Dan Gross: Ryan Howard spotted at Essington strip club

A LOYAL FRIEND kept people from taking cell phone pictures of

Ryan Howard

as he hung out Wednesday night at Lou Turk's (500 Pawhatton), a strip club in Essington. Not surprisingly, Howard attracted lots of attention from the topless dancers. Sources say the Phillies slugger spent a fair amount of time in a private dance area with one of the ladies.

We're told Howard was friendly to those patrons who could get past his hulking friend to say hello to the World Series champion.

On Friday, a co-owner of the club emphatically denied that Howard was there, which is not surprising, as many strip clubs keep their clients' identities quiet.

In other strip club

happenings. . .

Rick's Cabaret (2908 S. Columbus) is slowly introducing its Club Onyx nights, which target an African-American clientele, to the strip club. The chain owns Club Onyx branches in Dallas, Houston and Charlotte, N.C. The Club Onyx theme starts here Thursday, promising the best in hip-hop and R&B.

Club spokesman Allan Priaulx says the Club Onyx spots attract "a lot of athletes, lawyers and other financial types."

* Reformed Playboy Harry Jay Katz and girlfriend Debra Renee Cruz are teaming up with Club Risque (1700 S. Columbus) owners Nick Saponara and Ted Pagano to present a singles mixer called "Craig's Erotic Girls" at the South Philly strip club.

The event, held on the club's second floor, aims to attract folks who have tried using sites like Craigslist to connect for sexual or other affairs to allow them to meet in person in a relaxed environment. The weekly event starts Nov. 26 at 9 p.m. and has a $25 cover. Visit craigseroticgirls.com for info.

_ Cheerleaders (Front & Oregon) has completed extensive renovations and is holding a grand re-opening Tuesday through Thursday. The club now houses original artwork from South Philly erotic photographer Tony Ward. Tomorrow night, 93.3 WMMR's Caseyboy hosts a meet-and-greet of the babes featured in the 2009 WMMR Total Office Calendar. Porn starlet Teagan Presley will be at the bikini bar Wednesday night.

Out and about

South Philadelphia native actress Linda Fiorentino (Remember "The Last Seduction"?) was among a large dinner party at Franco Borda's High Note Cafe (13th & Tasker) Thursday celebrating the opening of Chazz Palminteri's one-man show, "A Bronx Tale," which plays the Merriam through Nov. 23. Sandwich mogul Tony Luke Jr. also was a guest in the party that was hosted by local actor/producer Frank Sisto. We hear that while he's in town, Palminteri will visit Tony Luke's South Jersey home for a screening of "The Nail: The Joey Nardone Story," in which Luke plays an amateur boxer.

On Wednesday night, Jersey funnyman Joe Piscopo brought Palminteri and a few other friends to Chris' Jazz Cafe (1421 Sansom) to catch the Matt Davis Quintet.

* Veteran movie actor David Morse enjoyed a Japanese dinner with a friend at Hikaru (607 S. 2nd) the other night.

Get well soon . . .

Best wishes to Comcast founder Ralph Roberts, who recently broke a hip while playing tennis. We're told the 88-year-old is doing better and has a new titanium hip, which he's been exercising with a walker at home.

(Speaking of Comcast, PBS' Charlie Rose was in town Thursday to interview CEO Brian Roberts in front of staff at the Comcast's 45th anniversary luncheon at the Comcast Center.

* Philadelphia Public Record and South Philadelphia Public Record publisher Jimmy Tayoun is rehabbing after getting a double knee replacement last week at Pennsylvania Hospital.

Drexel label up for indie awards

Drexel's student-run record label, Mad Dragon Records, was just nominated for three 2008 Independent Music Awards in the "College Label of the Year" category for releases by The Swimmers and The Redwalls, and in the "Best Rock/Pop Song" for the Redwalls song "Modern Diet." Mad Dragon, part of Drexel's Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design, won "Best College Label" at the 2007 IMAs for Hoots & Hellmouth's self-titled debut release. *

Visit PhillyGossip.com for Dan's latest stories. Have a tip? Call 215-854-5963, or e-mail grossd@phillynews.com. For recent columns, visit go.philly.com/dangross.