Amorosi on the news, nightlife, gossip and bitchiness beats.

by A.D. Amorosi

When I read that the wife of the Chester County director of Emergency Services got nailed in Philly as part of a prostitution sting, three things came to mind. One: A sting hurts. Stop that. Two: West Chester hasn't had anything saucy outside of the Margera clan for ages. Ease up. Three: Would everybody stop focusing on prostitution within government walls just 'cause New York guvs can't keep it in their drawers? Philly hasn't had anything close to that since police Capt. Frank Rizzo hung tight with stripper Blaze Starr. Arroooga.

► On the cusp of releasing Rising Down (we heard it; it's hard), curating June's POPPED! fest (Akron/Family, Mr. Lif) and collaborating with TV on the Radio for tunes going on Danny Glover's Soundtrack for a Revolution doc, the Roots'll announce Philly's hottest show: June 7's Festival Pier picnic with Deerhoof, Diplo, Santogold, Esperanza, Sharon Jones and Gnarls Barkley. (Maybe ?uestlove'll ask Al Green whose Lay It Down CD he produced with James Poyser) I'll bring ambrosia, so don't you bring more. A li'l goes a long way.

► Joe Annaruma is a softie. Only because Philly's hardcore father's Big Fat Ugly brand puts on charity-mostly shows. And because his legendary Throttle's original lineup'll reunite with Deadspot (first gig since '92), Trained Attack Dogs and guys from Pagan Babies for a gargling-razorblade escapade to benefit cancer victim Andrea Collins-Smith, Philly's Punk Rock mommy. It's March 29 at North Star; there's raffles from Crash Bang Boom, AKA, Bad Horse, etc., and no fucking guest list so don't ask. Do this or die, punk.

► If you thought Dia Sawan was just busy color-coordinating his wait staff's uniforms to match the chandelier and dance-night fliers at Vango (he added Brendan Bring Em to Tuesdays), you'd be wrong. Sawan's rumored to have been peeking around 13th and Walnut for a club space with high ceilings.

► It's as if I died and went to cabaret heaven: Penni Gould 'n' Carla Mariani's mood-swinging musical thesps of Mélange Theater, and singing harmonium- 'n' saw-playing mistress Nicki Jaine on one bill — the Balcony, Mon., March 31.

► WHOWHATWHERE: One thing y'all didn't know about the famous-for-Philly Barack Obama speech. Singer Bobby McFerrin and his fam weren't allowed in. No credentials. Perhaps Obama figured they'd scare off any "typical white persons." America Ferrera stumped for Hillary Clinton at 32°. And I do mean "stump": She's so tiny. Plus, have you seen and heard America's newest funnyman? Arlen Specter's been on Jon Stewart's Daily Show and Howard Stern's Sirius gig hawking Never Give In: Battling Cancer in the Senate and is single-bullet hee-larious. "I can give better than he can," Specter was heard to have told a photog at the Jewish Film Fest reception at Symphony House regarding his Stern appearence.

► Book 'em: Schtreet-schmart Richard Price is at the Free Library April 1 reading from 2008's best-so-far Lush Life. I interviewed him during Clockers and can't find it in print or online. I'll give 10 bucks to whomever has a copy. Plus, when Newark Liberty International Airport wouldn't let British author/mega-dandy Sebastian Horsley into the U.S. (moral turpitude, said customs) to promote Dandy in the Underworld, all I could think was, what if Philly's Lord Whimsy got busted for scribing liner notes to Fern Knight's due-soon eponymous third CD? Hear here: fernknight.com/mp3s/sundew.mp3.

► Foodie-musical-chairs: George Markakis, who used to own GiGi at Second, is opening Azul at 10th and Spruce in April. What's GiGi gonna be?

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► After opening for the rub-a-dub Slits at DangerDanger last week, Northern Liberties bring their scorched-earth noise to Millcreek Tavern March 28 with guitarist bud Brian Nothing. They never use a guitarist, so this is big.

► We hadn't heard from Peter "PR" Breslow since he left Breslow Partners September 2007. Yet here he is gabbing up a Labor Day opening for Terry White/Joe Grasso's Union Trust Steakhouse project and brand. Yes, brand. Yum and congrats. Also on the PR-wire, Nicole Cashman & Associates not only landed the GPTMC's national press trip (April 25 to 27) promoting Philly nightlife. They talked Keystone Award-winning ol' City Paper into throwing a Philly food sampling event June 5 at 30th Street Station as part of June's alterna-weekly confab they're helping host. There'll never be enough sliders 'n' microbrew for that crew.

► If you don't know Art Star by now (sing it like Teddy Pendergrass), you'll never-ever know them at Liberties Walk. The clothier/tschotchke shop is moving to 623 N. Second and adding more boy gear.

► Not smelling like roses or fruit: Style TV chef Michael Schulson is opening a Japanese pub, Izakaya, in June at Atlantic City's Borgata. Dig the cold-smoked hamachi belly.

► Chris Twardy opens his doors officially to his O.N.E. at Rittenhouse (the formerly mussed-up Mansion) March 29. It's cleaned up literally and figuratively for all you fans of good karma.

► When Hori Smoku Sailor Jerry opens April 10 during the PhillyFilmFest outside the store it's named for, Erich Weiss and Steve Grasse'll shut down 13th Street and bring on Paint It Black. And so it begins.

(a_amorosi@citypaper.net)