The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
2,000 more reasons to love Donnie Wahlberg
Donnie Wahlberg ,an actor and singer before becoming a restaurateur, is the son of a one-time waitress and bartender, and he honored his mom and dad by leaving a massive tip after a recent trip to a Charlotte, N.C. Waffle House.
“My mom waited tables, and my dad tended bars–for years! So, when I walk into a Waffle House, and the staff treats me like a king, you better believe I treat them like queens!” he posted on his official Facebook page the other day, along with a photo of a receipt showing a $2,000 tip.
The spontaneous act of kindness immediately went viral, possibly contributing to the upbeat vibe at New Kids on the Block’s recent sold-out concert at Infinite Energy Arena. He literally gets the band back together every other year, reuniting with with Joey McIntyre, Jordan Knight, Jonathan Knight and Danny Wood. As AJC music writer Melissa Ruggieri noted, this summer’s “The Total Package Tour,” now concluded, also featured Boyz II Men and Paula Abdul. (Read her review at music. blog.ajc.com).
Wahlberg and two of his brothers, chef Paul Wahlberg and fellow entertainer Mark Wahlberg, are also the purveyors of the Wahlburgers restaurant chain. They’ve recently opened a location in metro Atlanta, at The Battery at SunTrust Park. Naturally, he popped by while he was in town.
“Hadsomuchfunw the gang in Wahlburgers Atlanta!” he posted afterward on Twitter with a short video clip showing him surrounded by an eager crowd. “Thanks to the awesome staff for your hard work and the fans for your patience!”
The A&E reality show “Wahlburgers” chronicles the tales of the guys and their burger joints. Their mom Alma Wahlberg is featured prominently.
“As the mother of nine children, she has seen it all. Alma worked as a bank clerk and nurse’s aide to make ends meet while raising her children in tight quarters on the Dorchester streets where she grew up,” her bio on the show’s webpage reads. “She now spends her days working as a greeter and hostess at her sons’ restaurants where she shares her infectious laugh and sense of humor with everyone who comes to dine.”
Clearly, she raised her kids right.
A-Rod in the ATL
Alex Rodriguez was spotted in Atlanta’s Westside Provisions District the other day, camera crew in tow filming … something. We’re not sure what.
His current ventures include his partnership with TruFusion, a chain of fitness facilities that “spread joy and wellness by offering a sacred space where people from all walks of life can enjoy yoga and fitness classes.” The company says on its website, “We are proud to announce that we have teamed up with iconic baseball star Alex Rodriguez in a substantial ongoing partnership. The World Series champion and 14-time All-Star, who retired from the New York Yankees in 2016, has become a major investor, an equity partner, and a board member in TruFusion.”
In a recent tweet, he said he’d had a “great day shooting for TruFusion and speaking with Fortune Magazine about this new venture.”
There aren’t any locations in Atlanta, near as we can tell, from perusing the TruFusion site. Yet, anyway.
Avengers intel: No. 4 filming soon
We’re told Marvel’s “Avengers: Infinity War” is about done, and after a short break, they’ll crank up again with “Avengers: Whatever They Call the Next One.” The pair of blockbusters, with a combined $1 billion budget, is headquartered at the Pinewood Studios Atlanta facility in Fayette County.