I COULDN'T BELIEVE MY EYES Sun 8/29, leafing through that horrid Parade mag in the Sunday paper -- there next to Howard Huge was a plug for hair products from Victoria Gentry's Vain salon! I myself plugged "Dirty Boy Dirty Girl" hair gel two loooong years ago. Sorry Victoria, but your indie cred is shot! Guess it's back to the drawing board!

* * *

SORRY, LADIES, it looks like eligible rocker Duff McKagan of Guns N' Roses is a goner -- I'm told Sat 8/28 wedding bells rang for Duff and his gf Susan (and their little girl Grace!). It's the 35-year-old rocker's third trip to the altar. (Hey Tully's girls: Looks like that was why he was buying that off-the-rack Armani suit two weeks ago -- and flirting up a storm!!) Did G N' R bandmates stop in to celebrate? A certain "big ugly guy with tattoos" may have been Slash -- though so far no word on Axl. It was an afternoon affair at Duff's house by the lake -- and CURSES! He put up a big ol' fence to deter TTS spies! I'll get YOU, my pretty!

* * *

GOT A MEETIN' IN THE LADIES' ROOM.... Former Bourbon Tabernacle Choir members Chris Brown and Kate Fenner entertained the Tractor Tavern Sun 8/29 -- and about four-fifths of the way through their set, in walks the fearsome Ani DiFranco, complete with bleached dreads and "a ratty ol' Cobain-ish cardigan." Soon Ani (who's recording a CD!) and the gals were chattin' at the bar -- and indeed, they're old pals: Fenner & Brown toured with DiFranco in '98. 路路路 HOWEVER! On Sunday afternoon Ani was less than chummy with true blue (and non-crazed) fan Katie when they met on the Orcas Island ferry! Katie grumbles, "My formerly most-favorite musician had a hefty rock star attitude -- she was COLD!" Better check yourself before you wreck yourself, Ani!

* * *

DIRTY GRUNGE BOY! "Venom" writes (and I censor, lest some wealthy boy decide to sue): "If you think former Pearl Jamster Jeff Ament buying a li'l ol' Playboy is new, how did you miss [a certain other grunge-puppy] purchasing dildos and gay porn locally at the Crypt on 8/6? Obviously without shame -- he paid with his credit card!" Ah-HA! I guess that's why they call it "pearl jam!" (Note hilarious semen reference!)

* * *

BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS? Thurs 8/26, 8:15 am, Mike spotted Nick Nolte and a "young hottie" (NOT squeeze Vicki Lewis!) sauntering out of Chez Dominique Cafe on Western Ave -- the pair hopped into a black stretch limo. Film geeks speculate Nolte may be in town to hook up with Seattleite Alan Rudolph, who directed Breakfast of Champions -- though Breakfast debuted at SIFF last May, it's just now hitting the Toronto film fest.

* * *

SPOTTED: Ron Reagan Jr. and the Missus doing the antique thing at the Fremont Sunday Market 8/22. 路路路 Evening Magazine main man John Curley (with Mrs. Bub, who's sporting a nice red 'do), at the trendy new Sapphire Kitchen and Bar atop Queen Anne. Curley tried to look macho in a studly leather jacket, but some imp stuck a smiley-face sticker on his back! 路路路 Q13 news anchor Leslie Miller graced the $75/head Gay City cocktail party "Up on the Roof" at a Capitol Hill penthouse. One admirer -- who thought she was a drag queen at first -- confessed that he was "awed by her incredible eye makeup -- she's one of the few women who can make blue eye shadow work!" Trust me, Les -- in the drag community, that's high praise!

Thanks to my beloved contributors!

shirley@thestranger.com