➤ No man or woman loves the Academy Awards as much as I do. As a tot, I wished I had nude-bombed the Oscars just like that streaker did to David Niven. I’m still suspicious about Marisa Tomei’s 1993 win and would pay good money to exhume Jack Palance’s body and see if his retinal retention holds the secret to the true victor. I’d rather gamble on Best Cinematographer while in bed at the Borgata than lose my e-casino cool on slots. The only guy who digs the Oscars like I do is Jimmy Contreras, Philly’s sartorial overlord also known as “JimmyStyle.” He hosts the now-annual Red Carpet Party at 10 Arts (he’s more Seth MacFarlane than Billy Crystal, I can assure) and does so again Feb. 24 at 6 p.m. His special guests: new co-host Kristin Detterline and the Pennsylvania premiere of George Clooney’s Casamigos tequila. “Kristin and I are going to be a mix of Joan Rivers and Kathy Griffin when it comes to red-carpet commentary,” says Contreras, who’ll be as happy doling out best-dressed awards as he will dishing the dressed-down dirt.
➤ The Fader reported that the wretched vocal hook to the “Harlem Shake” video and its countless memes can be traced to none other than Philly’s Jayson Musson. His is the voice sampled by NYC producer Baauer from a track (“Miller Time”) that Musson (aka PackofRats) made when he was in Philly rap act Plastic Little. “Underground kids are cute,” Musson told me for a City Paper story on Plastic Little back in 2006. They still are, Jay.
➤ Ye old Pub & Grub at 20th and Hamilton’s City View Condo complex switches over to become The Gallery Grill this week. The place is staying open during renovations, and the whole schmear should be ready to go the first week of March. There’s a large outdoor deck before you walk into the restaurant (difficult to see from the street), new booth seating and a fresh paint job. Good. No more frat-house feel to angry up the neighbors. New owner Jeff Katz of City Line’s Deli Kitchen fame is bringing a Manhattan-deli feel to Gallery Grill with homemade matzoh-ball soup and brisket. Plus, GG will have an up-market liquor program of fine wine, cool cocktails and craft beer.
➤ Maybe it’s a ’90s thing, the idea of nu-roller derby and banked derby rinks, something this city hasn’t had in 20-plus years. Then again, people still seem to like Krist Novoselic and Die Hard movies, so why not? The new Derby Ink Gardens Arena at 814 Spring Garden (perilously close to Union Transfer, a block that’s emerging as hipster-doofus central) and Love City Roller Derby act as hosts to two men’s teams, Shove City and the Penn Jersey Hooligans, on Fri., Feb. 22. Bring Zima.
➤ Try zomething different at citypaper.net/criticalmass.
