School daze The Wright way . . .

May 4, 2008

BY MICHAEL SNEED Sun-Times Columnist

Sneed hears that the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Barack Obama's ex-pastor who created a hornet's nest with his incendiary speech at the National Press Club, has decided to bow out of a local event.

• • To wit: Word is Wright was invited to attend the commencement at Kennedy King City College next week. But at last peek, Kennedy King Chancellor Wayne Watson was in a quandary and Wright was reportedly going to be busy that weekend.

• • Hmmmm: Sneed hears rumors that Wright has been permitted to use TV studios at Kennedy King College to practice his sermons and/or speeches. How does this accessibility for a minister jibe with a school that is publicly funded?

The Flipside: Wright "was one of a number of people invited to attend about a month ago, but he was not invited to give the commencement address," said City Colleges spokeswoman Elsa Tullos. "But he declined the invitation due to a scheduling conflict a month a ago.

"The space at the TV studio is available for rent. It's our understanding that Rev. Wright was there on one occasion several weeks ago using the space, which was rented by a [private company].

"Rev. Wright is a former trustee of the City Colleges of Chicago."

A Rezko report . . .

The human factor: Ex-media baron Conrad Black may have asked courtroom artist Verna Sadock for a copy of one of her sketches -- and former Gov. George Ryan may have asked her to include his paisley tie in her courtroom art -- but the day political insider Tony Rezko was released on bond, he pulled a fast one.

• • To wit: Rezko pretended to sketch the courtroom artists during a trial recess. "He was laughing his head off and holding the pencil up and sweeping it across the paper and looking up and then down at the paper and he looked like he was seriously sketching. I guess he was in a good mood because he thought he would get out of jail. It was the first time he laughed in court ever," Sadock reports.

Read 'em . . .

Domestic maven Martha Stewart is reportedly planning a new magazine for women over 50. About time.

Spear 'em . . .

Please note: Singer Britney Spears will have a supervised Mother's Day visit with her sons Sean Preston and Jayden.

Tips & Twaddle . . .

• • Legal eagle: Rumbles are Eric Sussman, lead prosecutor in media baron Conrad Black's federal trial, is leaving the U.S. attorney's office.

• • Mama mia: Restaurateur Phil Stefani spotted at 437 Rush with Giorgio DeRoni, a director of Air One, Italy's largest privately owned airline, to discuss new nonstop service from Chicago to Milan . . . and Stefani's new food service consulting contract with the airline.

• • Attend 'em: Cook County State's Attorney Dick Devine spotted last week at the opening night of "Beauty and the Beast" at Theodore Roosevelt High School . . . 'cuz two of his grandchildren are in the school's musical theater program.

Sneedlings . . .

Belated best wishes to Jerry and Carol Koutsky on their 65th wedding anniversary. "She says she deserves a medal -- but what about me?" quips Jerry . . . Congrats to Sun-Times sportswriter Chris De Luca on having his book, Classic Cubs: A Tribute to the Men and Magic of Wrigley Field, published last month . . . Today's birthdays: George Will, 67; Ron Carter, 71; Randy Travis, 49; Pia Zadora, 54; Neil Hartigan, 70, and Art Berman, 73 . . . Monday's birthdays: Ann B. Davis, 82, and Ald. Dick Mell, ageless.