“CHINA IS a big country, inhabited by many Chinese,” said Charles de Gaulle, with incredible insight.

FANS of Ang Lee’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” were caught by surprise when they learned that a sequel is being planned. Thirteen years after the original film debuted, they’d just about given up hope.

But the Weinstein Company has hired Yuen Woo Ping to direct this latest epic — he is extremely proficient in staging fight sequences, we hear. I recall “Crouching …” has something to do with stolen swords and people who can inexplicably fly, but otherwise, the details of the plot elude me now. (Well, it has been 13 years!) None of the original cast is returning except forMichelle Yeoh. 

If you ask yourself why this sequel is happening, think no further than China. Hollywood wants to make nice with China. Everybody wants to make nice with China! Movie-makers want to keep Chinese audiences and financers happy. What better way to spread joy than sequel-ing one of the most adored and iconic Chinese action films ever released? The “re-boot” as it is called these days will most likely debut in the summer or late fall of 2014.

The original film was fantastical fantasy, but since nothing succeeds like excess, “Crouching 2” will probably be in 3-D, which I find irritating. But then I find obsessive coverage of the Kardashians irritating. You see where irritation gets me?

CHANNEL-SURFING on Sunday nights is maddening. There’s “Game of Thrones,” “The Borgias,” “Nurse Jackie,” and “Mad Men.” This past Sunday the Billboard Awards were on, too. (I know I should get with it, and DVR everything, unless that’s now too early 2000s, and there’s something else even more convenient?) Anyway, as luck would have it, even though I tuned into the Billboard ceremonies only twice, they were the two moments I wanted to see. One was Taylor Swift, rocking down the aisle onto the stage doing an energetic version of her hit, “22.” (She ended up with eight awards.)

The other woman I wanted to see was Madonna, who accepted an award for her “MDNA” tour — the most successful of 2012. She picked up two other awards as well. (She’s so “over,” right?) Of course the Big M wore something that looked right out of a Fredericks of Hollywood catalog but she looked damn good. This is what she is, like or not. Madonna thanked her fans sweetly: “Without you, I would have no show to do. And every showgirl needs her show!”

I missed Justin Bieber complaining and being booed. Eh, next week, somewhere, I’ll catch that act.

MORGAN Freeman has become such a symbol of nobility and stability in his movies — he’s played God, he’s been the President … he’s been an attorney general … a good cop … a great detective.

Even his rare villains seem like guys you’d trust to baby-sit the kids. He has an amazing presence. And that authoritative, calming voice. It was watching Gary Cooper movies, Morgan has said, that inspired him to pursue an acting career!

Well, it’s likely you’ll find all of Morgan’s compelling gravitas in his new coming thriller, “Now You See Me.” This is about a group of illusionists who pull off bank heists. The trailer looks fascinating but often you can’t tell much from a trailer. Or, more often, the trailer tells too much! Anyway, there are magic tricks galore. This movie has quite a cast, aside from Morgan — and that’s one of the biggest asides in the movie world.

Also on board are Michael Caine … Mark Ruffalo … Jesse Eisenberg … Woody Harrelson … Dave Franco — the hot younger brother of James Franco … and Isla Fisher, who is seen in the current controversial maybe hit, “The Great Gatsby.”

Morgan Freeman has been nominated five times for the Oscar, winning for “Million Dollar Baby.” I don’t know if “Now You See Me” is Oscar caliber, but Mr. Freeman is always a pleasure to watch, and listen to. And that’s no illusion.

IT WAS great to see Paul Anka, famous since the ’60s promoting his new book “My Way” on “Morning Joe” last week. Anka has no axe to grind; he is just looking back remembering how he left home at age 15 and a half and started his music career. He looks great — grey suit and a pink tie and most of his hair.

“I got really lucky by sixteen. I started working with Frank Sinatra in Vegas before the Beatles happened and the new rock.”

Paul went on to rave about singer Michael Buble whom he says is “personable and intelligent.” Anka has five daughters and says Sinatra was the biggest influence and the most unforgettable person, even more so thanPresident John F. Kennedy. More power to the Paul Ankas of the world.

