'Idol' hoopla hasn't spoiled Maroulis

Constantine Maroulis is obviously Greek, but he was complimented as a mensch over and over again Tuesday night.

The "American Idol" alum dropped by D'Amico Kitchen, just before Maroulis was about to take the stage for an opening night performance of "Rock of Ages" at the Orpheum, which is conveniently located across the street.

Maroulis was making a special appearance at a birthday party for Liberty Carton Co.'s Jack Fiterman.

"My best friend and college roommate is Scott Prisand. He is the head producer of the show on Broadway," said Fiterman. "He called me and said, I'm coming in, let's get all your gang together. I'll get Constantine and the whole gang to come to a party. We had a great time, about 85 of us. My wife, Amy, threw the party for me."

Melinda Jacobs, of theadventuresofmelindajacobs.com, said, "Constantine just hung out with everybody at the restaurant before the show. People thought he was being a mensch. I looked at him and said, 'Honestly, it's opening night. How do you feel about being surrounded by all these young and old bubbies?' There wasn't another word I could think of that was Yiddish. And he started laughing and said, Are you kidding? I'm fine with this."

Fiterman said his friends also hung out with Prisand and Maroulis at the Hard Rock Cafe at an after-party until 1 a.m.

Will Deanna dish?Deanna Favre is scheduled to make appearances on ABC's "Good Morning America" and "Fox & Friends" Thursday morning.

Although the breast cancer survivor was probably booked because it's Breast Cancer Awareness Month, there are sure to be uncomfortable questions as her husband, Vikings QB Brett Favre, is being investigated for a "sexting scandal."

I'm guessing Mrs. Favre would not cancel, because her husband hasn't been avoiding media mics, even though he hasn't answered the questions foremost on our minds: Did you send photos of your privates to Jenn Sterger? Are you really such a publicity hound that you wouldn't simply say This is a setup to these charges weeks ago, thus stopping the corrosive damage to your image? If these charges are true, why didn't you pay for Sterger's silence in August before jumping on a private plane back to Minnesota for the 2010 season?

The morning show interviews will be a success if these questions are tossed at Mrs. Favre: When did Brett apprise you of his sexting scandal mess? Did you accompany Brett to his interview with NFL investigators? Has the NFL asked its all-time leading QB to endure the indignity of dropping trou? Have you looked at the photos on Deadspin? Has Brett ever "sexted" you?

In search of a coachHow low should the Gophers go to find a new head football coach?

On ESPN's "PTI" Wednesday, Tony Kornheiser and Mike Wilbon discussed whether the U should interview disgraced former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach for the vacancy created by the firing of Tim Brewster. (By the way, Brewster's coaching was almost as embarrassing as his Twitter posts, where he used exclamation points like a teenager who'd just discovered what happens when you shift the 1 key.)

"If you can get Minnesota up to the point where they are not losing to North Dakota State, actually get to a bowl game," Wilbon suggested, then someone like Leach can survive at the U a lot longer than he could in Lubbock.

"Mike Leach got fired for the inhumane treatment of [Adam James, son of ESPN's Craig James]," reminded Kornheiser. "He is serving his purgatory, publicly humiliated. But nobody would say he's not a good coach. There are second chances in America. If he goes to Minnesota, if you are in the Big Ten and you bring that spread offense to the Big Ten, Jim Tressel will set his hair on fire. This would be all right with me."

Some Gophers fans might get a kick out of seeing an inferno atop the impeccably neat head of Tressel, Ohio State's football coach.

But be aware that Kornheiser was speaking facetiously.

C.J. is at 612.332.TIPS or cj@startribune.com. E-mailers, please state a subject -- "Hello" doesn't count. Attachments are not opened, so don't even try. More of her attitude can be seen on Fox 9 Thursday mornings.