Pittsburgh Guide » 10Best Bet Awards » Colorful Characters
Pittsburgh 10Best Bet AwardsColorful Characters
We all love to people-watch, to catch glimpses of celebs, and to brag that we saw so-and-so. This category showcases citizens who've made their mark on a town. Here, you'll uncover coffee shops where local politicians gather, corners where quirky street performers show off, and places that have lively shop keepers or dynamic chefs on staff. Discover where these famous folks hang out, where they work, what they eat, and even more that you didn't even know you'd want to know!
Address: Best of the Batch Foundation, 2000 West St, Munhall, PA 15120
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Born and raised in the Homestead, PA, area, Steelers back-up quarterback Charlie Batch never forgot his roots. Once dominated by one of the largest steel mills in the region, Homestead declined after the mill's closure. Batch bought property on the main drag of Eight Avenue to help gentrify the town. He now co-owns...
Address: 31st Street Pub, 3101 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15201
Before Greg Gillis's (a.k.a. Girl Talk) record Nightstalker dropped in stores, both Rolling Stone and Paste magazines named it one of the best albums of 2006. When he's not touring or performing with stars like Beck, Girl Talk visits the 31st Street Pub, a punk rock and biker bar that's known for its dim lighting,...
Address: Martial Arts and Sports Complex, 331 Station St, Bridgeville, PA 15017
Every morning for the past 20 years, Jim Krenn has entertained fans with comedy and commentary on radio station WDVE. He's particularly well-known for his impressions of former Pittsburgh mayors Tom Murphy and Sophie Masloff and for characters like Ralph the Cat and Ben Kingston, Mall Guard. Krenn works out at former...
Address: Elbow Room, 5744 ½ Ellsworth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15232
Pittsburghers know that youthful Luke Ravenstahl frequents charity events, parties, bars, restaurants, and sports events. Ravenstahl – the youngest mayor of a major city – also visits with constituents at Elbow Room. The restaurant serves American cuisine, including homemade crab cakes, 10-oz. burgers, hand-breaded...
Address: Mellon Arena, 66 Mario Lemieux Pl, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Mario Lemieux, former center for the Pittsburgh Penguins and six-time league scoring leader of the NHL, never left Mellon Arena, the Penguins' home. After playing for the team for 17 years, he purchased a stake in it. He's frequently at Mellon, a 36-year-old facility that has a 170,000-square-foot retractable dome...
Myron Cope • Retired Voice of the Steelers
Address: Heinz Field, 100 Art Rooney Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15212
Although he retired a few years back, Myron Cope remains a fixture at Heinz Field during Steelers' games. The 78-year-old former broadcaster was born and raised in Pittsburgh and eschewed a career in New York City to stay in Pittsburgh. Why else is Cope so famous in town? It's not just his nasal delivery and curious...
Phat Man Dee • Singer & Entertainer
Address: Rex Theatre, 1602 E Carson St, Pittsburgh, PA 15203
Phat Man Dee sports a shaved head – save for two long pigtails – and she is ... well, you might say she's a tad overweight. She's been sighted all over the South Side and has even performed something akin to opera at the Rex Theatre, a former movie theater that's been reinvented as an East Carson Street live music...
Sally Wiggin • Reporter & TV Personality
Address: Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, 1 Wild Pl, Pittsburgh, PA 15206
For 24 years, Sally Wiggin has worked at WTAE Channel 4 as a reporter and, presently, as an anchor. She lends herself to many charitable groups, but her love of animals makes her a tireless advocate for the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium. She holds and attends galas there, conducts special reports there, and even goes...
Thomas Starzl • Organ Transplant Pioneer
Address: Neighborhood of Oakland, Pittsburgh, PA
Every day, usually around noon, organ transplant pioneer Thomas Starzl walks his dogs through Oakland – the neighborhood that's home to the University of Pittsburgh, six hospitals, Carnegie Mellon University, the Carnegie Library of Oakland, Dan Marino Field, and the Carnegie Museums of Natural History and Art. Now in...
Address: Firehouse Lounge, 2216 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
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Tonia Caruso hosts On Q Magazine, a news program addressing issues pertinent to Pittsburgh. If you want to catch sight of her after-hours, Tonia is known to frequent the popular Firehouse Lounge. The bar, formerly a fire station, is furnished with low, red, padded benches and beds. Thanks to its large deck and outside...
