet with the Boss. … Speaking of the Boss, Bruce Lite (in a nice way) John Eddie will grand-open WXPN's World Café Live venue Oct 9. Also on board is Nat Gutwirth. The Weightman Group creative director will be heading up marketing at WCL. … Chuck D of SugarSmackDaddy fame starts a Latin jazz/surf-soul Wednesday weekly at the Barbary on Aug. 18. … When grrl-party promoters Amanda Leahy and Marion Leary ended their G-Room gigs in May, nothing stopped for Amanda "Glamma." Though neither of them use the name G-Room, Leahy — under the banner "Amanda and Philly Love Project productions presents: Where Queer Girls Go With the Gay Boys They Know!" — has continued throughout the summer, throwing parties at Marathon Grill and preparing for her new gig at Sal's on 12th (200 S. 12th). It has no name as yet, but that will be announced opening night, Aug. 14. Now Leary is back in the game, currently adverting for friends through the G-RoomPhilly list a monthly party for fall called "Elevate." If you want in, e-mail

elevatephilly-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

. While Leary's e-mails end with the line "Don't be fooled by imitation," Leahy tells me, "Marion has been trying to cash in on my events. She is playing pretty dirty. I'm keepin' it real though." More on this soon. … After hosting the first show by Red Pajamas (a Philly supergroup made up of members from the Yarrows, Kandy Whales, Eltro and Cordalene), the Fire has booked Townhall and friends (The Teeth, Nite Lights) for the Aug. 13-14 weekend, one that promises to highlight new Townhall music from American Dreams, recorded with Ian Cross and former RCA staffer Brian Malouf. … WHOWHATWHERE: Chief Kamachi attracted Guru of Gang Starr, WB 17's Alison Harmelin and NBC 10's John Clark to the Five Spot. Sixers Kyle Korver and Marc Jackson back-staged the Tweeter to meet Linkin Park. But why? Bruce Willis was spotted at the Borgata, not only hanging at the craps tables with the regular folk, but at its B Bar. … While we celebrate the birthdays of Club Nostradamus' Robin Parry and painter/Bonehead Tim Bowen, Bob and Barbara's manager Frank "All Beef" Galoardi and wife Melanie welcome a baby boy, Santos Joseph, into the world.