Start your engines Sunday night with the season opener of “The Amazing Race” at 7:30 on CBS4.
Two of the contestants were raised in Denver — and bring with them the spirit of the West.
Thomas Wolfard, 30, was born in St. Joe’s and went to Smoky Hill High, then to Notre Dame and L.A. His family is still here in Centennial and will host a viewing party Sunday night to see how fast he can run. He’s racing with his girlfriend, Jill Haney.
Also on the show is Ron Kellum, 45, who grew up in Crestmoor Park and graduated from Manual High. He danced with Cleo Parker Robinson’s school and appeared in high school musicals. His family, which owned Duncan’s Men’s Store in Five Points, is still connected to the community.
“It was the opportunity of a lifetime,” says Wolfard. “I have no regrets whatsoever. I went to the most beautiful places in the entire world. Then, it was over in a blink of an eye.”
“Life-changing” is how Kellum describes it. “What a way to see the world. It’ll be good TV. My friends and family will have a great time, at my expense, laughing.”
Local bookies.
Julie Aigner Clark, the Colorado brain behind the Baby Einstein Co. (which she later sold to Disney), is out with a book about breast cancer, which she survived twice. “You Are the Best Medicine” is a story to tell a little girl with a sick mom — and I don’t want to be a spoiler, but it ends happily.
Bill Briggs was a writer at The Denver Post from 1988 to 2006, cranking out stories on sports, crime and city hall and the occasional feature. Now, he’s cranking out books, his latest due Jan. 1, “The Third Miracle: An Ordinary Man, a Medical Mystery and a Trial of Faith.” Find out how a man becomes a saint.
Be happy.
What about a happy hour for kids? No, it’s not cocktails on training wheels. It’s 25 percent off kids meals at Eco-Burger in Cherry Creek 3-6 p.m. weekdays.
Captain Kirk.
Check out the video of 9News’ Kirk Montgomery singing “It’s in Every One of Us” with Jake “Opie” Schroeder and Mary Lee Hancock (wife of City Council President Michael Hancock) on his Facebook page. It’s all very slick — and a fundraiser for Arc Thrift Stores. Montgomery, by the way, will sing it tonight when he emcees the Arc benefit at Rotors of the Rockies in Broomfield.
You can buy a $2 download of the song and tix for the party at . Facebook has the video of Montgomery and the gang.
“I’m thrilled with this,” he says. “I’ve always been a shower singer. I’m too old to be a pop star, but I still love it.”
City spirit.
Central City Press Club meeting 2 p.m. Sunday @ Dostal Alley Pub and Casino. Beer drinking allowed. . . . The Ringling Bros. Circus Train, 61 cars strong, chugs into the Coliseum early Tuesday pulled by Union Pacific Steam Locomotive No. 3985. . . . Denver’s Emily Wilson
just finished “The Secret Lives of Dorks” with Jim Belushi
and Meg Tilly
, and she’s in an upcoming episode of “Entourage” and is finished with the third season of MTV’s “Disaster Date.” . . . Sez who: “Never look at the trombones — it only encourages them.” Richard Strauss
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 /husted.
