Denver restaurateur Rodney Utz had a heart attack Monday night – but he’s doing OK. “It was just a bitty one,” he said Thursday from the intensive-care unit of Swedish Medical Center. He was set to head home that afternoon.
“I’m all right,” he said, “but mentally, it’s kind of a jolt; it kind of scares you.”
Utz owns three Rodney’s restaurants with his wife, Joanne – in Cherry Creek, Tamarac Square and Castle Pines. Three years ago, he had a heart scare, and he had a stent installed, went on statin drugs, quit smoking, quit drinking, changed his diet and began walking a few miles a day. And then this.
“On Monday night, I started to have pains in my hands, arms and jaw,” he said. “So I came to Swedish, and one of my arteries was completely clogged.”
Rodney said he planned to be in his Cherry Creek joint Thursday night (maybe), but for sure this morning to do the books. Stay well, daddio.
Pinheads
Ritter Rules!
Gov. Bill Ritter’s office beat Mayor John Hickenlooper’s office at the Concerts for Kids Bowl-A-Thon on Wednesday night at Lucky Strike Lanes. Both pols were there to bowl, and the six-member teams totaled 540 to 511.
In other lanes, El Salon beat Salon Posh, Capital Grille beat Elway’s.
Dry-aged Rosie
Here’s a mental image I don’t want to have – from The Associated Press: “Rosie O’Donnell says she began being treated for depression after the Columbine school shootings and hangs upside down for up to a half-hour a day to improve her mental state.”
Wait!
NPR’s “Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me!” was skedded to be taped Thursday night in Aspen’s Wheeler Opera House. Peter Sagal and Carl Kasell hosted a panel that included Tom Bodett, Amy Dickenson and Adam Felber. Aspenites Robert Wagner and Jill St. John were the celeb guests in a segment called “Not My Job,” where they are asked questions about things they don’t know about.
Tickets were a whopping $100 each, or $250 for the show and a reception with the hosts. But you can listen in for free from 1-2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at KCFR-1340 AM.
City spirit
We hear former Broncos QB Brian Griese is house hunting in Denver, a way to be near his Denver-based charity Judi’s House. … Ollie Ohnstad celebrates his 60th at Wynkoop Brewing Co. tonight, dancing to the musical stylings of Mid-Life Crisis. … Denver fotog Trevor Brown Jr. has a two-page spread in the March 12 Sports Illustrated, shots of last week’s NCAA Division II wrestling tourney in Iowa. … Rock legends Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Grace Slick and Ronnie Wood are together at the Hotel Monaco today through Sunday in “1967 – A Visual Concert Tour.” It’s an exhibit of artwork and handwritten lyrics from these guys. … Everybody ought to have a maid. They do in “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” May 17 through July 8 at the DCPA. … Sez who: “Guilt is the pledge drive constantly hammering in our heads that keeps us from fully enjoying the show.” – Dennis Miller
Bill Husted’s column appears Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Husted also appears Tuesdays and Fridays on “Good Day Colorado” on Fox 31. You can reach him at 303-820-1486 or bhusted@denverpost.com.
