Subject:  Mention of Geoff |
Author:
Chris
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Date Posted: 07/15/05 5:23pm
I bold texted the mention of him here
Athletes aren't the only stars in town
Some of Hollywood's most famous celebrities, other greats partake in All-Star festivities.
By Adam Graham, Mekeisha Madden Toby and Susan Whitall / The Detroit News
July 12, Comerica Park
As one of many nonsporting All-Stars on hand at Tuesday's All-Star Game, Brian McKnight made sure not to overstate his importance.
"At an event like this, people come to see the game, not to hear the national anthem," said McKnight, a self-professed "major sports fan" who sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" before the Midsummer Classic. "So I give them as much feeling as I can in a minute twenty (seconds), and I'm out of there."
McKnight, who late in the game stopped to sign autographs for police officers, has sung the anthem at many major sporting events but never before at a Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
McKnight was impressed with what he saw from the city.
"It's great to come to a city were everyone's so concerned about making sure this comes off as a major event," McKnight said. "It's great to see such a concerted effort to help bring downtown back to prominence."
Academy Award winner Billy Bob Thornton, clad in a St. Louis Cardinals jersey with Thornton emblazoned on the back, also attended the All-Star Game -- his first -- on Tuesday. Thornton had been in town since Sunday drumming up publicity for the remake of "The Bad News Bears," which hits theaters later this month.
One such event was held at a Hooters in Novi. "The people here have been great to us," Thornton said "These are my kind of people: Workin' class folks."
Meanwhile, it seemed as though Detroit must have sprung a leak, because hunky "Desperate Housewives" plumber James Denton was everywhere this All-Star week.
When he wasn't playing in Sunday's celebrity softball game or watching Bobby Abreu set records at Monday's Home Run Derby, he was hanging out at the Detroit Zoo with his son, Sheppard. And at Tuesday's All-Star Game, he played driver to Roger Clemens, chauffeuring the Houston Astros ace down the red carpet outside Comerica Park.
He wasn't the only celeb-turned-chauffeur Tuesday. Richard Schiff of "The West Wing" drove Alex Rodriguez on the red carpet in a red Corvette, and funnyman Jon Lovitz gave Gary Sheffield a ride in a silver 'Vette.
David Boreanaz, star of a new FOX show this fall, was also at the game, sporting a New York Yankees jersey with autographs from Roger Clemens and Gary Sheffield. Actress Lynn Whitfield also was sitting behind home plate, hanging out with Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig.
Political opposites George Will and James Carville were both whooping it up on Tuesday. Will didn't have the kindest things to say about the city ("it's a challenge, as we say politely," he said about Detroit), but Carville was more upbeat. "Detroit's looking really good," said the Washington Nationals fan. "There's been a lot of improvements since the last time I was here."
Also seen around the ballpark were professional wrestler-turned-bestselling author Mick Foley and a pink-shirt-sporting Geoffrey Fieger.
Of course, plenty of celebs from the sports world were on hand, including Cal Ripken Jr., Joe Morgan and Tommy Lasorda and former Tigers pitchers Mark Fidrych and Jack Morris. Hall of Fame boxing writer Bert Sugar was seen smoking an enormous cigar, dressed in kelly-green pants decorated with navy-blue whales. Former Detroiter John Smoltz was spotted along the red-carpet parade route with his daughters by his side.
Before the game at Hockeytown Cafe, Reggie Jackson happily signed autographs for fans.
You can reach Adam Graham at (313) 222-2284 or agraham@ detnews.com.
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