Nick Lachey: Nice Guy, Tiffany Shopper

I've always loved to tell stories about celebrities who aren't wacko head cases, who haven't forgotten where they come from. Here's one about Nick Lachey...

Choir members tell me Nick Lachey was an inspirational "regular guy" hanging with them in New York -- until it came time for him to thank them. He ate in the cafeteria with them. He stayed up long hours attending their rehearsals. Before they went on stage for Wednesday's crucial three-song final competition, "he told us he loved us," says John Scott of Covington.

But when it came to saying thanks, the College Hill resident and '92 SCPA grad shared some of the wealth he's earned from MTV's "Newlyweds" and 98 Degrees. He went to Tiffany's and bought each of the 10 female singers a necklace with the letter "C" on it (for Cincinnati). He gave each of the 10 guys a money clip.

And after NBC's wrap party Thursday night in the TV studio, all the singers and their families and friends got on two charter buses and went to a cruise boat on the East River. They took a two-hour cruise up and down the East River and out into the New York harbor to the Statue of Liberty. They had food, open bar and a DJ on the boat. Nick paid for it all, choir members tell me.

What a class act. It's always nice to share a feel-good story about stars who are down to earth. I can't say I've been a big fan of his music, but now I'm a big fan of the man....