Dan Gross: Area man keys Geno's car, gets ass kicked

MANY PEOPLE have taken issue with the sticker at Geno's Steaks instructing customers to order in English, but Jose Oviedo says his beef started over Geno's beef.

Oviedo, 39, who was arrested about 7 a.m. yesterday after scratching the passenger- side door of Geno's owner Joey Vento's Cadillac Escalade, says he passed a truck unloading meat about 4:30 a.m. yesterday and noticed the boxes were from Uruguay and stamped November 2009. He asked the workers why the restaurant used frozen meats and then a few minutes later a police car approached him and friends and an officer asked, "Why are you giving Joey's guys a hard time?"

After that is when, in Oviedo's words, "I did a stupid thing." On his way home after hanging out with friends and having "two 12-ounce beers in 2 1/2 hours," Oviedo admits, he scratched the door of Vento's Escalade with "the back of a keychain bottle opener. It was a surface scratch."

He says he was angry that Geno's, which has a close relationship with the police and supports police charities among Vento's other philanthropic efforts, had called police to report him asking questions about the meat.

Oviedo, a server at an Old City restaurant he declined to identify, says a Geno's employee punched him twice in the face after he scratched Vento's Escalade.

"The guy threw a punch at my employee and got cracked. The cops locked him up," Vento said yesterday. Oviedo says he only defended himself. That's just what Vento did about his beef.

"If my meat is bad, they better close the city down," Vento told us yesterday. "I use the best quality meat in the city. It's steer rib-eye. It's top-quality," says Vento.

Oviedo, cited for a summary offense of criminal mischief, was the only person arrested, said police spokesman Sgt. Ray Evers.

Oviedo pleaded no contest to the summary offense yesterday afternoon in Community Court (1401 Arch) and was sentenced to community service and a fine, according to district attorney spokeswoman Tasha Jamerson.

Premiere to St. Louis

So Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg will not be coming to town Thursday. St. Louis beat out Philadelphia in a Facebook contest to host a premiere of their movie, "The Other Guys," which opens in theaters Friday.

Carson does karaoke

Carson Kressley sang karaoke for a surprised crowd in the back room of Teplitzky's at the Chelsea in Atlantic City Saturday night. Kressley, formerly of "Queer Eye" and now seen on "True Beauty," and partner John Guerrera checked into the Chelsea Saturday, lounged by the pool in a cabana and then partied at the hotel's nightclub C5.

And elsewhere in A.C. . . .

Food Network host Guy Fieri, in town for the Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival, brought his wife, Lori, to the Pier Shops at Caesars, where she picked up a $448 handbag at Michael Kors.

* "Secret Life of the American

Teenager" star Francia Raisa celebrated her 22nd birthday at Dusk inside Caesars Atlantic City Saturday with Allen Evangelista, a co-star on the ABC Family show, and more friends.

Out and about

* Actors Michael Cera ("Arrested Development," "Juno"), Anna Kendrick ("Up in the Air"), and Jason Schwartzman ("Rushmore," "Bored to Death") and director Edgar Wright ("Shaun of the Dead") dined at Parc on Rittenhouse Square Sunday before a long day yesterday promoting "Scott Pilgrim vs the World," which opens Aug. 13. Locally raised actor Mark Webber ("Explicit Ills," "Hollywood Ending") can also be seen in the film.

* Rappers Beanie Sigel, Freeway, Peddi Peddi, Ms. Jade and Meek Mill stopped by BET producer Anton Moore's Unity in the Community block party Saturday at 20th & Snyder. DJ Diamond Kuts of Power 99/BET was there, as were state Rep. Kenyatta Johnson and former Tuff Crew member Monty G.

* After performing a sold-out show for 4,000 fans at Penn's Landing's Great Plaza Friday, Black Keys front man Dan Auerbach checked out Silk City (5th & Spring Garden) for DJ Spinna's Stevie Wonder tribute party Friday, along with LiveNation talent buyer Stacie George.

Octane opening for Kiss

Local rockers Octane, winners of a contest through Guitar Center, will open for Kiss Friday at the Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden.

Wrong date for cancer event

The Coaches vs. Cancer benefit we mentioned yesterday will be Saturday night at the Stone Harbor Golf Club, in Cape May, not Friday as we mistakenly reported yesterday. Tickets are available for $125 by calling 215-985-5347 or at phillycoachesvscancer. org.

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 go.philly.com/dangross.