C.J.: Steve & Sharon are coming back to Twin Cities to host JDRF gala

There'll be famously "Good Company" at the annual JDRF MinnDakotas Gala at the Depot in Minneapolis on Oct. 5, because Steve and Sharon will be the emcees.

"Good Company," for the uninitiated, set the platinum standard for local afternoon shows for the 12 years it ran on KSTP, as proven by how many Oprah producers it generated. The show also sparked a romance between hosts Sharon Anderson and Steve Edelman, who married and had a son, David Edelman, who now works at the White House for the National Economic Council.

When "Good Company" ended, Sharon went on to do other TV shows, all produced by her husband's Edelman Productions, a leading creator of cable programming that once had a raft of programs on HGTV. Steven now does life planning workshops.

When I caught up with them Tuesday at their office in San Francisco, they told me why this gala, raising money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, is special to them. And, as always, whenever I talk to Steve, I was reminded of history.

"You know, during 'Good Company' days, they came to us saying they wanted to start this walk at Mall of America, which was new at that time," Sharon said. "So we helped them begin this Walk for the Cure way back then, and now they're celebrating, what, 20 years, darlin'?"

Steve: "Yeah, exactly. It was actually when the Mall of America first started and people don't remember this, but back then there was concern that the mall was going to be a white elephant."

I laughed at my memory being refreshed, while Sharon said, "Really?"

"Not only that, but it was January," said Sharon. "So where are you going to get a walk with a lot of people? Walk for the Cure we did in '93. I have a plaque on my wall."

When asked if there would be a walking element to this event, Steve said, "We're walking to dinner." And his audience, Sharon and me, laughed.

"No, the walk is going to be another time. This is pretty much a toast to honor big JDRF supporters," she said.

Their friends, Phil and Marcia Marcus, are among the founders of the MinnDakotas chapter being honored. Marcia and Phil were responsible for Sharon and Steve getting involved in the first place. Their sons, David and Ross Marcus, were toddlers when Ross was diagnosed with diabetes.

"We were all devastated, of course," said Sharon. "At the time it was very scary. You have to do what you can do for friends; we raised money for the cause. Because they are incredibly responsible, disciplined people, Ross has grown up be a successful, productive man."

Christian Ponder's passing issue can't be blamed on his wedding ring.

Ring's on the left hand; QB's a righty. But I would think wearing a ring during a football game, as he did Sunday during the loss to the Browns, would be a safety issue.

That's best illustrated by the Cardinals' Rashad Johnson losing the tip of his middle finger during a game; and he doesn't remember how.

Now, we know Ponder's darn proud of his marriage to ESPN's Samantha Steele Ponder, but if the QB gets that finger stuck in a facemask or under someone's pads …

Hey, Christian, have you seen the fingers on the Vikings logo currently out there on the Web? The guy in the horns and the braids is covering his face in shame, or maybe frustration.

By the way, Brett Favre's agent says he could still play.