Posted on 06/22/2004 6:30:06 AM PDT by ICX
Book publication parties are not necessarily dreary affairs. Last year, Hillary Rodham Clinton had hers at the Four Seasons restaurant, and it was a home run. Years ago, the head of publicity at Crown was reknowned for tossing really inventive shindigs you never forgot.
But President Bill Clinton's publisher, Knopf, is not known for its lively soirees. Last night was no exception. The publisher of such serious stuff as John Updike and Ann Tyler chose the lobby of the Metropolitan Museum of Art as its venue. Why this spot is anyone's guess, but the lobby is essentially a concrete pit with no acoustics, a hard, unforgiving floor and no place to sit.
Into this space poured an eclectic and unfortunate mix of people that included actress Lauren Bacall, writer Arthur Schlesinger and his wife Alexandra, a grumpy Fran Lebowitz in sunglasses, mystery writer Walter Moseley, author Gay Talese and his famous editor wife Nan; singer Judy Collins, Ken Burns, Anna Deveare Smith, Andy Rooney, Al Sharpton, Le Cirque's Sirio Maccioni, Pete Hamill, Calvin Trillin, and actress Michael Michele, late of "ER."
There were three guests whom I'd call oddities at this particular event: Clinton's Brutus, George Stephanopolous; his old friend and onetime fundraiser, Patricia Duff (Medavoy Perelman), and former New Jersey Senator Robert Torricelli. Also, Chelsea Clinton's boyfriend, Ian Klaus, who looks like a young Oscar Wilde, was all over the place and seemingly had a bunch of friends in tow.
Media? After being told by a Knopf lackey that there would be little press in the party, it turns out you couldn't swing a cat without hitting some reporter or editor from a network (Don Hewitt from CBS), The Times, the Observer, the Post, or the Daily News. Barbara Walters was also there, albeit briefly. And lots of publishing types, like Knopf's Sonny Mehta and Victoria Wilson. Good Morning America was represented by new executive producer Ben Sherwood and longtime senior producer Patty Neger. There were also two producers from the Today show and our very own Lisa Bernhard from Fox News.
But movie stars or even people of distinction with buzz potential were few and far between. No Tim Robbins, Susan Sarandon, Alec Baldwin, or left leaning celebs who usually stump for Clinton. Where were they? Where was our beloved Moby, or even a Cuomo or Caroline Kennedy, or the as-advertised Michael Moore? (The only semi-Kennedy was Jackie's former beau Maurice Tempelsman, walking with two canes.) Only Miramax's Harvey Weinstein had an excuse: he was in Europe with Quentin Tarantino, promoting "Kill Bill: Vol. 2."
I did get 10 seconds of face time with Clinton himself before he made his acceptance, er, uh, promotion speech. He looked tanned and rested and ready to get out there and make sure every one of the 1.5 million pre-ordered copies of "My Life" was sold.
I said, "I wonder if you were disappointed by Gore." Clinton replied: "I'm disappointed that he lost."
"No," I added, "by the way he conducted his campaign."
Clinton's eyes narrowed. "I don't want to talk politics tonight. It's my night. It's about the book."
I did not get to ask him anything else, such as an explanation for Pardongate. On "60 Minutes" Clinton told Dan Rather that he couldn't find a reason on the "merits" not to have pardoned international oil and metal trader Marc Rich. Rather never got to ask, How about the fact that Rich had fled the U.S. and was a fugitive who'd remained at large for 17 years and who'd done business with every country prohibited by the U.S.?
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Odd isn't it how the main stream is reporting '' mixed reviews'' for this dog of a book. Millions upon millions have been purchased through pre sale and post midnight sales ( with the help of the DNC no doubt). This is the item that the summer crowd needs to show on the coffee table at their rental house in the Hamptons and on the Cape
A dull party to go along with a dull book written by a lying Klinton.
But it's his night!!!
Killjoy.
Too bad the question didn't get asked.
TRANSLATION: "The cocaine sucked!"
Pity Johnny Rotten didn't attend, or maybe a quick visit by the Hells Angels. What a blast that would have been!
You are the adventurous sort...
Sarandon is on record saying she loathes the Clintons, or at least she is on the public record saying she loathes Hillary Clinton, whom she called "just another politician." Friedman should know that.
Bikers have better taste.
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