It's Vincifer on 'Letterman'

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, May 6, 2006

Although Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston have been mum about their romantic relationship, they aren't fooling David Letterman.

With Vaughn as a guest on "The Late Show," Letterman took the approach of presuming the relationship, which has been frequently photographed, but not "officially" confirmed.

"Hey, nice going on that Jennifer Aniston thing," the late-night host says to Vaughn on a taped interview that aired Friday on CBS.

Letterman also tells Vaughn, who stars with Aniston in the upcoming film "The Break-Up," that he thinks they make a nice couple.

An embarrassed and amused Vaughn responds: "It's very nice of you to say that, Dave, thank you. Yeah, it's been kind of interesting for me, and I just choose not to talk about my private life that much publicly."

As the conversation continues, the 36-year-old actor eventually addresses the audience, "Do you like the way he just kind of takes the approach that it's fact?"

Letterman then asks if they aren't a couple.

"I'm not saying we are or aren't a couple," says Vaughn. "I think she's great, but I just don't discuss whether we are."

Reports of a relationship between Vaughn and Aniston, 37, began to surface last fall when the two were shooting "The Break-Up." Neither star has confirmed it.

TIME OUT AT BRUBECK PARK

THE CONCORD CITY COUNCIL next week will consider naming a park after one of its most famous sons: Jazz musician Dave Brubeck.

The council will decide Tuesday whether to rename Concord Boulevard Neighborhood Park the Dave Brubeck Park after the man who helped bring national recognition to the Concord Jazz Festival. He performed at the park during the festival's early years.

The proposed name change comes as the 85-year-old Brubeck will be recognized May 15 by the California Senate. The city plans to host a reception for him the next day.

"Here is someone who is world renowned and thrilled listeners for years with his wonderful (music) -- and we've never really honored him in the California state Senate," Sen. Tom Torlakson, D-Antioch, said.

Born in Concord in 1920, Brubeck attended Willow Pass Grammar School and was one of the first artists to perform at the Concord Jazz Festival in 1969.

Brubeck was the first modern jazz figure to make the cover of Time magazine, and the Dave Brubeck Quartet album "Time Out" was the first jazz record to go gold.

HE'S NOT WHISPERING THIS

A TELEVISION PRODUCER is suing dog trainer Cesar Millan, star of TV's "The Dog Whisperer," claiming that his Labrador retriever was injured at Millan's training facility after being suffocated by a choke collar and forced to run on a treadmill.

In a lawsuit filed Thursday in Superior Court, "8 Simple Rules" producer Flody Suarez says he took 5-year-old Gator to the Dog Psychology Center on Feb. 27 to deal with fears of other dogs and strangers.

Hours after dropping the dog off at the facility, Suarez claimed a worker called to inform him the animal had been rushed to a veterinarian. He later found the dog "bleeding from his mouth and nose, in an oxygen tent gasping for breath and with severe bruising to his back inner thighs," the lawsuit claims.

Suarez suspects the facility's workers of placing a choke collar on the dog, pulling him onto a treadmill and forcing him to "overwork." Suarez says he spent at least $25,000 on medical bills and the dog must undergo more surgeries for damage to his esophagus.

The complaint claims breach of contract, fraud, animal cruelty and intentional infliction of emotional distress, among other allegations. It seeks more than $25,000 in damages.

THE TAXI'S OK, TOO

'SOPRANOS' STAR James Gandolfini took a tumble after his motor scooter collided with a taxi, but apparently escaped unscathed.

"James Gandolfini is fine, and his scooter is in the repair shop," HBO spokeswoman Angela Tarantino said Thursday.

Gandolfini, who plays Tony Soprano on the hit HBO series, was motoring Wednesday along a street in lower Manhattan when the accident happened. He left the scene in another taxi and arranged for his crippled Italian scooter to be picked up to be fixed.

FROM WIRE REPORTS