“LOVE IS SWEEPING THE COUNTRY”
Ladies and gents,
Tidbits from around summer towns… As always, a toast of something sparkling to you and yours! It’s 2:00 p.m. and I’m having a snort of pink champagne. I know that it’s frowned upon in certain circles to imbibe before 4:00 p.m. nowadays, but I’m still celebrating Tuesday’s election results. Now, I don’t want to count any chickens before they’re cast, but I’m suddenly feeling very optimistic about 2018. And, more to the point, how nice to learn that we are still living in a free democracy!
Of course, election week also brought with it the one year anniversary of the Electoral College’s failure to do the one thing it was put in place for. How did you celebrate? I did a one-nighter in San Francisco to see Edward Snowden live onstage (sort of) at the Curran. He was interviewed by KQED’s Michael Krasny via satellite remote, and the San Francisco crowd gave him a hero’s welcome. Despite his rock star status with many Americans, he doesn’t expect being welcomed back into the States anytime soon. “I don’t think the current administration has a soft spot for whistle blowers.” (Perhaps a Julian Assange event would have been more appropriate, but I wasn’t aware of one.)
A decidedly more celebratory anniversary to commemorate was The Lion King’s special performance on Sunday marking twenty years on Broadway. It was a glorious special performance, complete with a performance by composer Elton John. I’ve seen all the greats, and I still say Elton John puts on the best live show of any living performer. All night long everyone was talking about how old it made them feel to know that The Lion King has reigned on Broadway for two decades. Just think: twenty years is one-hundred-forty in cat years!
Speaking of feeling old, legendary press agent and perennial “‘A’ Gay” Pete Sanders is celebrating 35 years in the business. I remember when he first started out, an eager young whippersnapper completely gobsmacked by the A-listers he was suddenly rubbing elbows (at least!) with. Now he’s one of the last living vestiges of the old school, when a press agent’s personality was his stock-and-trade and press releases were distributed by the U.S. Postal Service. Pete helped to define the 1990’s for a certain kind of New Yorker by helping to launch a humble revival of Chicago and a little-known fashion designer named Tommy Hilfiger into the stratosphere. He remains in the center of his own pop culture vortex, keeping a roster of high profile ladies in (and, in some cases, out) of the papers. As his client Countess Luann de Lesseps once said to me, “I won’t leave my townhouse without my Petey’s permission!”
Tidbits from around summer towns…
Spotted “Casual” star Michela Walters belly laughing through Meteor Shower.
Caught TodayTix topper Brian Fenty at The Drama Bookshop paging through an advance copy of the Dear Evan Hansen book.
Overheard Roy Moore admitting everything in an unguarded moment. (Just kidding, but wouldn’t that be divine?)
As always, a toast of something sparkling to you and yours!
Kisses,
Scoop V.
