Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony and fiancée LaLa Vazquez hosted a fancy $500-a-head funder for Family Resource Center Wednesday night at the swank Cherry Hills digs of Mark and Ellen Schwartz. About 100 people came for the dinner game, which included Melo playing H.O.R.S.E. with high rollers (Syd Downs, Arnie Meranski, Landry Taylor and Mark’s boys – Ben and Zachary Schwartz).
Former DA Norm Early auctioned off a trip to see MTV in NYC and a Malcolm Farley portrait of Melo the artist did at the party. But Melo’s custom Harley-Davidson, which he bought last year for $22,000 at Chopper’s Dinner, did not sell. He offered it up last August as hole-in-one prize at his golf tourney, but no one won it. So it’s probably going on eBay, proceeds to Family Resource Center.
The news from LaLa – she and Melo plan to marry next summer.
In the crowd was Kelly Young, widow of fallen Denver police Detective Donnie Young. Melo is a big contributor to her kids’ college funds.
Spotted: Barry and Arlene Hirschfeld, Dick and Marcia Robinson, Bob and Wendy Kaufman, Kiki and Peggy Vandeweghe (she in giant-glam Chanel sun shields), Rocky – and just about every TV sports reporter in Denver. “ESPN Hollywood” was also there shooting a profile of Melo – and interviewing him in the Schwartzes’ home theater.
Battle of the bands
Neo-’60s rockers Dressy Bessy, named Denver’s best underground band in The Post’s annual local-music survey last year, is better than Billboard’s No.1 seller, Coldplay.
That’s the news according to NPR and Entertainment Weekly critic Ken Tucker. In a June 22 NPR broadcast, he said, “What person with a healthy heartbeat wouldn’t rather listen to Dressy Bessy? … I listen to a band like Dressy Bessy after listening to Coldplay, and I think I must be living in an alternate universe. … In other words, I think Dressy Bessy is a far more efficient pleasure-machine than Coldplay.”
I like Dressy Bessy’s happy groove rock – and Coldplay’s latest “X&Y” has been beat up big-time by some critics. I tried to listen to it, but my car’s CD player ate it. Swear.
City spirit
Sightem: Mayor John Hickenlooper Wednesday night at the Lion’s Lair, standing up front for the rock of John Doe. Hizzoner fit right in, except for his tucked-in shirttail … Tom Jones at Mao after his Wednesday-night show – eating dinner and hanging out until 2 a.m. Then staffers drove him to the Brown Palace … Bobby McFerrin was running a 103 temp last weekend at Jazz Aspen Snowmass. It looked like he would miss his concert. JAS boss Jim Horowitz asked Lannie Garrett, in town to play the free stage, if she would step in as a sub. Lannie was game, but McFerrin recovered to make the gig … Gwen Stefani skedded to hit Magness Arena Oct. 26 … John Mayer Trio to play the Fillmore Sept. 17 – maybe with Joss Stone as special guest … Michael Feinstein and Peter Duchin Orchestra to play July 15 at the Broadmoor to kick off the Colorado Festival of World Theatre … Sez who: “I don’t deserve this award, but I have arthritis and I don’t deserve that either.” Jack Benny
Bill Husted’s column appears Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Husted also appears on Fox 31 News. You can reach him at 303-820-1486 or at bhusted@denverpost.com.
