Adrian's killing time until football resumes

Preteen boys have responded better to Adrian Peterson's now-legendary vise grip of a handshake than TMZ's franchise founder Harvey Levin.

With the NFL lockout now four months old, the Vikings running back has had time for other pursuits, such as dropping by "TMZ Live" while it was being taped by Levin and Charles Latibeaudiere, the cerebral co-exec producer and one of the show's sex symbols.

Peterson, in L.A. for the ESPY Awards, shook hands with Levin, who instantly erupted with cries of "Ow, ow, ow!" The vociferations were accompanied by undignified jumping up and down like an injured little boy.

"It was a real scream," intoned the TMZ voice-over guy in a segment on their meeting. "There it was, folks, Harvey Levin, injured by a handshake."

"You did that on purpose!" Levin complained playfully, with still more displays of pain.

"You're right," voice-over guy continued, "Adrian greeted you in a polite and respectful manner ON PURPOSE! Let's see it in slow motion!" And they treated viewers to another viewing of the hurtful grip.

Astute viewers of the Thursday edition of the show, which airs at various times during the day on Fox 9, probably noticed that Latibeaudiere's handshake with Peterson did not result in any histrionics.

"Sort of a Nancy Kerrigan" response, quipped Latibeaudiere in describing Levin's reaction. He was alluding to the Olympic figure skater who was clubbed in the knee in 1994 by an agent working for the ex-husband of Tonya Harding, Kerrigan's skating rival.

"That was the hardest handshake of my life. It was excruciating," said Levin.

On Friday I sent Levin a message via Twitter (since I can't send them via my Star Tribune account right now) asking how his wittle hand was. Was he icing it? Did he require medical attention?

A camera person working for TMZ sent more ridicule Levin's way by later asking Peterson, as he entered some L.A. establishment in a blinding blazer, "What did you think about Harvey in person? He's a lot shorter in person, right?"

Peterson replied, "YEAH, he is! He's a COOL GUY, though."

In other lockout appearances, Peterson and the Timberwolves' Kevin Love co-star in a commercial made by "The Official Blake Griffin Channel" that is offering to provide professional athletes to perform odd jobs for $9,000,000.99.

Peterson plays a beekeeper in the spoof, while Love, looking manly in his faint new beard, was swatting flies, welding and deejaying for weddings and bar mitzvahs. Check it out at www.startribune.com/a555.

Vindication for 'Kennedys' The critics panned and savaged "The Kennedys" miniseries. It still earned a load of Emmy nominations.

"How about if I say 10!" said ReelzChannel CEO Stan Hubbard, the New Mexico-based scion of the Twin Cities' Hubbard Broadcasting empire.

An enthusiastic Hubbard said it again: "Yes, 10 Emmy nominations. Including some of the big ones. Both Barry Pepper and Greg Kinnear got nominations for 'Best Actor,' Tom Wilkinson for 'Best Supporting Actor.' 'Outstanding miniseries or movie,' and that's the big one."

It is enough to be nominated? "I think the nomination is more important than the win, when you think of what everybody went through that was part of 'The Kennedys,' which by the way wasn't us. We stepped up [and eventually aired it]. They got total validation from their peers. That's what I'm celebrating."

KimKris St. Cloud sighting "Kim Kardashian and her NBA fiance Kris Humphries leave fans & lunch customers @ Five Guys Burgers and Fries in St. Cloud star struck. t.co/eyvHBqg," read a Friday Twitter post from the St. Cloud Times.

Kris and his dad, Will Humphries, own this and other Five Guys restaurants in Minnesota.

"I like her. She's very kind, she's very gentle. She has a very strong faith, being a Christian -- that's probably what doesn't come across," Kardashian's future father-in-law is quoted as saying in the newspaper.

This is about the fourth sighting of Kim and Kris at that branch. They dash off to that St. Cloud joint so often, it makes you wonder if it's an under-performer (and if the Humphries guys are contemplating the business move they'll make after the public's appetite for designer burgers is satiated).

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.