The Liz Smith Column | 09/17/2009 5:00 am
Liz Smith: Whitney Houston's Road to Redemption (Video)
More from Our Gossip Girl: A nation divided – then would we stop complaining?! And Liz’s adventures in Chicago.
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"Splitting the United States into two nations is a bit extreme … Think of the possibilities. In a new nation fashioned out of the current red states – call it, for the sake of argument, Limbaughland – the federal tax rate could be cut to 10%. Medicaid and Medicare and Social Security would be abolished, abortion would be illegal, gays would be closeted again and Christianity would be the official state religion. Anyone could buy any kind of gun, no questions asked.
"In the current blue states, which we will call ObamaNation, the federal tax rate would top out at 90%; all employers would institute quotas for minorities, women and less-able people; and you’d get your health care from a single-payer system like Canada’s. Fast food and guns would be banned, while gay marriage and marijuana would be legal.
"Voila! No more rancor, leaving only one remaining problem; What would we all feel so aggrieved about?"
So asks William Falk in his sardonic solution to the radical problems facing the nation. This appeared in my all-time favorite publication The Week – and if you aren’t reading this little weekly – well, it’s the only way to keep up. Try TheWeek.com.
***
The Countess LuAnn de Lesseps will be accompanied by Houston’s top decorating maven, Bill Stubbs, when she films on the site of the Fete de Swifty come September 23. (This charity bash happens at 73rd Street and Lexington Avenue and benefits the Mayor’s Fund to Advance NYC. We have been building shelters for battered women and children with the money that comes in to this, the nation’s premier cocktail party.)
The countess, star of the "Bravo" hit TV series "The Real Housewives of New York," is hoping to nab Mayor Bloomberg for a bit appearance.
Incidentally, on the very day his commissioners announced they’d begin an effort to ban smoking in certain public places, like New York parks, the Mayor himself received the Mary Woodard Lasker Public Service Award for his effective campaign to stop smoking in the city. This amounts to $250,000 in what is described as "America’s Nobel prizes," and I am sure Mayor Mike will plow his dough right back into city charities, as he usually does.
This mayor doesn’t let his right hand know what his left is doing and he gives to many charities that hardly know he is their very private, unsung donor.
***
On the very week The New Yorker magazine did its magnificent Patricia Marx article called "Chicago Style," telling you what’s going on in the Windy City … there I was smack in the heart of Chicago making appearances at the posh Casino Club for two separate audiences. My first night group was a sparkle of brilliantly dressed ladies and their consorts, and the next day, young businesswomen summoned there by Citibank’s successful "Women & Co." This is an idea dreamed up by former Hillary Clinton aide, the smarty Lisa Caputo, who thinks women are the answer to all banking problems.
From all this genial schmoozing, I was again impressed by Chicago’s openness, its architecture, its clean midtown streets and its friendliness. It was a pleasure to be with the city’s famous gossip and entertainment columnist, Bill Zwecker of the Chicago Sun-Times. He tells me his faltering newspaper is in the middle now of big deals to save itself. Zwecker is one of a kind; there is nothing going on in show business that he isn’t privy to. He is one of the good guys!
One odd thing about Chicago: The good folks in that city are very worried about what the coming Olympics might do to their town should they earn the prize. They all seem to have an inferiority complex about what would happen to their way of life from all the hullabaloo. I say, "Relax! It’s going to be great for Chicago and for America."
"In the current blue states, which we will call ObamaNation, the federal tax rate would top out at 90%; all employers would institute quotas for minorities, women and less-able people; and you’d get your health care from a single-payer system like Canada’s. Fast food and guns would be banned, while gay marriage and marijuana would be legal.
"Voila! No more rancor, leaving only one remaining problem; What would we all feel so aggrieved about?"
So asks William Falk in his sardonic solution to the radical problems facing the nation. This appeared in my all-time favorite publication The Week – and if you aren’t reading this little weekly – well, it’s the only way to keep up. Try TheWeek.com.
***
The Countess LuAnn de Lesseps will be accompanied by Houston’s top decorating maven, Bill Stubbs, when she films on the site of the Fete de Swifty come September 23. (This charity bash happens at 73rd Street and Lexington Avenue and benefits the Mayor’s Fund to Advance NYC. We have been building shelters for battered women and children with the money that comes in to this, the nation’s premier cocktail party.)
The countess, star of the "Bravo" hit TV series "The Real Housewives of New York," is hoping to nab Mayor Bloomberg for a bit appearance.
Incidentally, on the very day his commissioners announced they’d begin an effort to ban smoking in certain public places, like New York parks, the Mayor himself received the Mary Woodard Lasker Public Service Award for his effective campaign to stop smoking in the city. This amounts to $250,000 in what is described as "America’s Nobel prizes," and I am sure Mayor Mike will plow his dough right back into city charities, as he usually does.
This mayor doesn’t let his right hand know what his left is doing and he gives to many charities that hardly know he is their very private, unsung donor.
