After Prof. Janaki Bakhle opened her morning class surprised that anyone bothered to show up with "Denzel and Russell Crowe [pictured at right on another set for the same movie] filming at 116th and Riverside," where she was excited that she "saw limos," Bwog could not resist checking out the scene west of campus, where yet another crew was turning our neighborhood into a stage set, this time for the remake of American Gangster. Vintage 70s cars, buses, and police cruisers vied with extras in period dress all along Claremont and Riverside, but, despite the curious absence of security (or perhaps because of it), the two celebs were nowhere to be seen.

What brought the film here? IMDB summarizes the film's provocative plot: "A drug lord smuggles heroin into Harlem during the 1970s by hiding the stash inside the coffins of American soldiers returning from Vietnam." We can't wait.

Meanwhile, a tipster reports seeing "Alec Baldwin was at the Literature and Citizenship event with Orhan Pamuk," which was "part of the Havel series. Baldwin and his female companion were ushered out a back exit after the event ended." Does anyone have further info? Confirmations of these celebs' whereabouts?

-CJS

ABC's Six Degrees has been filming near here all day, and we've managed to locate their food tent! Walk on by Nussbaum, wear a baseball cap, and say you're the best boy!

In other news, it seems as if people on the sets of TV shows do a lot of standing around, and not much of anything else.

Update: Actual free food available on Low Plaza! The Chicano Caucus is having an event to celebrate Dia de los Muertos. There are tamales, arroz con leche and pan dulce up for grabs, and handmade clothing for sale.

For all ye who aren't afraid to venture north to see bad-ass celebrities acting all bad-ass, the movie American Gangster, starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, is filming right now on 135th St.—which, although not technically Columbia territory, might well be within the next few years. The plot involves Guns! Drugs! Danger! The 70's!—in other words, more potential for excitement than Scarlett Johannson could shake a baby at.