Photo by Ben Garvin, St. Paul Pioneer Press

I see how he could make a good girl go bad, but Cobra Starship lead singer Gabe Saporta couldn’t have been more elegant on the red carpet at the Starkey Hearing Foundation Awards Gala. He might have attracted more attention in skinny jeans and a t-shirt with messier hair. But all cleaned up, in a classic Paul Smith tux and a big smile, he stood politely under the radar while a handler announced him. He didn’t swear or tweet. The night before the gala, he attended a party at the Starkey founders’ home with Muhammed Ali and Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, but said he was too busy talking with some other guy about poker to be intimidated. Indeed, he seemed at home with the older, upper crust gala crowd – mentioning his dad, a doctor, and talking while I starred (come on, he’s a tall, cute Jewish guy!) about the good work Starkey does not only helping kids hear, but helping rockers avoid losing their hearing with special ear plugs designed for the stage. Saporta has been wearing them a lot this summer – he’s hard at work on Corbra Starship’s next album.

Photo by Ben Garvin, St. Paul Pioneer Press

There’s another sport Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Bernard Berrian loves almost as much as football: shopping. “I shop where ever I am,” he told me on the red carpet Sunday at the Starkey Hearing Foundation Awards Gala. He wore a Dolce & Gabbana suit with shiny black and white oxfords and a dazzling Breitling watch that he said he “tries” (but not too hard) to keep under cover. Berrian has the confidence and style to dress himself, but says he does have “people” who help him shop. In Minnesota, his favorite mall is Southdale Center. Hmm.  J. Crew seems a bit too square. Len Druskin Outlet is a better bet. Who doesn’t love a designer bargain?

Photo by Ben Garvin, St. Paul Pioneer Press

Vanessa Minnillo is gorgeous. Just perfect. No airbrushing needed for that skin. Wow. She wore a long red strapless Issa gown for the Starkey Hearing Foundation Awards Gala in St. Paul, Minn. Sunday and spoke eloquently on the red carpet about the group’s work to provide hearing aids for kids in need. She clearly was the one who steered boyfriend Nick Lachey to this charity, but she deferred to his love of music in explaining their commitment to the cause. She gently ribbed Nick, in Hugo Boss, about his penchant for ironing and told reporters her man is unlikely to follow in his brother and “Dancing with The Stars” champ Drew Lachey’s footsteps on the dance floor. All perfectly adorable and charming. Just one suggestion, Vanessa: lose the chewing gum. It doesn’t look nice.