I see that another older-than-is-generally-allowed person has been in the world of news — and the Earth didn’t come to an end because she was all of 47 years old. I mean the gorgeous Cindy Crawford who knocked them dead at Cannes on the Riviera last week.

BETTER HURRY or you’ll be left out of the Martha Stewart Center for Living at Mt. Sinai honoring the one and only Marlo Thomas.Happens in June 11 on a Tuesday at the Starrett-Lehigh building, 601 West 26 Street, 9th floor.

Call to attend 914-579-1000 and I don’t have to explain to you, again, who Martha Stewart is and how historic philanthropic and wonderful Marlo is, do I?

GREAT BIG shout-out to Laura Linney, who has performed magnificently in the final four hour-long episodes of her Showtime series, “The Big C.” (The drama, about a woman battling cancer, concluded last night.) Showtime has promoted this as “the role of a lifetime,” and that’s not hyperbole. Linney has been brilliant every season, and this year, took it one step beyond; heartbreaking, life-affirming — so real it was difficult to watch at times. Linney has won three Emmys … two Golden Globes … a SAG award … she also has three Tony nominations and three Oscar nominations. (Why she has never won the latter two at least once baffles me.) In any case, I see a fourth Emmy for Miss Linney looming.

This column originally appeared on NYSocialDiary.com on 5/21/13

“YA, know, from the way that dame walks, she would have made a damn fine stripper in her day!”

So says Tessie Tura, commenting on Mama Rose, in “Gypsy.” (Tessie is one of the three strippers who belt out “You Gotta Have a Gimmick!”)

I’VE HAD “Gypsy” on my mind ever since I finished reading “Behind the Burly Q: The Story of Burlesque in America.” This entertaining, and often poignant book was written by Leslie Zemeckis. It is a more detailed version of Zemeckis’ 2006 film documentary of the same name. In the film, I thought that the remarkable Dixie Evans — “The Marilyn Monroe of Burlesque” — was the standout. Evans is so earthy, funny and real.

But the book opens up even more tales behind the twirling tassels. It tells of the comics, the talking women who worked with the comics (they rarely stripped — and few strippers would condescend to be a “talking woman” — even in an emergency.) and, of course, about those tantalizing beauties who took off as much as the law allowed.

And if a “pastie” popped or there was a bit of a “flash”, well — accidents happen. Amongst the bare: Sally Rand (she of famed feather fans), Rose La Rose, Sherry Britton, Margie Hart, Zorita, Tee Tee Red, Kitty West, Georgia Sothern, Ann Corio, Tempest Storm, Blaze Starr, Lili St. Cyr, and but of course, Miss Gypsy Rose Lee. 

Miss Lee wasn’t much liked, personally, but everybody seemed to admire her style: “She challenged and controlled her audience.”

(The real Gypsy looked nothing like luscious Natalie Wood in the movie version. One stage manager told Zemeckis of Gypsy: “She had a horrible body!”)

Each life story in this book is compelling, and most of the women don’t regret their careers, despite hardships on the road, being jailed occasionally, and perhaps not as much time for a normal family life as they might have wanted.

Many would have continued, had burlesque not been watered down by New York Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia,and by a more open society — namely pornography. The individual “gimmicks” that each lady employed — snakes, headstands, bathtubs, parrots, cats, agility with certain body parts — so as to stand out, makes for delicious reading.

There is a touching anecdote from Dixie Evans, who so resembled Marilyn Monroe. This speaks volumes about both women. After one of Marilyn’s miscarriages, Dixie, extremely upset, sent Marilyn an emotional telegram. Two weeks later Dixie received a response: “My dear Dixie Evans, of my many friends and acquaintances throughout the world, your telegram was of the greatest comfort to me at this time. Marilyn Monroe Miller.” (When Monroe died, Dixie became hysterical, “I was crying not only because my career was over, but because Marilyn was no longer in the world.”)

