Harry and Larry are coming to town, so it’s official: Charlotte is about to make history.
Harry Rubenstein and Larry Bird are curators of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in D.C.
And as soon as they get their fill of Tampa, they’re heading to CLT. Wielding large portfolios, they’ll spend convention week collecting campaign signs, buttons, posters, hats, sunglasses and other Obama-Biden 2012 novelties.
Talk about a cool job!
“Harry and Larry,” as they’re known, have been collecting convention stuff since the late ’80s. Some of what they carry off ends up in exhibitions such as “The American Presidency” and “The First Ladies.”
In the Queen City, these scholarly Smithsonian dudes will also interview delegates, vendors, convention speakers, protesters … maybe even a few journos. (Give us a call, guys.)
OK, so there’s more celebs
If you’re keeping a list, here are more confirmed celebs for convention week:
•
Rosario Dawson(“Unstoppable”) and
America Ferrera(“Ugly Betty”) are expected to show at the Voto Latino Policy Forum (Sept. 4) and the “Purple Carpet Bash” (Sept. 5).
•
Kathy Mattea,
and
Biz Markiewill be among the 20-plus acts serenading 15,000 journos at the Charlotte host committee’s $2 mil media party, Saturday at the N.C. Music Factory.
• Actress
Thora Birch(“American Beauty”) will be here as a California delegate.
Kal’s a pal of NASCAR
Best place to bump into actor-activist Kal Penn convention week: NASCAR Hall of Fame.
The “Harold & Kumar” star confessed to the Dish that he’s a big fan of the sport. And that he hopes to slip away from the convention long enough to check out all the vintage stock cars on display.
“That’s on my list,” said the co-chair of President Barack Obama’s campaign.
His fav drivers: Joey Logano and Leilani Münter.