'Sweet' show

May 8, 2008

BY STELLA FOSTER Sun-Times Columnist

AHOT! HOT! SCOOP: THE LEGENDARY MADONNA will be bringing her "Sticky & Sweet Tour" to the United Center for one night only, Oct. 26, thanks to Live Nation. This hard-working and high-kicking diva turns 50 this year, and her new album is titled "Hard Candy."

Tickets go on sale at 11 a.m. May 17.

AFTER reading about the senseless shooting death of promising Loyola University journalism student Ishma Stewart on Sunday in Canaryville, I am now thinking about Chris Rock and his comic monologue from his "Bigger and Blacker" tour. Rock said: "You don't need no gun control. You know what you need? We need some bullet control! I think all bullets should cost $5,000 . . . You know why? 'Cause if a bullet cost $5,000, there'd be no more innocent bystanders." Now, that sounds farfetched, but maybe he's on to something. (You can see the monologue on youtube.com.)

Guns will always be available through legal or illegal means . . . but getting ammunition should be the hardest . . . I mean the hardest and most expensive commodity to get your hands on. Why? Because guns can't kill without bullets. Did you know that, under Illinois law, an individual has to present a valid Firearm Owner's Identification Card to a licensed gun dealer before being able to take possession of ammunition. And after the criminal-background check is done, you can buy all the ammunition your heart desires. Even bullets for guns you don't own.

I say every bullet should cost at least $50. The extra money can be used for schools, taxes, highway repairs, the mayor's obsession with flowers, etc.

"GUNS DON'T KILL . . . BULLETS CERTAINLY DO!" Yeah, I said it!

CONGRATS TO Barack Obama on winning North Carolina.

JUST IN: Hillary Clinton, who barely won Indiana, will be in Chicago May 22 at the Palmer House for a fund-raising reception.

THE FRIENDS OF THE Parks will honor Bears great Gale Sayers and his wife, Ardythe, on Friday at Navy Pier . . . The Better Boys Foundation's "Friday Night Fights" event is May 16 at the Millennium Knickerbocker. WBBM-Channel 2's Suzanne LeMignot will emcee. The co-chairs are Vonita Reescer, Pam Blackman and Mike Foster.

THE ROCK GROUP CHICAGO is just back from a sold-out tour in Japan and Hawaii. The hot band, upon returning to the States, was asked to appear on the Ellen DeGeneres show that was taped here and aired on Tuesday on NBC5. "The fellas just love her and were on her show once before,'' says manager Pete Schivarelli, "but we were in Florida and had a schedule conflict."

"The group just finished filming in New York an A&E special called 'Private Sessions,' airing June 8," said Schivarelli. Folks can catch the band when it plays at Northerly Island with the Doobie Brothers June 20.

THE BOOK BEAT: Native Chicagoan and author Tim W. Brown will read from his new novel Walking Man on Friday at the Quimby's Bookstore at 6 p.m. and then on to The Book Cellar on North Lincoln at 7:30 p.m. . . . Renowned minister Joel Osteen at Border's on North Michigan July 18 for the signing of Become a Better You Journal.. . . . Politico Dorothy Tillman hosting a "Pre-Mother's Day Tea" at the Spoken Word Cafe Saturday and autographing copies of her Hang Onto Your Hat book.

FORMER CNN anchor Daryn Kagan hits town today to promote her book What's Possible! She will be on the WGN Morning Show on Friday and at the "Ladies Who Launch" event at the Woman's Club of Evanston on Saturday.

THE CHICAGO Public School's Dept. of Education to Careers' fashion show is this evening at the Percy L. Julian High School. The talented South Shore Drill Team will perform . . . The new Alice Tregay/Betty Magness Political Institute at PUSH will have Ald. Sandi Jackson and hubby, U.S. Rep. Jesse L. Jackson Jr., speaking Monday at the PUSH headquarters.

ABOUT TOWN: Christopher Clinton Conway, the new executive director of the Joffrey Ballet, was feted at the Casino recently. The party was hosted by socialite Maureen & E.B. Smith and the guests included Ron Waters, Ashley Wheater, Shelley Farley and Chuck and Candace Jordan. . . . Actor Morgan Freeman dined at Petterino's before seeing "The Ballad of Emmitt Till" at the Goodman. His wife, Myrna Colley-Lee, is the show's costume designer.

IT'S BIRTHDAY TIME: Jim Thompson and Jackie Shen. On Friday: Barbara Scott King. On Saturday: Bono. On Sunday: Bill Rentschler, Milt Pappas and Minister Louis Farrakhan. On Monday:Channel 2's Steve Baskerville.

Well, that's Stella in the City!