The book reminded me a lot of the documentary I saw just last week, “The Girls in The Band.” (And of Nathan Lane’s version of hidden gays in Burlesque in “The Nance.”) Their struggles were similar, though the musical ladies might not wish to be classed in with burlesque queens. Still, they were all women fighting for independence in a male dominated world, sharing a special camaraderie under often difficult circumstances. As Blaze Starrcomments in the foreword: “Burlesque provided an opportunity to many girls, like me, to escape poverty.”

And author/filmmaker Zemeckis is correct when she writes: “Burlesque thrived in its day and even though its time has passed, its influence is everywhere — in television, film and music today. We owe so much to the art form.”

Indeed! Why, just ask — Baz Luhrmann.

P.S. Isn’t it time for another revival of “Gypsy” on Broadway? I say yes.

WITH the serious news of Angelina Jolie’s double mastectomy rocking the public — at least that part of the public who are not fixated on President Obama’s “second term curse” — we ask: how will the glossy weeklies handle Angie and Brad from now on — or at least for a little while?

The magazines have made their bread and butter off this couple, having them splitting up, in fits of jealously, arguing and decoding their every move and gesture.

This famous pair are conjoined, tabloid-wise, with the stories speculating about Jennifer Aniston and her ongoing “heartbreak” and the Kardashian girls, as favorite targets. (Substitute “subjects” for “targets” if you find that fair.)

So, it’s bound to be a respectable couple of months before the tabs have Brad and Angelina at each other’s throats again, or going their separate ways. Anyway, these stars seldom cooperate, have no press agents that I know of and insiders claim that Angelina has all the magazines’ exact deadlines so she deliberately caused them to miss the latest flash on their covers by her adroit timing and reserve in her New York Times op ed piece.

But now, probably, the tabloidettes will concentrate for a while on sentimental tales of Angelina and Brad getting married. Because that part of the press has so much concern for legal niceties.

I’VE HAD more than one offer of money for an introduction to Gloria Steinem.But now the Ms. Foundation for Women, celebrating 40 years, will do its own thing, offering a one-on-one lunch with Gloria for donated bidding.

The Ms. Foundation is also auctioning off a chance to meet with Diane von Furstenberg of whom there is no “whom-ier” — for fashionistas and those who worry about other people’s welfare. If you bid on Diane, you get a $2,000 reward for a DVF fashion spree.

You can also win a two-night stay at the luxurious Westglow Resort & Spa in North Carolina, or a four-course dinner and wine at Chef Scott Conant’s Scarpetta. This chance closes May 29th so log onto www.charitybuzz.com/support/msfoundation.

This column originally appeared on NYSocialDiary.com on 5/20/13

“CHARITY begins at home!” some wise philosopher once said.

In this particular case, charity is home!

I WENT to a fundraiser last week for The Neighborhood Coalition where they had a “live auction’ and guests began offering up huge sums of money just to get it to end! They raised a considerable sum with this uncomfortable “blackmail.”

It’s one thing to have a quick five minute auction. But 40 minutes is beyond the pale. However, many needy adults and children find homes and shelter as a result. So it’s hard to quibble with that when so many of the needy haven’t a roof over their heads.

This event was in The Boathouse where the food is excellent, and one overlooks the Central Park Lake with gondola rides. My fellow honorees were the charming maestro Cathy Blaney of Bloomberg Philanthropies. She also heads the WTC Museum. She was honored along with Dr. Mary White, a veritable saint and care provider/researcher/HIV fighter.

These women practically have wings so I hid my little horns and pretended I was in their class, accepting accolades along with them.

Loved seeing the producer Fran Weissler who now has “Pippin” hot on Broadway. And my obstreperous pal Mickey Ateyeh who admired the beautiful Angela Cummings earrings I was wearing. (She gave them to me!) And I had fun with photographer Patrick McMullan.

I was asked to this event by Samuel Peabody, an old-fashioned gentleman, and he was with his health activist daughter Elizabeth and our friend from the Landmarks Conservancy, Scott Leurquin. I had a very good time helping in the fight to bring shelter to those who need it.

