Dan Gross: Kyle Kendrick is a dad-to-be

STEPHENIE KENDRICK, wife of Phillies pitcher Kyle Kendrick, told her Facebook friends yesterday that she is pregnant.

"Kyle and I are so HAPPY to announce that we are expecting:-)!!!! We are due September 8th and couldn't be happier! I feel great can't believe 3 months flew by already 6 more to go!!!," wrote the former Stephenie LaGrossa.

She's a co-owner of Old City restaurant Gigi (319 Market) and was a castmate on "Survivor."

It's the first child for the couple, who married in November.

Pros prep for cake war

Who says you can't have your cake and eat it too? Some of the area's best professional eaters such as Royersford's Bob "Notorious B.O.B." Shoudt, Drexel Hill's Erik "Steakbellie" Livingston and Downingtown's Sean "Flash" Gordon are gearing up for the World King Cake Eating Championship on Fat Tuesday, March 8, at the Showboat in Atlantic City.

King cake is a cinnamon-roll-style dessert with Mardi Gras- colored (green, yellow, purple) icing.

Chicago's Pat Bertoletti is looking to defend his title against the guys and also Virginia professional eater Sonya "Black Widow" Thomas, the only woman to have won 610 WIP's Wing Bowl.

Last year Bertoletti ate 10.5 pounds of king cake in 8 minutes to win the event. This year an audience member will be selected to compete alongside the pros at the contest, which starts at 3 p.m. outside the House of Blues.

Director returns to rock docs

Before he made the critically acclaimed "The Art of the Steal," about the battle over the Barnes Foundation, filmmaker Don Argott, of 9.14 Pictures, directed "Rock School" about the Paul Green School of Rock Music.

Argott has returned to the rock-doc genre with "Last Days Here," about Bobby Liebling, singer of the metal band Pentagram, which plays the South By Southwest Festival, in Austin, Texas, in a few weeks. Argott's frequent collaborators Demian Fenton and Sheena Joyce also worked on the documentary about Liebling's attempts to overcome addiction and other demons, with help from his friend Sean "Pellet" Pelletier, formerly of Upper Darby-based metal powerhouse Relapse Records. Pelletier now runs U.S. operations for French record label Season of Mist.

Sheryl Lee in demand

Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph will host CNN's pre-Oscars coverage Sunday night but more dear to her heart is the "Voices of Domestic Violence: Music and Monologues" event she'll star in March 27 at the Painted Bride Art Center (230 Vine). Ralph, one of Broadway's original "Dreamgirls" and the wife of state Sen. Vincent Hughes, presents the benefit for the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence along with 107.9 WRNB midday host Mo'Shay LaRen. Vivian Green, Carol Riddick, Jean Baylor, Barbara Sheree and Treena Ferebee will all perform in the show, directed by Kash Goins.

Showtimes on March 27 are 1:30 and 6 p.m. and tickets are $25 at tinyurl.com/voicesshow.

NFL b-day party in A.C.

Vikings running back Albert Young celebrates his 26th birthday Friday with a party at C5 inside the Chelsea in Atlantic City.

We hear the Moorestown native is expecting Eagles Brent Celek, LeSean McCoy and some Eagles cheerleaders as guests.

Local guy helps Haiti

Rodney J. Snipes, who majored in French at La Salle, has started the French Book Project for Haiti in conjunction with the Samuel Dalembert Foundation. Snipes, who runs a company called R.J. Snipes Exporting, has partnered with a host of Southern colleges, some of which already support former Sixers center Dalembert's foundation, to send books to Haiti.

Bartender to Miami Beach

Andres Sanchez, head mixologist at Positano Coast (2nd & Walnut), is off Friday to Miami Beach for the 4 Orange Premium Vodka Classic Cocktail Competition at the South Beach Food & Wine bar, where he'll serve the Diva to a group of judges in pursuit of a $3,000 cash prize. Sanchez describes the raspberry-orange cocktail as "sensual, delicious and fun, with no boundaries."

It's available at Positano Coast.

Visit PhillyGossip.com for Dan's latest updates or follow PhillyGossip on Twitter. Have a tip? Call 215-854-5963, or e-mail grossd@phillynews.com. For recent columns, visit www.philly.com/DanGross.