Posted on 07/10/2003 1:55:59 AM PDT by kattracks
Did a last-minute search for drugs contribute to the plane crash that killed John and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy?The new issue of The National Enquirer quotes a "Kennedy family member" who claims that Carolyn's attempt to get cocaine delayed the takeoff on July 16, 1999.
"She had arranged for a dealer to meet her either en route to Saks Fifth Avenue or at the store," alleges the "family member" - who, we're told, passed an Enquirer lie-detector test. "But the dealer never turned up, or missed her."
The source contends that later, while she was getting a pedicure, Bessette feverishly tried to contact the dealer, who eventually met her and passed along drugs.
"She snorted some [coke] on the way to the airport," says the "insider," who claims the family hired an investigator to trace her movements on that last day.
Her need for drugs caused her to be late, according to this scenario. The delay forced John, an inexperienced pilot, to make the trip to Martha's Vineyard at night, relying on his weak instrument-flying skills.
Edward Klein writes in his new book, "The Kennedy Curse," that according to hair colorist Colin Lively, Carolyn was late because she insisted on having her nails painted three times to match a piece of fabric.
Yesterday, Klein said he had no information about a drug deal that day, but "I've spoken with people who did cocaine with Carolyn."
A lawyer for the Bessette family didn't return phone calls. And a spokesman for Sen. Ted Kennedy declined to comment.
But CNN correspondent Christiane Amanpour, who knew John for more than 20 years, defended the couple yesterday.
While she wouldn't comment on The Enquirer story, Amanpour blasted Klein's book. "I simply do not recognize [John and Carolyn] in the wild and exaggerated caricatures that this latest book conjures up," she said. "The author has taken half truths and untruths and concocted a fictional conclusion."
Blue angel
It probably seemed like a good idea at the time.
Bruce Colley, the polo-playing club owner who is said to have come between Andrew Cuomo and his wife, Kerry Kennedy Cuomo, is an investor in the new Off-Broadway show, "Pieces of Ass."
The play, a kind of "Vagina Monologues" for Scores girls, explores the hardship of having every man wanting to sleep with you.
The show, at Theater 80 on St. Marks Place, will have rotating guest stars, starting tonight with Trishelle Canatella, the cranially challenged babe from MTV's "Real World Las Vegas." On deck to bare their souls are actresses Krista Allen and Shannon Elizabeth. Offers are out to Tara Reid, Paris Hilton and Howard Stern's girlfriend, Beth Ostrosky.
Colley is, understandably, a silent partner in the production. Maybe his next project will be an adaptation of "The Scarlet Letter."
TV job with appeal
Is Westchester County D.A. Jeanine Pirro planning an early exit from public office?
Well-placed sources tell us she's been in talks to become an anchor at Court TV.
Word is, Pirro would replace Rikki Klieman, who recently left the network to follow her husband, Bill Bratton, to L.A., where he's the top cop.
"She's definitely a candidate," says an insider. "She'd have to leave her current job for this one."
Our sources report that Pirro's audition tapes have received mostly positive reviews at the network, but that execs are also pursuing NBC legal analyst Dan Abrams.
A spokeswoman for Pirro, whose political career has been tarnished by the tax-fraud conviction of her husband, Albert, said she had "no knowledge" of any TV talks and believed Pirro planned to serve out the two years that remain in her term.
A Court TV rep says Pirro has visited the studio "only as a guest. It's nothing more than that."
[snip]
With Suzanne Rozdeba
and Ben Widdicombe
Originally published on July 10, 2003
Living in the world of so-called "journalism", Christiane ought to know. That's what so-called "journalists" do.
It's Ron the "hedgehog" Jeremey. aka Porn Star.
Ron the "sweathog" Palillo.
Not QUITE the same people.
Then they've been successful. The NTSB never has a problem making a determination of "pilot error" and will usually err on the side of caution by finding such. In this case the report danced all around the issue, calling it anything but; I don't recall "pilot error" appearing in the finding, unless it's been amended since I first read it.
The aviation community is outraged.
Hmmmmmm...can you say Coke Rage brought on by paranoid hysteria, now that's the ticket....
"I think it's racism, plain and simple!"
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