I congratulated the Shelter gang for their magnificent work and I tried not to bring down the tone.

I did tell a story that I love. Many years ago when the Rothschilds were momentarily driven out of France and had to operate their banks from NYC for awhile, I was seated next to the elegant Baron Guy de Rothschild at a charity dinner. The vaunted elegant Baron asked as the main course was served? “Miss Smith, explain why we are here? What is this event?”

I explained that the dinner was a fundraiser and people paid a great deal for tickets to benefit a charity. I told him that the U.S. governnment had more or less gotten out of charity business and it had landed on the private sector.

The Baron was amazed. He exclaimed: “The French would never do a thing like that!”

So I congratulated the nights’ elegant and very nice and generous crowd that they were not French and they had worked hard and made sacrifices of time and money to fill the gap. And this is a process that I thoroughly approve of and support. And you should too, once you choose the charity of your choice or one that means something to you.

And believe me, The Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter is a good choice.

Or are you just living for yourself?

I WAS SITTING AROUND a recent Sunday and happened on a festival of Reese Witherspoon movies.

I looked first at “Walk the Line” where she plays June Carter and I didn’t intend to stay with it, but I did, to the very end. Then that segued into “Sweet Home Alabama” which somehow, I had never seen or didn’t remember.

Reese just got better and better. Finally, I treated myself once more to the often-seen “Legally Blonde,” which I have never forgotten because my pal actress Holland Taylor has an important role in it.

But the orgy of gorging on Reese had its effect. She is a wonderfully compelling actress. She paid her dues, suffering a great deal of embarrassment because of the recent alcoholic incident, and deserves to be “forgiven” by a public that has probably had a much messier life than the usually circumspect Reese.

As for her acting métier — seldom has the Southern girl been played more convincingly or with more spirit than by Reese Witherspoon. And she wasn’t a bad Becky Sharpe in “Vanity Fair,” either. (I interviewed Reese for that one, and came away impressed by her composure and no-nonsense attitude.)

She has a movie out now called “Mud,” which remains to be seen and four more on the way. A major movie talent!

I GOT quite a kick this week because the two New York tabloids landed at my door. (Yes, I still pick up newspapers to read them!)

The New York Daily News critic Joe Neumaier had a headline “It’s a ‘Star Trek’ into greatness!” And following this rave, which was encouraging when it comes to the brand new “Star Trek Into Darkness,” came The New York Post‘s Lou Lumenick with his totally opposite headline “Lost In Space.” He didn’t like the movie one bit. He wrote “What the ‘Trek’! The limp plot of this silly new sequel has its phasers set to dumb.”

So more than ever, you have to go and make your own judgment. I am predicting a big hit no matter what critics say. After all, in real life we have the actual spacecraft “Kepler” going crippled and probably delaying more examinations of outer space.

This column originally appeared on NYSocialDiary.com on 5/17/13

“THERE’S NOTHING MORE intriguing than a movie star wrapped like a mummy playing someone just emerging from plastic surgery. Think Humphrey Bogart in “Dark Passage,” Elizabeth Taylor in “Ash Wednesday.” And now, in HBO’s “Behind the Candelabra,” Michael Douglas playing Liberace, the swishy but closeted Las Vegas piano player. Matt Damon, bleached blond for his role, costars as Liberace’s stoned and rhinestoned boyfriend, Scott Thorson, who was almost 40 years younger.”

This is Joan Kron, the Allure magazine expert on face lifts international and you can read her two-part takeout on the movie, which bows on HBO May 26th. Joan’s expert view on these guys who felt they were forced to say they weren’t gay when they were leading romantic and not so romantic flamboyant private lives together, may strike a younger generation as absurd.

ut Liberace always seemed to me to be a warm prince at heart. And I met Scott as well when the couple was still new together. I never got over visiting their house in Las Vegas with its multi-dogs, a Michelangelo fake painting on the ceiling, and candelabra hanging only 12 inches over the coffee table.

Oh yes, tune into Joan Kron here.

