Dan Gross: False alarm for Gardner

6ABC ANCHOR Jim Gardner pursued a big story Saturday night in Center City as he investigated why a fire alarm was going off at the Arts Condo (1324 Locust), where his daughter's bat mitzvah reception was taking place.

"A burnt fuse on the 11th floor of the building tripped the fire alarm, which provided some great sound effects," Gardner recalled yesterday by email.

"We almost had the firefighters light a candle in the candle-lighting ceremony," Gardner joked before adding, "Seriously, it was no big deal. There was no disruption of our party."

Writer Laura Goldman at NakedPhiladelphian.blogspot.com was in the building at the time and snapped a pic of Gardner, with his old friend, retired "Action News" weatherman Dave Roberts, a bat mitzvah guest, and firemen.

The alarm had a spoken message, "There is a fire. Please evacuate," wrote Goldman, who is not related to Gardner, whose real last name is Goldman.

Gardner, meanwhile, is surprisingly funny on Twitter, where people are getting to understand a new side of him (@Jim_Gardner).

Paoli-native comedian Todd Glass came out as a homosexual on yesterday's "WTF" podcast by Marc Maron, who records in-depth interviews with comics.

You can hear it online at wtfpod.com or through iTunes.

Close friends of Glass, 47, have known that the Conestoga High graduate was gay, but his announcement yesterday was his first public declaration and was made in response to the recent string of suicides connected to gay teens' being bullied.

"I cannot listen to stories about kids killing themselves any longer," Glass said, adding that he has wanted to come out for a year.

Glass, who plays Helium Comedy Club (2031 Sansom) March 21-24, said he hopes to help kids, whether it is starting a campaign or finally being honest on stage.

Glass' credits include two seasons of "Last Comic Standing," as well as his own Comedy Central special and appearances on "The Sarah Silverman Program" and "Jimmy Kimmel Live."

Narberth's Aneesa Ferreira and locally raised Mark Long will compete on MTV's "The Challenge: Battle of the Exes," which premieres at 10 p.m. Jan 25.

The show teams Ferreira with her ex-girlfriend Rachel Robinson as they compete in physical challenges in the Dominican Republic for a prize of $150,000. Ferreira, who has danced at Club Onyx (2908 S. Columbus), first appeared on MTV on "The Real World: Chicago." Long, seen on the first "Road Rules" and numerous "Challenge" shows since, is teamed with Robin Hibbard, whom he once dated.

For those unfamiliar, "The Challenge" consists of "Real World" and "Road Rules" contestants, who seem to have all hooked up with and/or fought each other.

"Superman Returns" star Brandon Routh, who played the Man of Steel in the movie, was in town over the weekend promoting the movie "Crooked Arrows" at the U.S. Lacrosse National Convention at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

Injured Flyers captain Chris Pronger will join his wife, Lauren, tomorrow night as she hosts the Flyers Wives Fashion Show at the Bellevue featuring the newest Nicole Miller collection. Fox 29's Mike Jerrick and Sheinelle Jones emcee the 6-9 p.m. event. Tickets are $100-$300 and are available online at comcastspectacorfoundation.com.

Spike Eskin, a former 94 WYSP DJ, who was let go when the station became the FM home of 610 WIP in September, has landed a once-a-week WIP show, though we're told the slot will rotate.

He'll handle social media for WIP and serve as editor of CBSPhilly.com/sports and work as a sports anchor on KYW NewsRadio 1060.

Spike's dad, Howard Eskin, hosts a Saturday morning show for 94 WIP/610 WIP.