Lu Ann Cahn gets a new gig

FORMER LONGTIME NBC10er Lu Ann Cahn has a new gig after departing the Peacock last month.

She's going back to school.

Cahn will be the first director of career services at Temple University's School of Media and Communication.

She'll become an Owl in February after she completes her 30 Dares in 30 Days tour. Based on her book, I Dare Me, Cahn embarked on a road trip to try something new each day for 30 days. She returns home on Jan. 30.

DJ Gene Shay will retire from WXPN's "The Folk Show" after his last show on Feb. 1.

Shay, who turns 80 next month, told me that health issues and a desire to spend more time with his family spurred the decision to leave.

"I have done everything I have set out to do with folk music, and I won about every award there is to get," Shay said.

He added, "I was growing tired working on Sunday nights for years and working on the [Philadelphia] Folk Festival for 53 continuous years. The folk-music crowd has changed considerably. It's not where it used to be. The old guys I used to know are dead or they moved out of town or they're into rock 'n' roll. I want more time with my family."

Shay started his career in radio while in the armed forces. He has been in the Philadelphia market since 1962, with his debut on WHAT. He started "The Folk Show" on WDAS, before bouncing to WMMR, WIOQ and WHYY. It finally landed at WXPN in 1995, after Shay was wooed by former WMMR colleague David Dye, who told Shay that he has tried to mimic his laid-back style. In 1962, Shay co-founded the Philadelphia Folk Festival.

WXPN program director Bruce Warren said "The Folk Show" is set to continue with part-time hosts who have filled in for Shay in the past until a permanent host is found.

Shay said there was absolutely no friction with WXPN at all, specifically praising Warren and general manager Roger LaMay.

"My life has been an unbelievable trip for me," Shay said. "To get to hang out with James Taylor and Carly Simon, to meet Tom Rush, to be friends with John Denver. We've had our health woes but everything has calmed down so I guess it's time to relax. And then I'll be ready to lie down in front of a bunch of people and have them say some funny things."

* "Mob Wives" star Natalie Guercio will perform her new single, "Throttle," at the 21st annual Hair o' the Dog gala on Jan. 17 at the Wanamaker Building's Crystal Tea Room, while "Big Brother" Season 16 housemate Paola Shea takes to the DJ decks. Proceeds go to Unico, an Italian-American nonprofit that helps local charities. For more info, go to hairothedog.com.

* Alicia DiMichele may be gone from "Mob Wives," but another lady will rep the 215 along with Guercio, although they're not particularly friendly (in reality-TV terms, that means that they table-flipping hate each other). Natalie DiDonato debuts on tonight's episode, and to celebrate she'll host a viewing party of VH1's reality show at Voltage Lounge (421 N. 7th St.) starting at 8 p.m.

* Reality star Kate Gosselin and actress Vivica A. Fox stopped by Ralph's at the Comcast Center (1701 John F. Kennedy Blvd., 43rd Floor) for a viewing party of Donald Trump's "Celebrity Apprentice" on Monday night. They were hosted by the Neat Co.

* The promise of a LeBron James sighting at Monday's Sixers game against the Cleveland Cavaliers brought out some celebs, even though King James didn't play. Rapper Meek Mill took in the game courtside, as did mayoral hopeful state Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams, while former team members Theo Ratliff and Darryl Dawkins also took in the Sixers' first home victory.

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