I CAN’T wait to see the domestic struggles of Lee and Scott. But I already know that the winner will be my friend Rob Lowe, playing the Liberace doctor Jack Startz, wearing tons of makeup and a high-camp wig.

TWO BIG and worthy stars made plenty of high-powered news this week!

Angelina Jolie scored with the shocking news of her brave double mastectomy and filled the world’s breast cancer organizations with questions, answers and participation deluxe.

Catapulted by her own beauty and dynamic talent away from her earlier sexual preoccupations and juvenile “showing off” into adoptive and personal motherhood and steady companionship with Brad Pitt,this glamorous star has vaulted herself into medical history. She has grown adult before our very eyes.

Angelina and Brad have worked tirelessly of late to help solve world problems. They were so active at Davos that the organizers had to ask them not to appear personally at meetings in Switzerland because they caused so much reaction. They went right on giving money and time to many international causes. Now, Angelia has made her medical history a part of history! Admiration abounds.

At the same time as he is being feted, ignored, castigated and examined as F. Scott Fitzgerald‘s “Gatsby,” Leo DiCaprio continues his own sweet way, not socking paparazzi and silently seldom defending himself from criticism.

Think on this, the great actor’s Foundation to fight global warming came about with an auction at

Christie’s the other night, that coincided with front page warnings from scientists about the earth’s carbon dioxide emissions being at dangerous levels. And thus, Leo’s fronting for solutions to global warming raised an astounding $38 million.

In this rock’n'roll downturn of Internet celebrities and young foolish narcissistic VIPs, here are two major and talented and thoughtful “fame victims” who have turned their stardom to good will and good works! More power to both of them.

IF YOU WANT to know what’s going on with your TV viewing these days you have to embrace the inside stuff from The Hollywood Reporter. Their headline is “Fox banks on male comedy … NBC likes big stars and ABC triesto avoid fourth place. CBS still sits in first place!” But everything is changing and there are no static situations. Slow growth and dwindling dominance in regular TV, the Reporter predicts.

I AM sorry if you missed “On Your Toes” at the Encore series in City Center. This big cast would never make it today. Nobody could afford them, even for a long run hit. But I do want to say that ballet star Irina Dvorovenko and Christine Baranski were two of the most adorable, able and delightful actresses I’ve ever seen onstage. Downright sexy and glamorous. The audience for this approximately $25 a ticket revival went absolutely crazy. Rodgers & Hart & Balanchine at their best!

Coming Encore revivals include “The Giacomo Variations,” starring John Malkovich, “The Cradle Will Rock,” “Violet,” and “I’m Getting My Act Together and Taking It On the Road.” Call 212-581-1212.

NO ONE will ever take Robin Wright (the ex Mrs. Sean Penn) or Kevin Spacey, the multiple Oscar winner,for granted again. What magnificent actors! I wasn’t in the crowd that first went crazy over the Netflix ongoing all-at-once movie “House of Cards” … But now I am rationing myself to two of these every Sunday afternoon and if this kind of inside Washington drama doesn’t kill off reality non-acting TV, well, I’ll be surprised. The networks should pay attention.

THE STELLA BY STARLIGHT gala on June 10th is shaping up for Elaine Stritch. Now, Stephen Sondheim has been added and he will get The Marlon Brando Award. Added to the program — Martin Sheen, Harry Belafonte, Liza Minnelli, Alec Baldwin, Whoopi Goldberg, Mike Medavoy,and they are tying to raise dough like crazy for the Stella Adler Studio of Acting. Call 212-689-0087 ext. 27.

This column originally appeared on NYSocialDiary.com on 5/16/13

So opined Mick Jagger on how he agreed to go on tour with The Rolling Stones again, provided Keith Richards would apologize for claiming in his memoir that Jagger had a tiny penis!

WENT downtown near Katz’s Deli to a former synagogue which played host to the elite playwrights, producers, directors, actors of the not-for-profit Theatre Communications Group. This sounds kind of dull, because people don’t bother to learn the brilliant names of the nation’s playwrights, as a rule.

