WHO WOULD benefit [from New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's run for the presidency]?
"New York, for starters. Or, at least, the glittering constellation of news and entertainment companies, Wall Street firms, political consultants, civic boosters, paid gossips, columnists, pundits and publicists ... who feed ... the impression that unless something happens in New York, it doesn't happen." So says the New Yorker.
Women's world
Depressing but fascinating story in Newsweek about female stars. No matter how good they may be, they seldom gross more than $200 million at the box office. Who among Hollywood's women ever did? Well, surprise, surprise -- that golden girl Nia Vardalos of My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Newsweek tosses in photos of Julia Roberts, Halle Berry and Reese Witherspoon just to confuse us, but none have ever done what the lesser-known Nia did. Newsweek says, "In 40 years, no film about a woman has been No. 1 for the year at the box office."
Technology and globalization have changed the kinds of stories we tell on the screen. "Now movies are not dialogue-driven and that's what female relationships are based on," says Oscar winner Frances McDormand.
Power points
Call me sentimental but I couldn't resist being photographed with two former presidents, a five-star general and a former secretary of state. So there I was kissing up to Bill Clinton, George Herbert Walker Bush and Colin and Alma Powell at the wonderful dinner given by those two Manhattan satellites, Catie and Donald Marron. And I had a chance to remind the first President Bush that the last time I'd seen him at a lunch in Houston, he'd said, "Liz, I want to give you something" and he heaped all of his broccoli on my plate. He said, "Yes, and you can still have it."
The Powells were telling us all about their America's Promise campaign that deals with education, mentoring, health and safe chances for the nation's deserted and needy children. They have been joined by many of the biggest charities and their hopes are to positively affect 15 million American kids. The dinner was a roster of the prominent, influential and powerful.
And also the charming and funny. Bill Clinton spoke first, describing himself as Bush's "straight man" and saying he knows that "I will have to endure the indignity of him speaking at my funeral." He said later, "I love President Bush. I just do. And I'm afraid if I say that, half of his friends will stop speaking to him." Clinton spoke seriously of America's Promise, asking for action in the belief that children can be successful if they have one adult in their lives who can make them believe their dreams can come true.
President Bush the elder got up to say his wife had warned him -- "Never follow Bill Clinton. Nobody can follow him!"
Speaking of their friendship, he said, "People are confusing us with Bob Hope and Bing Crosby. Don Marron won some laughs telling Powell that Larry King had canceled him because of Paris Hilton.
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