The Nov. 12 opening night of the Starz Denver Film Festival has lost a little luster. Make that a lotta luster.
Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe, the star of the opening film, “Precious,” has canceled her appearance. She was to walk the red carpet that night with director Lee Daniels and her new BFF, Sarah Siegel-Magness, a producer of the movie.
Sidibe will be working on a Showtime pilot called “The C Word.”
Laura Linney stars in the half-hour dark comedy as a terminal cancer patient. According to Variety, Sidibe will appear as a “teen whom Linney’s character tries to help lose weight and the bad attitude.”
“We pulled out all the stops, but Gabby can’t attend,” says festival director Britta Erickson. “There is no flexibility in her shooting schedule. It’s too bad for us, but it’s certainly great for her, so I can hardly be upset.”
Well, I’m upset — but this opening night is all about the movie. And, according to everyone I know who has seen it, it’s a lotta movie.
Pants on fire.
Hapa Sushi Grill & Sake Bar in Boulder is giving away orange underwear for people taking part in Saturday’s Naked Pumpkin Run. The free briefs and thongs feature the Hapa logo with the memo “Run Responsibly.”
Last year, a dozen naked runners were ticketed for indecent exposure (no convictions), and the police plan to be out ticketing again.
But here’s the deal, says Hapa owner Mark Van Grack. He says you can legally run topless with a pumpkin on your head — you just have to have some pants on. Sounds like a win-win if you ask me.
“Boulder has created a negative vibe with this,” says Van Grack. “But the run is so much fun and everyone just needs to put things in perspective. Have some fun, go run, but be responsible.”
Hapa has a restaurant in Cherry Creek too — but since Denver doesn’t have a Naked Pumpkin Run (yet!), Van Grack isn’t handing out undies down here.
Welcome home, Chauncey.
The Nuggets are back — and so is Chauncey Billups. And he looked great for the opener Wednesday night. He was fouled while shooting a 3-pointer — and he made all three free throws.
He won’t be under any pressure tonight at the launch of his foundation (and another one from wife Piper) at a cocktail party/fashion show at Neiman Marcus. Call 310-649-5222 for last- minute tix.
City spirit.
More than 200 Zombies from DanzArts Studio will do the “Thriller” dance at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at Skyline Park. . . . You remember Sunny Roseman doing the weather with Stormy on Channel 9? He’s on KLZ 560-AM weekdays at 7:50 a.m. sounding off about this and that during “The Laura Ingraham Show.” . . . Greg Dobbs is reskedded to 6 p.m. Tuesday to talk at the Denver Press Club. . . . Is it the curse of the cougar? Dahlia Weinstein and Bill Ward are hosting Wednesday night viewing parties for the ABC hit “Cougar Town” at Ward’s MiniBar. But every Wednesday it rains or snows. . . . Sez who: “It was so cold I almost got married.” Shelley Winters
Bill Husted’s column appears Sunday, Tuesday and Friday. You can reach him at 303-954-1486 or bhusted@denverpost.com. Take a peek at Husted’s next column at .