But it wasn’t. The old synagogue rocked to modern music and we realized that the TCG publishes most ofthe nation’s playwrights and they were honoring Ruth and Stephen Hendel and Ming Cho Lee. The group does tremendous work for letting art and literature flourish in the name of the theatre.

I was in heaven because my idol, Pulitzer winner Tony Kushner, was also speaking.

This gave me the chance to announce later on from the podium that I often had delusions of romancing Mr. Kushner, but that I had realized it would have disintegrated into one of those dreadful and boring heterosexual marriages.

When serious “honoring” is going on at such fund-raisers, best to have a few young talented beauties on hand. And they did. The event was emceed by the gorgeous Jessica Hecht, Tony-nominee who is currently in the Manhattan Theatre Club’s play “The Assembled Parties.” And also on hand was another of my idols — the Emmy, Oscar, Golden Globes’ multi-winner actress, director and star Christine Lahti.

I have loved this woman since she starred in “Chicago Hope” … visited in her homes, met her three kids, and her Texas author husband Thomas Schlamme. Christine tells me she is bi-coastal, as is Tom, but their children are in school here and she likes living in New York. We had a joyful reunion. She, of course, is often in Hawaii playing the mother of actor Alex O’Loughlinin “Hawaii Five-0.” Christine has three movies coming out — “Mania Days,” “Truck Stop,” and “Hateship, Loveship.”

BACK TO the why we were there — Such names as Lydia R. Diamond, Jasmine M. Keller, Teresa Eyring, Philip Himberg, Terry Nemeth, Richard Nelson, Emily Mann, Eric Bogosian, Quiara Alegria Hudes — all spoke to enthusiastic applause from the crowd.

I ran into Anne Kaufman, the keeper of the famed writer George Kaufman’s enduring legacy. She is reviving her father’s famous play-movie “You Can’t Take It With You” and the star will be James Earl Jones. That’ll be worth waiting for.

As I left the beautiful old synagogue, I reflected on the last time I had visited there. A birthday party for none other than Bette Midler, at which words were spoken that had never been spoken in a place of worship before. But the synagogue worshippers were long gone; the crowd the other night was strictly worshipping the printed word and the art of literature.

PLAYWRIGHT Larry Kramer says actor star Alec Baldwin will NOT be in his movie of “The Normal Heart,” as planned. “He is being replaced by someone mightier! Sit tight!” Larry is working with and raving about director Ryan Murphy on “The Normal Heart” and ideas for HBO. He says Ryan is better than anyone he has worked with in the past. (Well, this is theater; such things are subject to change.) Larry’s final verdict? “HBO is the place to go today. The studios were yesterday and God bless their ashes; they deserve to be buried.”

YOU CAN pay $67.50 for a ticket online at www.yorktheatre.org (this theatre — in a church — is my favorite on the East Side of Manhattan at 54th Street off Lex) and you will see “I’m A Stranger Here Myself” — really unusual James Morgan production with music by entertainer Mark Nadler. He explores the depths of the European expatriate experience. Using songs of Kurt Weill, Friedrich Hollaender, Lotte Lenya and Marlene Dietrich, this little musical examines ordinary Germans and artists caught up in the Nazi machine. Lots of different performances ending May 19th.

THOUGHTS: Sometimes I lose entire persons or people for not paying attention. This happened a few weeks back when suddenly I realized my old pal, the press agent deluxe Shirley Herz, and our friend Angela Lansbury were among the missing.

They had gone to Australia where Angela is currently playing in the drama “Driving Miss Daisy” withJames Earl Jones. These two have been in Sydney knocking the Aussies dead and they open the 17th in Melbourne and I believe, go on to Perth. These two great talents sent Shirley back to New York as they have gone gloriously on with this magnificent play. They’re the toast of Aussieland!

I read recently in Lynda Obst‘s book, “Sleepless in Hollywood,” about how impossible Hollywood has become about translating a drama into film. Alfred Uhry’s play could not nowadays ever be made into a movie, even though at the time it was a big hit onscreen and off. And even though it won the Oscar forJessica Tandy in her delightful old age and her costar Morgan Freeman was nominated.

