“In the theater there are no friends,” said ballet’s Serge Diaghilev. Hmmmm, sounds like a line from “The Red Shoes.”

***

Long ago this space predicted that “Billy Elliot” would win an unprecedented number of Tony nominations on Broadway and this delicious show from London has now garnered 15 nominations — tying with 2001’s “The Producers.”

But I am truly steamed that voters omitted the wonderful new musical “9 to 5” from the best musical category. Puh-leeze! I hope this one goes on to be one of Broadway’s biggest commercial hits. (If the show falters at the box office, maybe Dolly Parton herself will step into her old role to save it.)

And I go along with the New York Post’s Michael Riedel who suggests that Dolly would be a great host for the June 7 Tony Awards on TV. She is just about the nicest human being alive and it would be classy for this world-famous woman to ignore the slight to her own musical and give it her all as emcee. (The Tony nominators deserve to have their own lack of class tossed back in their faces.)

Another “Oh, puh-leeze!” is the omission of that giant creator-director of musicals (“Gypsy” and “West Side Story”) Mr. Arthur Laurents from any of the nominations.

***

Now a reconsideration of my favorite mogul and producer Harvey Weinstein. (Whether it’s movies, actors on the red carpet at the Oscars, hit Broadway shows or just plain parties – no one equals Harvey.)


Georgina Chapman and Harvey Weinstein © Getty Images

He is celebrating the combined Tony nominations for shows he is involved in and they come to a startling – 42! These include "Billy Elliot" … "God of Carnage" … "West Side Story" … "Exit the King" … "Hair" … Will Ferrell’s "You’re Welcome America" and "9 to 5."

Later this year, Harvey will unfurl the film version of the musical "Nine" with a female cast for the ages. I do mean Sophia Loren, Judi Dench, Nicole Kidman, Penélope Cruz, Marion Cotillard, Kate Hudson, Stacy “Black-Eyed Peas” Ferguson. The elusive Daniel Day-Lewis plays the man in the midst of this pulchritude.

***

Just looked over the new Vanity Fair with Jessica Simpson on the cover. There is a headline referencing her weight. Why? Surely In Touch, Us Weekly and Life & Style cover that ground. Inside, Jessica is described as “at the crossroads of obscurity and reinvention.” No comment.


Vanity Fair

Just as I was flipping through the magazine an item landed on my desk about the old Morton’s eatery on Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. That was the site of VF’s legendary Oscar night parties, scene of so many scenes. Last year, VF moved to the Sunset Tower Hotel and, from what I hear, it was fine, if not quite the acid trip of glamour it used to be.

Morton’s no longer has the Oscar party and now it doesn’t have its name either. It’s called Cecconi’s, and is said to be a favorite spot of Kate Beckinsale, Jennifer Lopez, Katie Holmes, Eva Longoria, Victoria Beckham and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Could its popularity be because of the restaurant’s “paps sprinklers”? When photographers get too close trying to snap the above-named beauties and others, they get rained on.

***

Guess you’ve seen the glam ad of Cher and Bette Midler touting their Las Vegas extravaganzas. When I mentioned it to the divine Miss M, she went off into a burst of praise for her compatriot Cher. “She is so great. She has never looked better. She is beautiful!” said Bette.