Rome-ing Around; Governor Magnet; Kareem & Sandra

The Insider has been in Rome, marveling over the bunch of rustic hilltop settlements that grew into the Eternal City by welcoming talent from anywhere, absorbing and adapting the best that newcomers of all stripes have had to offer over the past 2,700 years … Absorption and adaptation plays out in various ways and often starts with the arts—reason enough to consider Ebrahim Hamedi, known to fans in his native Iran and throughout the Persian diaspora as “Ebi.” He’s been singing for 50 years, with more than 20 albums and sold-out shows, from Royal Albert Hall to the Sydney Opera House. He’s on pace for another big crowd when his world tour lands at the Segerstrom Center on Nov. 7, thanks in no small part to the vibrant Persian-American community that contributes so much to the diverse economy and cultural landscape. Credit the Segerstrom Center, too, for ensuring a top-notch venue is available as OC absorbs, adapts and enjoys much of the best the world has to offer … When in Rome, have the courtesy to offer your readers plenty of political and media news from back home … Orange County has lately been a magnet of sorts for governors with White House ambitions. Gov. Jerry Brown, a three-time democratic presidential nominee candidate, introduced ICN Pharmaceuticals founder and former Serbian prime minister Milan Panic at a Chapman University event last week. Brown himself, drawing laughter from the packed house, said it was the longest applause he personally ever received in Orange County, said Chapman spokesperson Sheri Ledbetter. Panic, now CEO of MP Biomedicals in Santa Ana, another company he started, talked about his career, American politics and other topics. He’s made multiple donations to Chapman, including for the Musco Center for the Arts, where the outdoor amphitheater will be named for him … This Thursday, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who’s angling for the GOP nomination for president, will be honored at a fundraising dinner at the Laguna Hills home of Eden and John Saunders. John Saunders is a member of the New Majority and OC Lincoln Club and a Newport Beach real estate investor who runs Core Realty Holdings and one of the country’s biggest coin dealerships. Dinner tickets are $2,700 a pop … “Inside OC with Rick Reiff” is set to premier Nov. 3 on PBS SoCaL with a panel that will discuss, among other things, the county’s widening jail informant scandal. Reiff notes that the show is a reprise of the series that ran for seven seasons before converting to the regionally focused “SoCaL Insider.” Those who have agreed to early interviews include U.S. Rep. Loretta Sanchez, State Sen. John Moorlach and former Allergan CEO David Pyott. Reiff continues to co-host PBS SoCaL’s “Studio SoCal.” … Call it a high-Loh strategy for nonprofit Science@OC, which expects a couple of hundred guests for its annual fundraiser Nov. 20 at the Beckman Center of the National Academies of Sciences and Engineering at UC Irvine. The event will reach a high with a taped greeting from basketball Hall-of-Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the 7-footer who invented the sky hook. Sandra Tsing Loh will be on hand to bring you back down to earth. The comedian—known for her Loh Down on Science show on KPCC, among other works—will follow a social hour of wine and hors d’oeuvres. Tickets are $95, and proceeds go to Science@OC’s mission of ensuring local middle school students are “prepared for STEM career pathways.”