This column originally appeared on NYSocialDiary.com on 5/15/13

“SOME WOMEN choose to follow men, and some women choose to follow their dreams. If you’re wondering which way to go, remember that your career will never wake up and tell you it doesn’t love you anymore!”

A great quote from Lady Gaga, although she is too young to realize your career can wake up and tell you it doesn’t love you anymore.

THERE’S a documentary making the rounds titled “The Girls in the Band.” This tells the stories of women’s dreams and the hard choices they made, back when those choices were really hard.

Right now, the film, directed by Judy Chaikin, is being offered by the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center at Lincoln Center. (It has won a number of prestigious film festival awards.)

This is a story about jazz and its aftermath — rock, rap and whatever we have now. It is an extraordinary history lesson, about music, women, and how the latter — Caucasian, African-American, Chinese and every other variety of woman — were stigmatized and ruled against and kept out of the early history of jazz.

There is pride, but more than a touch of sadness in the stories told by old-timers and new-timers about how men have dominated the American musical venues, sidelining talented female musicians. Why? Because these women didn’t want to get up in front of the band in a pretty dress and sing. They wanted to bang it out on the trumpet, the trombone, and drums. But piano — genteel piano — was maybe okay. Sexism and racism abounded except for a rare occasional success like Ina Ray Hutton.

“The Girls In the Band” examines how some of the women finally broke through. For many it was too late, rock and roll lessened the importance of the jazz scene as a whole. Some of the women who tell their tales are Geri Allen, Jane Ira Bloom, Clora Bryant, Viola Smith, Peggy Gilbert, Carline Ray, etc. They are, each one, impressive and important to the history of music. This is a hugely entertaining, and enlightening tale. We are treated finally to the recognized talents of Marian McPartland, age 95.

I sat with the gifted Tommy Tune for this premiere last week along with a gala crowd that included Hearst’s Frank Bennack, Pam Fiori and Colt Givner, Paulette Washington, Gillian and Sylvester Miniter, Mike Greene, Nancy Kissock, Peter Gelb of the Met Opera, Del Bryant of BMI, Linda Moran,prexy of the songwriters Hall of Fame, Alan and Arlene Alda, Peter Brown, Chris Lowell, Adrienne Arsht, and I’m sure a missed a few.

Tickets are available here.

I WANT to cite a longtime friend Ann Ziff, who is the chair at the Met. She is vice chair of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, on the board at Carnegie Hall and founder and patron of many worthy charities. It is Ann who made the Met’s entire Wagner cycle possible. She also hosted this jazz for women party as well. And here I thought she was just another pretty face.

“THERE’S SOMETHING about this theater. I just love it. I’m surprised I’ve never played here before.”

“You have.”
“I have? When?”
“2006.”
“Ha! Better than 1806!”

So went some banter between Liza Minnelli and her press guy, Scott Gorenstein, after Liza’s terrific show at the State Theater in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Liza was performing at a special 25th annual benefit gala, which keeps the grand old theater up and running and attracting big names. (25 years ago, the State had become a run-down porn palace, on the verge of being demolished.) It now provides education and outreach programs along with all that entertainment.

As for Miss Minnelli, she was at the very top of her current form, vibrant and soulful — vamping and camping and giving her usual 150%. Onstage, under the lights, watching her move, it’s hard to believe she has ever heard the word hip replacement — and more than once! — along with a battery of other physical ailments that dancers are prone to. The Oscar/Emmy/Tony and Grammy winner did a lot of the old faves, along with some lesser known songs from her last album, “Confessions,” plus several Charles Aznavour songs — especially striking on “What Makes a Man a Man?” And her rendition of “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love,” with vocal assist by Billy Stritch, was superb.

Liza banged out “Cabaret” and “New York, New York” with blistering, determined vigor. But those giant notes at the end can be elusive. Not that anybody cares, as Liza actually stopped her musicians at one point and said, “I’m just gonna do this on my own, okay?” And she did. After “New York, New York,” she laughed and said, “That’s it for all the songs with big notes!”

