Published March 4, 2004, in issue #0309 of the Hook

BY HAWES SPENCER

How do local celebrities stack up these days? Let's consider the evidence:

Best-selling Covesville author John Grisham, who shot to fame in 1991 with The Firm, is back at the top of his game, according to the New York Times' Janet Maslin. Here's what she says of Grisham's latest legal drama: ''The Last Juror does not need to coast on its author's mega-popularity. It's a reminder of how the Grisham juggernaut began."

What would you say about a young whippersnapper with the audacity to compete against musical old-timers David Bowie, Tom Waits, and Bob Dylan (average age: 58) for this year's Grammy for "Best Male Rock Vocal Performance"? What would you say if this 37-year-old whippersnapper won for "Gravedigger"? Seven years after leading his band to a Grammy for "So Much to Say," solo Dave Matthews beat out the veterans and fellow 30-something Lenny Kravitz.

Former defensive end for the LA Raiders and Hall of Famer Howie Long led his team to the Super Bowl in 1985. Each Sunday during football season, he leads the analysis on the Fox network. And since 1999, he's led viewers to believe there's something naughty going on between him and Terri Hatcher. Now, he appears on each box of Kellogg's Crispix, the Wheaties of the 21st century. Nothing naughty there.

The verdict is in. Both Grisham and Matthews have appeared on the Forbes list of highest-earning entertainers. So get out there and sell some more cereal, Howie!

John Grisham
PHOTO BY JEN FARIELLO

Dave Matthews
PHOTO BY JEN FARIELLO

Howie Long
PHOTO BY JEN FARIELLO

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