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*PARTY BUS. Where was the real party last weekend on Cumberland Avenue? Apparently, it was Kenny Chesney's tour bus outside the New Amsterdam Cafe, where he performed.

The country singer was host to dozens of people - mainly unknown cuties of the blond persuasion - who wandered on and off the vehicle prior to the show, which benefited Habitant for Humanity.

And there were the occasional local celebs, too: University of Tennessee Men's Basketball Coach Bruce Pearl was on board. Alas, Lady Vol Sidney Spencer, fresh from a game against Vanderbilt, wanted to be there with the beautiful people, but didn't know the secret password. (We're assuming there was a secret word because The Insider waited outside, too.)

Ken-Ken's announced 9 p.m. show was delayed, in fact, because he and his band took their time watching the Lady Vols play on TV. Then Ken-Ken had his supper.

Sid didn't wanna talk to the Insider because of some stupid NCAA rule about interviews and such. However, the Insider's ears did prick up when she talked to her buddy about how she and the other girls, along with head coach Pat Summitt, were guests at Ken-Ken's Virgin Island home last year.

"The view was unbelievable," Sid said.

When Brucie came off the bus, he had nothing but praise for the singer, perhaps hoping for an invite to that Virgin Islands pad, too, or, maybe Brucie just likes the dude. "He's been a great friend to the Lady Vols," Brucie said, "and he is someone who welcomed me and my family to this town."

He told the Insider he was a fan of Ken-Ken's tunes because "he plays (music) like we try to play (basketball), with unbelievable passion."

For his part, Ken-Ken was all orange when he emerged from the bus in 30-degree temperatures. He wore a sleeveless white T-shirt with a UT emblem proudly on his chest. Now that's a fan - a very cold fan.

* ANY EXCUSE TO TAKE THE SHIRT OFF. Proclaiming himself "hot," singer Ben Taylor - whose DNA is a combo of James Taylor and Carly Simon - took off his very expensive sweater to don a tight-fitting T-shirt during his recent show at Barley's Taproom & Pizzeria in the Old City.

And was he? "Hot," that is?

Well, The Insider's female companion reported: "I could only see a little, but what I saw looked pretty good." The Insider later turned to his companion to witness her leaning back and smoking a cigarette.

Sweet Baby Jane! The man must keep a Bow-Flex on his tour bus. He has three major tattoos and keeps a clean workspace in his upper torso region.

His sister, Sally Taylor, on stage at the time, took advantage of the situation. "Get out your dollars!" she said to the crowd during his brief topless moment. Hey, The Insider likes how the girl thinks. Always trying to make a buck, even if it means having her brother going a little beefcake to do it.

* TOOTH AND NAIL " AND HAIR (Oh my!). Ousted "Survivor: Panama - Exile Island" player Melinda Hyder of Sevierville has been reading what Jeff Probst, the show's host, had to say about her to the Insider recently, and she wants to correct a few things. "I'm going to have a little talk with Jeff next time I see him," she tells The Insider.

She objected to Probst referring to her as having "big hair" and "big, acrylic nails." She says that it's an untrue summation of her appearance.

"Hello! My hair is too short to be 'big.' " And, people, I always wear my nails very, very short," she explains. "He just kind of exaggerated a little bit about the whole hair and nail thing."

And with that, she's taking her flat hair and stubby nails and going home to Sevierville, where she's mulling plans to do a music theater show in North Carolina. Take that, Jeffy!

* DRAFT DODGER. And in another "oh-no-I-didn't-just-say-that" moment, our beloved David Keith, who is Knoxville's greatest living thespian, has called the Insider to say he's not doing a sequel to "Behind Enemy Lines," as has been reported.

The news has been widely publicized by the international entertainment outlet dubbed Moviehole.com, out of Australia.

"I was very surprised to read (The Insider because) I hadn't heard a thing about (a sequel)," he said in his telephone message.

Though the Insider sat by his phone for a while waiting for Davy to call, he did not. But we're glad he did leave a message, and we're glad he has such fine taste in reading material.

And while we have your attention, the Insider sends kudos for "Locust: The 8th Plague," which ran recently on the Sci-Fi Channel. Seriously. Man-eating locust? You can't beat that with a stick.

* WORDS TO LIVE BY. "Sir, this officer candidate requests permission to see you in private. Sir." - Richard Gere, "An Officer and a Gentleman."

© 2006, Knoxville News Sentinel
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