***
On the very week The New Yorker magazine did its magnificent Patricia Marx article called "Chicago Style," telling you what’s going on in the Windy City … there I was smack in the heart of Chicago making appearances at the posh Casino Club for two separate audiences. My first night group was a sparkle of brilliantly dressed ladies and their consorts, and the next day, young businesswomen summoned there by Citibank’s successful "Women & Co." This is an idea dreamed up by former Hillary Clinton aide, the smarty Lisa Caputo, who thinks women are the answer to all banking problems.
From all this genial schmoozing, I was again impressed by Chicago’s openness, its architecture, its clean midtown streets and its friendliness. It was a pleasure to be with the city’s famous gossip and entertainment columnist, Bill Zwecker of the Chicago Sun-Times. He tells me his faltering newspaper is in the middle now of big deals to save itself. Zwecker is one of a kind; there is nothing going on in show business that he isn’t privy to. He is one of the good guys!
One odd thing about Chicago: The good folks in that city are very worried about what the coming Olympics might do to their town should they earn the prize. They all seem to have an inferiority complex about what would happen to their way of life from all the hullabaloo. I say, "Relax! It’s going to be great for Chicago and for America."
Read more about: Barack Obama, Bill Stubbs, Bill Zwecker, Celebrities, Citibank, Fete de Swifty, Gossip, Lisa Caputo, Liz Smith, LuAnn de Lesseps, Mary Woodard Lasker Public Service Award, Michael Bloomberg, News, Patricia Marx, Video, Whitney Houston, William Faulk, Women & Co.
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27 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment
I’m sorry, but I’m reallllllllllly getting tired of these zillionaire multi talented goddesses who get tripped up with drugs, booze, and men. And then want their redemption to be very public, and for us all to cheer them on. I have a hard time feeling sorry for them - the guys, too.
If you ‘have it all,’ protect it.
I agree that there’s something a little disquieting about Whitney Houston’s aspect these days. But who would not wish her well? I sure do. She makes people happy with her talent. Who could ask for anything more?, as the great poet, Ira Gershwin says. Now, on the feverishly entertaining item on "ObamaNation," I have to say that legalizing marijuana and simultaneously banning fast food might lead to some noisy anarchy in the wee, small hours of the morning, even protests in the street, and perhaps may frighten the horses — as well as the rest of us. Horses, by the way, are big fams of fast food. That’s what gets them to the finish line so quickly. Yes, I know what you’re thinking : That image is also disquieting.
Cheers from San Francisco
If any of you had an opportunity to watch the Bobby Brown show when it was on, you can appreciate how far Whitney Houston has come in her recovery in contrast to how she looks today. It never ceases to amaze and (confuse me) how people can allow themselves to get caught up in drug abuse. She was a wreck and her daughter was a wreck because of her parents. The Bobby Brown show gave the world a glimpse into the true definition of dysfunction, it was sad.
I am glad to see she has cleaned herself up physically, but I am skeptical. I watched the Oprah interview and something just wasn’t right…I can’t put my finger on it. However she doesn’t have anything to prove to me or the world, she only has to answer truly to herself. I can only pray she is being honest with herself this time.
Hi Belinda,
I only saw one episode of "Bobby’s" show and I couldn’t watch any more, I was embarrassed for her. I truly hope she has gotten her act together, she has one of the most beautiful voices. However, I too am skeptical that she has fully recovered, you are right about "the something not right, that you can’t put your finger on." I wish her luck though and hope she hangs in there.
Chicago truly is an oasis of a city in the heart of America!
As for Whitney Houston, I detect more than a bit of Judy Garland there .
We all wish her well, but I remember a straight-faced Garland quote, "With everything that’s happened to me, isn’t it a miracle I never got hooked on drugs or booze?"
Hmm, splitting America into two countries, wasn’t that tried before?
We’d always find something to complain and be angry about, like those from Limbaughland sneaking over to smoke weed and party. ObamaNation people would have to invade Limbaughland for some fast food comsumption after all marijuana makes you hungry.
I love Chicago, that toddeling town. The people are friendly and they have some great works of art. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have the Olympics there?
I’m cynical, Whitney Houston’s appearance on Oprah seemed to me to have everything to do with selling her CD. I just hope for her daughter’s sake and especially her sake she is clean and stays off drugs.
I wish Whitney the best for her and mostly for her daughter. I like Belinda caught a couple episodes of their tv reality show and could not believe what I was seeing right in front of me…I couldnt watch but a couple episodes and that was only when nothing else sparked my interest.
I am glad Whitney is back - her voice is beautiful but she is far from the best…I dont feel sorry for her b/c she made the choices she did but I am glad to see that she has moved on and is putting her life back together. I hope its for real, time will tell!
It is hard for anyone to understand drug abuse until it happens to you or someone your famiily. It took courage for Whitney speak. It takes courage go on. Whitney is lucky to have Clive, her carreer and family. Most people never get out of the cycle of abuse of any kind, let alone have something to look forward to. If GOD is helping her be strong I applaude her faith in something other then drugs or a bad marriage
Go Whitney! GOD bless and take care of yur daughter.