A source said that Patriots QB TOM BRADY "will not be attending" the Republican National Convention in Cleveland later this month, "despite speculation to the contrary" (TWITTER.com, 7/5). DONALD TRUMP's campaign promises "political entertainment" at the RNC, with an "emphasis on entertainment." Trump plans to feature his children, with the "hope they'll be joined by a number of celebrity supporters." Prospects include BOB KNIGHT and DON KING. King said, "I'm going to be involved definitely. He's my man. I love him." Other celebs who back Trump have "passed on the chance to be a part of the convention," including MIKE DITKA (AP, 7/5).
LEISURE TIME: Almost every night after dinner with his family, PRESIDENT OBAMA “retreats to the Treaty Room, his private office," where he often "watches ESPN, reads novels or plays Words With Friends on his iPad." Obama "turns up the sound on the television for big sports games." Former Obama aide REGGIE LOVE, who played basketball at Duke, said, "If he's watching a game he will send a message. 'Duke should have won that game,' or what-ever" (N.Y. TIMES 7/3).
LAUGH TRACK: NBC's BOB COSTAS was among attendees at the Aspen Ideas Festival comedy night last Wednesday "to crack jokes" in front of a live audience (ASPEN DAILY NEWS, 7/5). Costas: "I'll be in an airport and somebody will come up to me ... and they begin the conversation with 'What's your name again?' And I'm like, 'Did I miss the first part of the conversation here?' 'What's your name again?' And I say, 'Bob Costas.' And they say, 'That's right!' And I say, 'I get that one right almost all the time.'" More Costas: "I'm standing on a street corner in Manhattan waiting for the 'Walk' sign, and a guy starts coming towards me. And after a while, you know how to anticipate these situations. I can see that he's about to say something to me. Broad smile, he sticks out his hand and says 'Bryant! Bryant! I love you.' And I said, 'This is getting so old. I'm GREG GUMBEL, not BRYANT GUMBEL. I know my brother is more famous than me but can I get a little respect?' And the guy says without missing a beat, 'Oh, Greg, I love you, too!'" (POLITICO.com, 7/5).
NAMES: A court filing alleges that former NBAer CHRSTIAN LAETTNER owes $14.05M "in unpaid debts." Creditors are "trying to force Laettner into bankruptcy and want his financial affairs to be supervised by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court Middle District of North Carolina in Durham" (LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER, 7/3)....The Int'l Motor Racing Research Center presented ROGER PENSKE with the Cameron R. Argetsinger Award (IMRRC)....Late High Point Enterprise writer and editor BENNY PHILLIPS was named the winner of the NASCAR HOF Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence. Phillips, who died in '12, spent 48 years at the North Carolina-based newspaper (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 7/3).
