A Hoya's Dad Gives the Marriott G'town Fever

There's little doubt who's No. 1 at the JW Marriott downtown. (Mark Indre, JW Marriott)

Forgive the folks at the downtown JW Marriott if they've gone a little Hoya-mad -- decorating the hotel lounge in Georgetown banners and pennants, and serving a menu of "Hoya dogs," bright blue Hoya martinis (bartender won't say what's in them) and "Final Four" burgers. You see, it turns out that the father of junior forward Jeff Green works there.

How do we know? Guess it's gotta be the big sign they've put out front: "JEFF GREEN'S DAD WORKS HERE!!" Also, the T-shirts bearing the same message that they've printed up for Jeff Green Sr.'s colleagues on the banquet staff.

"We're very proud of Jeff Green and his son," said hotel rep Mark Indre."It's like a family here. When you walk in every day, everyone's asking about Jeff Junior."

The local celebrations are a little quieter for fellow hometown Hoya Roy Hibbert. All quiet at alma mater Georgetown Prep -- spring break this week, though that allows the school's president, the Rev. William George, to journey to Atlanta. And Hibbert's old grade school, St. Michael's in Silver Spring, has standardized tests this week, though principal Kathleen McCann says the kids will make banners and cards to honor their tallest-ever alum (6-8 when he left eighth grade).

His parents, from Bowie, are going to Atlanta, of course, which will halt all the phone calls. "We've had about 20 calls at our home," said mom Paddy Hibbert."From Nevada, from Florida, from New York. My sister in the Caribbean wants to come, but I tell her, 'No tickets.' They just have to watch it from home."

Something in the Air: A Channel 4-Letter Word

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No one's perfect -- not even Barbara Harrison. The ladylike morning anchor at Channel 4 apologized on-air yesterday for dropping a naughty word during Monday's 10 a.m. newscast.

Harrison and partner Joe Krebs were monitoring the live news coverage of Anna Nicole Smith's autopsy results when the medical examiner announced the probable cause of death, the sleeping drug chloral hydrate. "Chloral what?" Harrison muttered under her breath into a mike that she didn't realize was on. "He just said it. [Manure!]" The slip was so unlike the strait-laced Harrison that the crew wasn't aware she'd cussed, much less that it was broadcast live. Of course, someone quickly posted the 30-second clip on YouTube, even though she wasn't on camera at the time.

Harrison declined to comment yesterday. Darn.

THIS JUST IN . . .

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Jack Valenti, who was the face of the Motion Picture Association of America for decades, suffered a stroke late last week and is recovering at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. Doctors for the 85-year-old Valenti are "encouraged by his progress," according to a statement from a family friend, Warner Bros. Chairman Barry Meyer.

Snoop Dogg and Diddy canceled their British tour yesterday after officials denied the Doggfather a visa -- hinting that his presence would "not be conducive to the public good." The controversial rapper (a.k.a. Calvin Broadus) was arrested a year ago for starting a brawl at London's Heathrow Airport, and was detained by Swedish police earlier this month for suspected drug use. Dogg and pal Sean Combs were scheduled for five shows in the country.

The Clinton name is still golden in Hollywood: Hillary Rodham Clinton raised $2.6 million at a star-studded fundraiser Saturday -- twice the amount Barack Obama got last month at David Geffen's celebrity bash. Barbra Streisand, James Brolin, Ted Danson, Paula Abdul and Berry Gordy were among the 700 guests whom Sen. Clinton schmoozed at the home of billionaire Ron Burkle.

HEY, ISN'T THAT . . . ?

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Kathie Lee Gifford browsing the Shirlington boutique Le Village Marché yesterday. Regis's former co-host -- who penned the musical "Saving Aimee," opening next month at Signature Theatre just down the street -- wore black velour sweats, wandered the store with daughter Cassidy and an actress from the show, and bought a candle holder, French soaps and a vintage trunk as a prop for the play. "You look a lot like Kathie Lee Gifford," a customer told her. "I am her," she said.