» Don’t be shy: On May 1, radio personality, attorney, writer-turned-political pundit, and proud Main Liner Michael A. Smerconish puts it all out there at Scottish Rite Auditorium in Collingswood, N.J. Tickets for his one-man stage show have been sold out since mid-March. But with YouTube pumping out reruns, one can only assume that this is a side of Smerconish you’ll have to try very hard not to see. His new book, Morning Drive: Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Talking, delivers “straight talk on hot-button issues” and a behind-the-scenes look at the world of radio and TV punditry. Meanwhile, The Michael Smerconish Morning Show, heard locally on 1210 WPHT-AM, is now national.
» Big break: Back in the fall, West Chester University student Courtney Park received an e-mail about a contest for college a cappella groups. The prize: A spot on acclaimed singer/pianist Ben Folds’ new album, Ben Folds Presents: University A Cappella!, released last month on Epic Records. WCU’s Gracenotes ensemble was one of 18 acts that Folds chose from more than 200, winning his affections with “Fred Jones, Part 2,” which was arranged by Park, Gracenotes’ vice president. The group even performed at a February Ben Folds concert in Philadelphia. Check out their audition for the CD at youtube.com.
Have an inside line on some juicy gossip? E-mail associate editor Dawn E. Warden at dwarden@mainlinetoday.com.
