Saturday, October 06, 2007
Quick
Introductions
Making new friends beats killing time on the Net
John Gidding, host of Designed to Sell on HGTV
CREDIT: Courtesy of HGTV |
By Caren West
One of my favorite aspects about my job is that I have the opportunity to meet the most interesting people. Since I’m a MySpace slacker, I finally got around to checking my personal page when I discovered a message from Brian Carothers claiming to be the new morning show host of Project 9-6-1’s “The Giant Show.” Making sure ol’ Brian wasn’t a poser, of course I did a little fact checking only to uncover this little gem:
“My name is Giant Brian. I am the host of ‘The Giant Show’ every weekday morning. I'm married, 6’ 6”, 280 lbs, from Pittsburgh, have a huge penis and am happy as hell that I’m part of The Project.”
After reading this, I knew we would be fast friends and loved that Brian, a stand-up comic and former member of “The Ron and Fez Show” in D.C. and “The John DeBella Show in Philly,” was a great new addition to our market. Instantly escalating our relationship to e-mail correspondence, Giant Brian gave me the skinny on his show, along with his buddy Shaffe who joins on him on the air each weekday morning between 5 and 10 a.m.
“I'm really excited that I can bring something real to Atlanta for people our age and talk about things that matter to us. It is just a real show—not gimmicky, not wacky—just guys bantering about life, news and sports,” says Brian.
I also chatted it up with another radio personality, Tom Sullivan of Star 94, who just joined Dave FM’s Holly Firfer as co-host of 11Alive’s morning show, “Atlanta & Company.” Check it out weekdays at 11 a.m.
I also caught wind that Avelino Pombo, a new neighbor of mine in the Old Fourth Ward, happens to be a producer for HGTV’s hit primetime show “Designed to Sell.” Super cute with a personality to die for, Avelino gave me the scoop over turkey sandwiches at Highland Bakery.
Turns out they are casting right now and looking for fun, energetic people who are selling their homes in Atlanta. The “Designed to Sell” team of experts, armed with a $2,000 budget, will make over three spaces in a seller’s home, in turn selling it for more money and faster. Avelino and crew will be filming 26 episodes over the next two years and have already cast two local real estate experts, two carpenters and the beyond-gorgeous designer host John Gidding as their Atlanta-based team. Interested parties should e-mail Avelino with contact info, photos of you and your home to apombo@edelmandc.com.
Loving the new friend flow, I invited Avelino and John to join my posse at the annual Great Miller Lite Chili Cook Off at Stone Mountain (obviously, I aim to impress). Missing the dynamic duo in VIP by minutes, I was forced to drown my sorrows in chili and beer, and rescheduled another rendezvous during the Diesel “I Heart Atlanta” launch party at the High Museum of Art on October 11. Celebrating the newly opened flagship Atlanta store, the massive soiree will feature guest DJ sets by Cee-Lo and Butch Walker.
My last new friend of the moment came when I grabbed a cocktail at The Globe and happened to meet bartender extraordinaire Russell McQueary. Russell, who just got hitched this weekend to his longtime love, showed us a new designer vodka aimed at invading Georgia and appropriately named Bong Spirit because, well, it’s shaped exactly like a bong. Don’t believe me? Google it. SP
When not attending Atlanta’s hottest parties, tracking down celebs or shopping for shoes, Caren West runs her own PR firm. E-mail her at carenwest@sundaypaper.com.