Kanye. Ask not Kanye who? Have respect. We might be speaking of the new Fiddler on the rock — Rev. Kanye.
Lover/partygoer/rapper/Kanye West appears to be adding the role of minister. Ordained, no. Abstained from the flesh and flash, not yet. Hymnals tucked into Kim’s booty, there aren’t. Waving palms with the psalms, uh-uh. But, brethren and sistren, here’s what’s what:
Kanye’s had three prayer-type sessions in three weeks. He calls them his Sunday Service. First at his California home. Just family and friends.
Then Chicago where he was raised. Then Atlanta, where he was born. He plans to continue this mission across the country.
The man travels with a gospel chorus. They sing at the services. He just preached in front of 1,000 congregants and told how “reconnecting with my faith has helped me be a better husband and father.” He performed with a gospel choir and sang one of his own songs.
After the service, Kanye greeted comedian Chris Tucker, Jermaine Dupri and Nelly. No pew was reserved for Taylor Swift.
He also just had one in Monster Lake Ranch in Cody, Wyo., and we shouldn’t be shocked that his new album is called “Jesus Is King.”
So should a brother sinner in some situation wish to request his help, the big question to ask him is: “So, listen, kanye or kan’t ye?”
Please pay attention
Mr. & Mrs. Morning Joe at Ralph Lauren’s Polo for early dinner…
John Goodman, trim, slim, working at losing weight, plodding along alone up Broadway …
“Marry Me” — starring J.Lo and about a pop star jilted by a rocker fiancé just before the wedding so she marries a schnook nobody — sent out a hairdresser call: “Any ethnicity. African-American, American-Indian, Asian, Caucasian, East-Ind, Latin, Middle Eastern, Mixed or Pacific Island.” Pacific Island???
Royal rumblings
London whisper Harry’s cronies told him: “Date models and actresses — but don’t marry them.”
The recent Balmoral visit of HRH and the missus wasn’t a walk in the Scottish park. Rumors rumor palace folk are not madly adoring Meghan, who was not invited at the same time Prince William and Kate were. The brothers aren’t appearing brotherly.
The London Times recently repeated something I’d written about how the marriage survives after Africa and maybe how Mrs. Meghan enjoys money, celebrity, fashion, publicity. She was smart to have a baby PDQ as her insurance. Her past rep might be gold — but 14-karat, not 22.
Odds & Ends
The dim Dem lineup. Elizabeth Warren, creeping over Joe Burden, hates everything in the USA except the convenience stores where she buys those sweaters … Bill and Hill in Morocco to celebrate the birthday of billionaire Marc Lasry. And 298 more also showed. They posed with a snake. Also Bill schlepped around the souk.
Monaco buzz
When the other half go shopping, it’s not for day-old bread. It’s for Aston Martins, Mille watches, Picasso vases and Frank Stella paintings that belonged to Monaco’s Prince Albert II. You and I clean house, he cleans castle. Thursday, emceeing from a dais: Nicole Kidman, Uma Thurman, Andy García. Serenading the crowd Gwen Stefani, Andrea Bocelli, Kool & the Gang. It was the third annual Monte-Carlo Gala for the Global Ocean. By the oddest, wildest, freakiest timing, it was coincident with the Monaco Yacht Show. Same week. What you call a coincidence — or my name isn’t Hermione Glubglub.
Hugh Bonneville, TV’s 7th Earl of Downton Abbey, was BSing with Bob Balaban. Out came cameras. Balaban wanting a snap with Bonneville? No. Were the film’s dowager countess Maggie Smith there, she’d have sniffed because Bonneville wanted a photo with Balaban. Hey, earl’s well that ends well.
It was at the Plaza Hotel. Only in New York, kids, only in New York.