Dan Gross: 'Oprah' growls at Pa. puppy mills

MAIN LINE Animal Rescue's Bill Smith took out a billboard ad a few months back near Oprah Winfrey's Chicago television studio begging her to do a show about the horrors of puppy mills.

Looks like he got his wish.

Friday's "Oprah" is devoted to puppy mills, which are rampant in the Lancaster area. Smith and MLAR will be featured on the episode and recently teamed up with "Oprah" contributor Lisa Ling, formerly of "The View," to go undercover at Pennsylvania puppy mills where dogs are forced to breed under abusive conditions.

Smith was interviewed on Oprah's couch last Wednesday for the show, which airs at 4 p.m. Friday on 6ABC.

An "Oprah" spokesman says that the billboard played a role in the decision to cover the topic, but adds that "Oprah wanted to do the show because of her passion as a pet owner and as a tribute to her recently deceased and much beloved dog Sophie, an American Cocker Spaniel, who passed away March 10."

Tolly recovering from car crash

Best wishes to Fox 29 sports anchor Don Tollefson, who is recuperating after a serious car accident last week in which he suffered shoulder and neck injuries. Tolly's doctors have advised bed rest for four-to-six weeks, according to an e-mail that 950 ESPN station manager Bob DeBlois sent to staffers about Tollefson, 55, who is a part-time host on the radio station.

"I just wanted to thank all of you for your thoughts, prayers and get well wishes. As I recuperate from the injuries suffered in the car accident, you guys all mean an awful lot to me . . . " is what bounced back when we e-mailed Tolly our well-wishes. No word on any accident details.

Better reasons to diss Rendell?

We asked Gov. Rendell's office yesterday if Rendell cared to respond to MSNBC's smarmy Keith Olbermann, who gave Rendell his nightly "Worst Person in the World" tag on Monday's show for Rendell's positive comments about MSNBC rival Fox News Channel. Rendell spokesman Chuck Ardo e-mailed this reply:

"He may not have a comment, but I am quite sure there are people who can think of better reasons to put him in that position than his defense of Fox News."

Obama going back on 610 WIP

Sen. Barack Obama is to be interviewed again on 610 WIP's morning show between 7 and 8 today. His March 20 appearance made national news after we pointed out, on PhillyGossip.com, his use of the phrase "typical white person," in describing his grandmother.

* Meanwhile, WIP morning host Angelo

Cataldi is now blogging about "American

Idol" at KerriLeeTV.com, a Fox 29 site devoted to anchor Kerri-Lee Halkett. Over dinner at Fleming's in Radnor the other night, Halkett confessed to "Idol" fan Cataldi that she doesn't watch the show. The two were dining with Cataldi's wife, Gail, and Halkett's colleague John Bolaris, with whom she has become quite chummy.

Bacon Bros. help their sister

The Bacon Brothers, comprising Center City-raised actor Kevin Bacon and Michael Bacon, are playing benefit concerts at 7 and 9:30 Friday at the Annenberg Center (3680 Walnut) to benefit Bancroft NeuroHealth, a nonprofit group that helps folks with developmental disabilities, brain injuries and other neurological issues. One of their sisters, Hilda Bacon, is the special-events director at the foundation. The Bacon boys grace the April issue of Philly's edition of Where magazine, a tourist publication.

Hurricane calls in a ringer

When NBC 10's Tracy Davidson turned it over to meteorologist Glenn "Hurricane" Schwartz during yesterday's 4 p.m. "All That & More" newscast, she was surprised to see that Schwartz had shrunk. Standing in for him, as an April Fools' gag, was Jake Stofman, a second-grader at Cherry Hill's James Johnson Elementary, in a suit, bow tie, and glasses. Stofman recently dressed as Hurricane for a school assembly in which he read a report about the weatherman. His parents contacted Hurricane, who offered Jake a role in yesterday's prank. *

Visit PhillyGossip.com for Dan's latest stories. Have a tip? Call 215-854-5963, or e-mail grossd@ phillynews.com. For recent columns, visit go.philly.com/dangross.