Parker: 'Bachelorette' winner's Web site seeks to help environment

By Penny Parker, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Now that Ryan Sutter has seen his fame fountain dwindle to a trickle, the Vail firefighter and winner on The Bachelorette has had time to funnel his energy into creating a shopping Web site that supports five environmental charities.

Developed by Sutter and pal Dan Nikkel, mixedmarket.com has signed up roughly 70 shopping Web sites - including biggies such as amazon.com, flow ers.com and over stock.com. Users start at mixedmarket.com, then click through to the partner sites to purchase items. After each sale the shopping sites pay a commission to mixedmarket.com, which disperses 20 percent of those funds to four fixed charities and one revolving one (See a list of charities at mixedmarket.com.)

Sutter hopes that a Monday appearance on the Megan Mullally Show will attract more stores and consumers. He chose environmentally focused charities because the issue is a passion for him and wife Trista (Rehn) Sutter.

"Trista drives a hybrid, we eat organic, and I drive a diesel," Sutter said. "We try to do the little things that everybody does."

Sutter came up with the Web site while nursing a torn Achilles tendon for six months after attempting an NFL comeback with the New Orleans Saints. His first attempt at a pro football career came after college at CU-Boulder, where he was a star defensive back.

The Baltimore Ravens drafted him in 1998, but he was cut. The Carolina Panthers picked him up, but he was placed on injured reserve early in the season. After that he was signed by the Seattle Seahawks, but was again cut. Two years ago, he tried out for the Saints."I had just done the Iron Man competition and was in great shape," Sutter said. "I called my agent and asked, 'Has anyone tried to come back to the NFL after six years?' I was invited to the Saints mini camp. The very last practice of the very last day, I tore my Achilles tendon. I was out for six months and started working on this company."

NAKED FUN: They're headlining tonight at DU's Magness Arena, but Barenaked Ladies will begin performing long before that. From 1 to 3 p.m. today the Canadian band will take over the Denver studios of ManiaTV.com for two unscripted hours of live Internet TV.

Expect some songs and the usual BNL hijinks, including a "guitar hero battle" that sounds promising. You can watch at ManiaTV.com. Tickets to the 7:30 p.m. concert are still available at Magness.

BLOW ME DOWN: When I had enough hair to care, I was all about the professional blow dry. Now Matthew Morris Salon is stepping up during December to help you look your holiday hottest with a blow dry, polish change or makeup application - including wine or champagne - for free from 5 to 8 p.m. Fridays, beginning Dec. 1. Where? 277 Broadway, Suite D; phone: 303-715-4673.

BIG S ON BIG D: Santa Claus will make a grand entrance to kick off the holidays by rappelling off the giant "D" in the Denver Pavilions "Denver" sign beginning at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

The marquee on top of the 16th Street Mall outdoor shopping center is 147 feet wide and 35 feet tall. Each steel letter weighs 3,000 pounds. No word on Santa's weight this year.

The best viewing? Try the third floor of the Pavilions at 16th Street Mall and Glenarm Place.

GRANDMA AGAIN: Rockin' Realtor Edie Marks and hubby, Mort, are grandparents again. Daughter Lori and son-in-law Jim Conners welcomed Marlowe Elizabeth Conners into the world at 5 a.m. Monday. "She was very thoughtful and held out for the entire Broncos game," Edie told me. All - including the double-doting grandparents - are doing well.

THE SEEN: Rocker Alice Cooper on a flight from Phoenix to DIA on Thursday. My spy tells me Cooper was chatting up folks in Phoenix and on the plane.

EAVESDROPPING on two women at the Westin Tabor Center: "Who cuts your hair?"

"This is a cocktail cut. I have a cocktail and cut my hair."

Penny Parker's column appears Tuesday through Saturday. Listen to her on the Caplis and Silverman radio show between 4 and 5 p.m. Fridays on KHOW-AM (630). Call her at 303-954-5224 or e-mail parkerp@RockyMountainNews.com.