Inqlings: No longer waiting for success

How about the guy who, when he hit it big in Hollywood, started waiting tables in Philadelphia.

That's writer/director Ryan Craig.

In July 2007, after filming a few episodes of the TV cooking show Dinner: Impossible here, Craig went out to California to shoot an ambitious indie film called Small Town Saturday Night, an ensemble piece featuring a kid named Chris Pine, who was about to play the part of Capt. Kirk in the Star Trek movie.

Then came the waiting while the film went into postproduction. So Craig turned to the other waiting - at Snackbar, off Rittenhouse Square. By day, he and his writing partner, stand-up comedian Ryan Brown of Haddon Heights, worked on a comedy script.

His customers didn't know it, Craig said, but "I had a finished feature with one of Hollywood's hottest stars in my pocket."

Lionsgate bought Small Town Saturday Night, and Craig gave notice. Its release on DVD will be June 1.

Tuesday, Snackbar owner Jonathan Makar will host a screening at the Ritz Five. Afterward, Craig and invitees will go back to Snackbar for a reception.

Craig and Brown hope their script for 30-Year-Old Boys - a comedy about two dueling piano players - will be shot here.

Former NBC10 anchor

Vince DeMentri

was fired from his new reporting job in New York City over allegations that he slapped a diplomat's chauffeur.

DeMentri, who joined WPIX in March, was in his Audi near the United Nations on Wednesday when he tried to shoo Hurley Senanayake from a press parking zone. Senanayake, who was waiting for Bahamas' ambassador, told New York police that a man, later identified as DeMentri, had slapped his face. Senanayake was treated at a hospital. DeMentri was ticketed on a charge of third-degree assault. The New York Post reported that Senanayake's relatives had said his arm was numb.

DeMentri attorney Joe Tacopina called it a "money play, as evidenced by the fact that the complainant is claiming his arm is numb based on a claim that Vince 'slapped' him in the face. I hope the complainant has been informed of the laws of perjury." Tacopina said he was planning a civil suit but would not disclose potential defendants.

I left messages with Senanayake to seek his side of the story. DeMentri, a hard-nosed guy who's had public dustups and left NBC10 in summer 2008 after an incident involving onetime coworker/paramour Lori Delgado, did not return my messages.

Friends and the wife, sons, and stepdaughter of KYW newsman

Malcolm Poindexter

gathered Wednesday at Bala Golf Club to remember a giant of a man who stood about 5-foot-3 and sang opera in the men's room. Former colleague

Trudy Haynes

led a panel that included

Robin Macintosh

, who called his onetime boss a "kind, gentle man," and former news director

Paul Gluck

, who recalled that Poindexter accidentally had let loose pepper spray in the old newsroom, forcing an evacuation - and had handwritten an apology to each of his colleagues. Poindexter died March 30. The Broadcast Pioneers' monthly luncheon also got a visit from WCAU retiree

Gene Crane

, who turns 90 this week, lives in Mexico with his third wife, and - heck -

you

should look so good.

For a few days running this month, at almost precisely noon, an SUV idled by the curb outside Claudio's in the Italian Market. A man stepped out, walked into the shop, and returned with a container of fresh mozzarella for his passenger.

Robert De Niro

prefers his fresh cheese "cool on the outside and a little warm inside," said owner

Sal Auriemma

, who scored an autographed photo for son

Claudio

. De Niro was here until last week shooting

The Dark Fields

with

Bradley Cooper

. Friday is the last day of production on the thriller.

Not a good couple of months for

Larry Brown

's old 76ers backcourt.

Tawanna Iverson

filed to end her 81/2-year marriage to

Allen Iverson

in March, and

Eric Snow

last week visited the same Fulton County, Ga., courthouse to seek a divorce from his wife of 12 years,

DeShawn

. The couple, who have three sons, were a fixture on the Philly charity circuit. She went on to appear on the

Real Housewives of Atlanta

series.

A great sports moment for former Eagles QB Ron Jaworski last Sunday: He sank a 25-foot putt to win his Ron Jaworski Celebrity Golf Challenge at Atlantic City Country Club, and treated onlookers to a wild victory dance. He and partner Curt Allen of Subaru of America donated their $30,000 winnings to the United Way. See more photos at http://go.philly.com/jaws

Fox29 will pick up

The Kilborn File

, a new half-hour program featuring comedian/talk-show host

Craig Kilborn

, for six weeks starting June 28 at 7 p.m., preempting

The Simpsons

.

Ken Howard, forever the "White Shadow," will wear his hat of national president of the Screen Actors Guild on Monday during a City Hall reception at which Mayor Nutter will acknowledge the 40th anniversary of Philly's SAG branch. Actor Tom McCarthy (The Philly Fan) will be feted for his 30 years as local SAG president.