Tony: Name Dropping & Rocking the Bells @ KC Confidential Holiday Party

Most of the time, my holiday season is spent avoiding people and hitting up loved ones for money. This is the first time I’ve been privy to a well-known Kansas City fact, Hearne Christopher knows how to throw a helluva party. Last night was the 1st Annual KC Confidential Holiday Bash and I have to admit there was a hell of a guest list. It’s probably bad form to name drop all of the people in attendance so I thought I should perform the honor given that I was seriously impressed with all the Kansas City big names that came to Rock the Bells with the staff of a blog.

Mayor Funkhouser and family showed up at Jardine’s to celebrate the holidays with Hearne and company. Gloria Squitiro didn’t make the scene but I can only assume that’s because Kansas City’s home for Jazz is a classy place and requires shoes. Accompanying Mayor Funky were his daughter Tara, his son Andrew and the Black dude they had heretofore kept hidden in the attic who I believe still dates Tara. Let’s overlook that he lived with the Mayor for around a year while his lady was in grad school out of town – A situation that’s every bit as weird as all of the other details we’ve heard regarding Funky family life.

But the Funkhouser fam weren’t the only big names in attendance. Check it:

32nd District Missouri Representative Jason Grill took time out of his busy schedule in order to attend the bloggy party. Grill is full of useful information, most of which revolves around the fact that a great many Republicans actually support him . . . Which I’m guessing doesn’t make him much of a Democrat, but I digress. Grill is a good guy and without missing a beat he was able to spout the Missouri Donkey Party line noting that the alleged Jeff City FBI investigation that’s driving the Star’s Steve Kraske crazy probably isn’t focused on the Dems because the minority party doesn’t have much to offer.

Merriam Council Dude Dan Leap also partied with KCC. I like Leap’s politics and his recent run for Mayor was one of the most interesting in the metro area with nasty, unclaimed flyers labeling him a hippie circulating weeks before election. Leap lost by a thin margin but even more interesting was his lady friend Shannon who owns The Rock Candy Boutique on 39th Street . . . It sounds pretty cool and definitely a place KC Confidential readers will be seeing more of in the new year.

I spent most of my time at the party eating AWESOME chicken strips while trying to chat up Jennifer Jankesko who writes for this blog. She’ll be featuring more stuff soon and the story of her artistic career is rather interesting in and of itself. Janesko is one of those people who knows just about all of the cool places and people in Kansas City, and I’m convinced that if I had her Rolodex I could rule the world. Then again, If I was a hot blonde I’d probably just sit around the house all day and play with my boobs.

Anyhoo . . . Last but not least Kansas City’s greatest PR dude Will Gregory was in the house with his sweetie to which he recently proposed. She was charming and delightful and all Southern . . . Meanwhile, I’ll continue to have my problems with Will that are for another time and place unrelated to X-mas cheer.

There were many other heavy hitters celebrating the holidays with Hearne & Co who are definitely worth mentioning and gossiping about but all this X-mas spirit makes me want to show a bit of mercy . . . And maybe hope that there’s a KCC Valentine’s party when I’ll definitely remember to bring my camera.

Tony Botello