Spreading the bad news
This week was Archbishop Timothy Cardinal Dolan’s annual Christmas party. Hilton Hotel ballroom. Jammed. More Catholics together than at the Pope’s Investiture.
Catholic school grad Rosanna Scotto — who has anchored Channel 5’s news show forever — introduced His Eminence Dolan as Cardinal O’Connor.
Embarrassed, she then said, “I’ll have to say extra Hail Marys tonight.”
Dolan followed her intro with: “Thank you, Barbara Walters.”
Elsewhere, from high-ranking NYPD officers:
“Cops are leaving. Morale’s bad. They see non-white cops stacked against them. Absolutely no respect for this new commissioner. If the DA won’t write out a charge and no claim’s forthcoming, an officer could be liable for a civil suit. Inspection divisions claim cops stand on post but do nothing.
“Complaints are skyrocketing. More violations now than before. The quality of life has downgraded. Checking all directions exiting a car you can still get hit. Bicycles, motorcycles, scooters without licenses everywhere. There’s greater need for self-preservation. Criminals jump from cars to commit robbery.
“Adams wants to be president so he panders to progressives. But the policing manpower is low. You can’t hire people if funding’s a difficulty. Besides the uptick in crime a difficulty is in recruitment.”
Directors keep these actors up
Director Greta Gerwig knew her “Barbie” was a maybe billionaire broad. She says:
“I’ve even gone into theaters to listen because I wanted the sound loud. Some theaters weren’t playing it loud enough.”
In Versace pink at a reception with F. Murray Abraham, Christian Slater, Sandra Bernhard, Michael Cera, Dua Lipa, she said: “We felt it could go big. Now when I take off my heels even my feet spread out. But no matter what, no sequel.”
Someone else behind the scenes, Lee Strasberg — whose biography I’ve written — is gone but his West 44th Actors Studio continues into Year 77.
Among others it produced Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Marlon Brando, Marilyn Monroe, Paul Newman, James Dean, Harvey Keitel, James Caan, Jane Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Dustin Hoffman, Norman Mailer, Eva Marie Saint, Shelley Winters, Sidney Poitier, Jack Nicholson, Ellen Burstyn, Sally Field, James Baldwin, Eli Wallach, Joanne Woodward, Sissy Spacek, Estelle Parsons, Arthur Penn.
New co-artistic director Martha Gehman is the daughter of Estelle Parsons.
The suite life
Uproxx lists NYC hotels per personality. For hip-hoppers it’s Dream Downtown, where they can grab Asian fare at Phillipe Chow. Cool kids — Virgin Midtown. Fifth Avenue’s Langham is A-1 for long term. Cocktails — the Beekman. Foodies — room service at the Dominick. Rockers should rock Hotel Chelsea. Healthiest — the Equinox. Instagrammers — NoMo Soho. Party types — the Standard High Line. Or just sulk and don’t bother anybody.
And last week. The 59th Street bridge. Big van. Uniformed cops physically took motorcycles, scooters, bicycles away — trying to keep traffic moving . . . AND: You must — must — see the film “The Holdovers.” Paul Giamatti stars. Forget glitzy names who grab p.r. and nominations. He’s not just good. He is marvelous. Fabulous. Steals the film and he’s due for an Oscar.
Only in New York, kids, only in New York.