Philadelphia Daily News Dan Gross Column: Dan Gross: Sir Charles Gets His Fat Butt in the Ring

By Dan Gross, Philadelphia Daily News

Aug. 4–CHARLES BARKLEY needs to shed some pounds, so he’s taken up boxing as his exercise of choice.

The soon-to-be not-so-Round Mound of Rebound has been training at Joltin’ Jabs (4313 Main) in Manayunk. Barkley told us that he’d read that “Joltin’ ” Joey DeMalavez had recently trained NBC 10’s Vai Sikahema for what turned out to be his first-round knockout of Jose Canseco.

“My doctor told me I was a Happy Meal away from diabetes,” Barkley told us Friday. “I have to get my fat ass back together,” he said.

Barkley says he was 330 pounds, but is now closer to 300 and plans to work with DeMalavez throughout the summer while he’s living on the Main Line.

Huggins’ scholarship lives on

Those wishing to donate to a charity in memory of beloved NBC 10 broadcaster Edie Huggins may contribute to the Edie Huggins Nursing Scholarship Fund, c/o Bright Hope Baptist Church, 1601 N. 12th St., Philadelphia, PA 19122. Before she got into television, Huggins — who died Tuesday at age 72, after a long battle with cancer — was a nurse at two New York City hospitals. She started a nursing scholarship for young women some years ago at Bright Hope, where she was a devoted congregant. Huggins’ memorial will be held at Bright Hope at 7 p.m. tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences has postponed the announcement of Emmy nominations until Wednesday from a previously scheduled event tomorrow out of respect for Huggins. Huggins, who spent 42 years at NBC 10, was to pick up the Board of Governors award at the Sept. 13 Emmy Awards. She will still be honored at that event.

Out and about

Tom Jones avoided being pelted with panties during a visit to Club Worship at the House of Blues at Showboat in Atlantic City the other night. The “What’s New Pussycat?” singer performed that night at the Trump Taj Mahal before hitting up on reggae night at Club Worship, where he happily posed for photos with fans.

_ “Today” show financial editor Jean Chatzky was among guests at Philadelphia magazine’s Best of Philly party Wednesday. Chatzky, a Penn grad, is dating Penn grad Eliot Kaplan, a former Philly mag editor, who was part of a magazine staff reunion that took place before the Kimmel Center bash.

_ “Little Miss Sunshine” star Abigail Breslin accompanied CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric on a visit to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia earlier this week to interview doctors and patients about cancer. The CHOP visit was taped for “Stand Up to Cancer,” the Sept. 5 hour-long telethon that will be simulcast on CBS, NBC, and ABC, and co-hosted by Couric, Brian Williams and Charlie Gibson.

Visit PhillyGossip.com for Dan’s latest stories. Have a tip? Call 215-854-5963, or e-mail [email protected]. For recent columns, visit go.philly.com/dangross.

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