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Star Tribune, Minneapolis, C.J. column: Updates on Jeff Passolt, Shane Tallant (who?) and Chad HartmanMar 10, 2009 (Star Tribune - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Fox 9 anchor Jeff Passolt is getting a divorce. He and his wife have two children and have been married 29 years, Passolt told me Thursday. "It's sad," he said. "I don't want my kids to be hurt. It's a difficult time for everybody." Three days before the divorce petition was filed, I logged the first of two e-mails noting that the anchor was no longer wearing a wedding band. 'I'm not talking to you' HGTV's Shane Tallant's zipper appeared closed but that didn't stop him from going into full cover up. You'll want to see startribune.com/video. The host of "Designed to Sell" was working it as the big celebrity at the Home and Garden Show, where working my nerves seemed to become his hobby. Tallant was standing in the poorly lit curtained-off area of "Kitchen Stage" when I was collecting my coat after an appearance at which I made four pizzas. Right away, he started messing with me. "I'm not talking to you," Tallant said repeatedly with a playful smile. OK, I'll admit it. I didn't have any idea who this guy was, flirting and protesting too much, unprovoked. I must have had a blank expression on my face because eventually I was asked if I knew who he was. Even though I could not see him well, I thought he basically looked like the guy whose photo was shown in the Home and Garden Show's TV commercial. Bingo. So I whipped out the video camera and went to work. Tallant told me he was born in Rochester; HGTV says his hometown is Pittsburgh, Penn. (but I don't know whether I should trust that because the abbreviation for that state is Pa.). I teased Tallant about the fact that he was scarce while I was making pizza (with my homemade dough and sauce; I now have a name for the one I never made before that was a big hit, Pizza Condoleezza), but he was right on time for the presentation by the folks from Barefoot Wine. Word has it that he did not imbibe. Later, when Tallant made an appearance at the "Lifestyle Theater," I shot more video. Unfortunately, I was in a poor position when Tallant left the stage to sit in the audience and bug a kid who was quietly playing a video game instead of paying attention to the TV star. However, I got video of him saying, "I will open the floor up to any and all questions ... except the gossip columnist who is here in the front row [no, I was actually in the second row] videotaping. Now, I'm nervous. I see you. She tried to sneak in here. I have to be on my best behavior. Make sure my zipper's up." As you'll hear on the video, I asked Tallant to hold that pose so I could record it. After readjusting the camera angle, I got my shot as some members of the audience laughed. Common's caddie? E-mailer "Dick Holt" wanted to know what "one of the few sports guys who was able to talk about other, sometimes important subjects," former KFAN show host Chad Hartman, is up to these days. So I became the personification of Facebook, a company whose officials don't return media calls unless they are from NBC. "Chad Hartman calling you. Here's what I'm doing. I came home from my sons' school conferences. Nothing as entertaining as your voice mail, by the way. That story's unbelievable [about Chris Brown allegedly choosing to become an abuser and biter of girlfriend Rihanna]. I'm thinking about this job: Once the snow melts, applying to become Common's full-time caddie. He gets on numerous, fantastic golf courses. I've toted a golf bag around before. Just hand him a club or two and tell him, as he would say, Tell me to knock, down, punch, cut, fade. That's it. All is quiet. Hope you're well." C.J. is at 612.332.TIPS or [email protected]. More of her attitude can be seen on Fox 9 Thursday mornings. To see more of the Star Tribune, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.startribune.com/. Copyright (c) 2009, Star Tribune, Minneapolis Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. |