Jake Gyllenhaal surprises Philly moviegoers
Also: Ed Rendell runs for senate (on TV) and celeb sightings
TOTAL HUNK Jake Gyllenhaal surprised moviegoers at the Rave Cinemas University City 6 (4012 Walnut St.) on Saturday during a screening of his new thriller, "Nightcrawler."
College students at the screening expected to see the movie (which is winning fab reviews across the board) but not the movie star, who lost 20 pounds off his already-fit frame to play Louis Bloom, an obsessive man who finds himself in the world of freelance Los Angeles crime journalism.
Everyone at the screening freaked upon Gyllenhaal's arrival. After he made his intros, the "Brokeback Mountain" star made sure to take time for selfies with fans.
Before the movie, Gyllenhaal and director Dan Gilroy (he wrote "The Bourne Legacy" and the better-than-it-should-have-been robot-boxing flick, "Real Steel") dined at Stephen Starr's Pod (3636 Sansom St.). Gyllenhaal later decamped to Harvest (200 S. 40th St.), eschewing a chauffeur to make the decidedly short trek. Afterward, he hopped a plane to D.C., where he similarly surprised Georgetown students at a screening.
"Nightcrawler" hits theaters Friday.
When new NBC10 reporter Randy Gyllenhaal was hired last month, I asked him if he was related to Jake or sister Maggie. Alas, he did not respond.
Rendell for Senate?
Daily News columnist and former Gov. Ed Rendell is running for Senate.
At least he is on "Alpha House," the John Goodman-starring show that streams on Amazon Prime.
"Alpha House," created by "Doonesbury" cartoonist Gary Trudeau, is about a group of four Republican senators from varying districts who live together in a Capitol Hill townhouse.
The second season dropped all 10 of its episodes Friday on the streaming service and features a plot in which fictional Pennsylvania Sen. Robert Bettencourt (Philly-born actor Clark Johnson, "Homicide: Life on the Street," "The Wire") faces his first real challenger: Gov. Rendell, who is referred to as "the enormously popular ex-governor."
Rendell even shows up for a cameo in the third episode, being interviewed on a TV news show.
The second season also features a cameo by part-time Media resident Wanda Sykes, who aims an excellent barb at the African-American Johnson's Sen. Bettencourt: "What's the matter Robert? You couldn't make it through clown college? I'll just become a black Republican. It's the same gig."
OUT AND ABOUT
* Monica Lewinsky dined at Parc (227 S. 18th St.) last week when she was in town for the Forbes 30 Under 30 summit, according to the New York Post's Page Six.
* Former Flyer Bernie Parent was seen running the Flyers Halloween 5K on Saturday. The 69-year-old has not lost an ounce of grit: I hear he's training for the Philadelphia Half Marathon next month. Speaking of the Flyers, tickets for the Flyers Wives Fight For Lives Carnival went on sale Saturday.
* Temple's Esther Boyer College of Music and Dance alum and country-rock singer-songwriter Doreen Taylor played to a sold-out room upstairs at Paradiso Restaurant & Wine Bar (1627 E. Passyunk Ave.). After the show, Taylor signed autographs, talked with fans, did interviews and, finally, had dinner with friends.
Big's daughter
Radio must run in the family. Ava Graham, daughter of WIP's Big Daddy Graham, can now be heard doing talk radio weekdays from 1 to 3 p.m. on WPG (1450-AM) out of Atlantic City.
Big Daddy will once again team up with WIP's Joe Conklin for "Two Funny Philly Guys," at the Media Theatre (104 E. State St, Media) on Nov. 8. I heard that WIP's Rob Ellis is also getting in on the action. Tix are available at mediatheatre.org.
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