Home >  Lifestyle >  Seen

Monday, July 15, 2002

By Marylynn Uricchio, Post-Gazette SEEN Editor

Anthony and Cleopatra. Romeo and Juliet. Tommy Amoeba and Phat Man Dee. Great romance becomes the stuff of legend when it brings tears to the eyes of your average South Sider. Thousands lined East Carson Street Thursday night to witness what was, without doubt, the wedding of the century. We're only two years into it, but still it would be hard to imagine anything grander than the colorful union that took place in the middle of the South Side Summer Street Spectacular parade.

	Newlyweds Tommy Amoeba and Phat Man Dee raise a latte to love. (Franka Bruns, Post-Gazette)

Man Dee's mom came in from Oklahoma, and her dad arrived from the nation's capital in time to gather at their daughter's loft. While the bride donned her Gloria Vanderbilt duchesse satin and lace gown, artist Elizabeth Keating put the finishing touches on the pink elephant float that would carry the couple through throngs of inadvertent admirers. "Man Dee wanted a real baby elephant, but the parade committee wouldn't let her because of liability," volunteered Keating. "I said don't worry, I'll make you one." And so it came to pass that a van covered with foam and fabric waited in the street below, ready to take the jazz singer and her rock musician beau to their date with destiny in front of the Beehive coffeeshop.

Shades of Princess Di colored the procession -- so many people cheering from the sidelines as the elephant-cade passed. And there was Man Dee, with her perfect beauty queen wave, and a beaming Tommy, accepting the shouts of approval and not hearing the expressions of total disbelief that ran through the crowd like a pickpocket who's been spotted. "Is this a real wedding?" asked one skeptic. Indeed it was. The Rev. Deryck Tines used the couple's real names and united Mandy Lorraine Kivowitz and Thomas August Delfaver in matrimony with the aid of a megaphone and much audience participation. The newlyweds each said "I will" to wild cheers, and toasted their union with giant lattes.

Standing by was the maid of honor, Damon "Big Daddy Bull Seal!" Griffith and bridesmaids (in pretty dresses by Iman B) Christiane Leach, Madeline "Foxy Moxy" Greco, Beth Kivowitz , Shelly Bible and float maker Keating. Best Men Thad Kellstadt, Dave Mansueto and Dan Barone shared the same suit made by Zoe Collins of Threadneedle Street. A menagerie of performers and genuinely odd individuals accompanied the entourage along with costumed guests including a gorilla, doves, Amish folks and one David Rumsui, who painted his whole body green. Music by the Boilermaker Jazz Band gave the procession a Dixieland beat ("Yeah, last week it was a red elephant," they joked).

After the couple sang Mary Tyler Moore's theme song, "We're Going to Make It After All," they left for a reception at Rainbow Castle in Zelienople. The entourage of guests trekking out there included dad Jay Kivowitz ("It's a great town; it's a great day"), Amanda Manol, "Hungry" Bill Pelger, Sharon "Mama" Spell, Buck Knauer, Tom Emmerling, Austin Shifrin, Ray Vasko, Bob Ziller, Mike Shanley, Jennie Benford, Liz Hammond, Brandy Miller and Martin Morgan, Henry St. John with son Collin, Tracy Feldstein, Fred Reedy and Madelyn Greco, Pierre Pre$$ure, Flash-O-Matic, Flo Strader, Patty Maliejewski, Leah McManigoe and Heather Mallak.