Liza still takes dancing and singing lessons. The former helps her remain nimble, the latter she has wisely used to work on the deep, husky middle and low range of her voice. And when she displays that voice, she is actually a better, more involved and involving singer than in her youth. It is an impressive, spine-tingly sound. She has not become a stagnant artist. She still looks for new material, she clearly prefers to stay within her range, but she knows fans would riot if she didn’t sing certain songs. (Although being a benefit this was not quite a “Liza” crowd. They were enthusiastic, but not rabid. Sensing this, she joked, “You know, you can go out and have dinner, I won’t be offended.”)

BACKSTAGE, SHE greeted fans such as TCM’s Robert Osborne — whom she encouraged to take a bow from the audience, lauding his contributions to film appreciation and preservation. She was relaxed, amusing, sharp, looked fresh, even after her rigors, and apparently pleased with the way everything had gone. There was none of that wild tension that can inhabit a dressing room when something has gone wrong and the star is unhappy. The staff is then unhappy. The bodyguards are unhappy. And well-intentioned visitors want to flee instantly!

Miss Minnelli continues her endless touring. Poughkeepsie is next. She remains relentlessly upbeat and determined, dammit, that she will never, ever “go like Elsie!”

This column originally appeared on NYSocialDiary.com on 5/14/13

“BEARDED IN my den!” That’s your Liz who dared to bring up ideas about clean-shaven versus stubble guys and other in-betweens, including
mustaches!

SO, NOT on a clear day — as Alan Jay Lerner and Burton Lane wrote — but on a slow day, I will offer you my idea of total glamour.

Four of the most clean-shaven stars ever to grace the silver screen (we will accept Gable’s moustache as I would take him with or without it!) are present!

Here is the great Slim Aarons photo of Gable, Van Heflin, Gary Cooper and Jimmy Stewart dressed up in the manner that makes a man “look” dressed up — white tie and tails.

You just can’t beat it!

ON THE day the Drama Desk announced a nomination for Bette Midler‘s one-person show about the Hollywood super-agent Sue Mengers, the audience at the Wednesday matinee last week exploded into applause and laughter again and again. This was my second time seeing “I’ll Eat You Last” and I enjoyed Bette’s joie de vivre and her heartfelt sadness alternating with the character. She “becomes” Sue Mengers, dishing Hollywood to the last vivid drop.

The matinee audience was great — lots of women, a good number of men and a few children kept interrupting the play with more and more applause. Bette almost wasn’t able to close the show. The audience applauded over the last lines.

I have decided why Bette didn’t get a Tony nomination. They opened the play too close to the end of Tony-voting time and a lot of voters had already made choices. It was just timing, not taking anything out on Bette who is Broadway’s and the world’s darling.

This thing is a sell-out and you don’t have to have known Sue Mengers to love it. If you like “dish” about the capital of dishing, this play, plus its great star, is your cup of bitter, hysterical tea.

NEIL PATRICK HARRIS will host the Tony Awards for the fourth time, this year. He is the greatest. So funny and charming and totally with-it. He can sing and dance and make fun of himself and the proceedings. Let’s just have him become the Bob Hope of the Tonys and allow him to head the event every year. It’s not gonna get any better than Neil.

ONE of the brightest and best writers of our times lives down in New Orleans. She is Julia Reed who Vogue magazine let slip away in an odd quarrel over Hillary Clinton and a dress. (One can barely remember the details of things like that. They turn out to be so silly.)

Anyway, Julia is happily married to a master of the oil universe and they bought a big house to renovate on Bourbon Street and Julia concentrated on writing about food and entertaining. This Southern-bred girl is famous partly because her mother is described as “the best cook-chef in all of Mississippi.”

Now, Julia has a new book out titled “But Mama Always Put Vodka in her Sangria” and it is so much fun, it will — as they say in Mississippi — “make you hit your grandma!”

I know this phrase to be high praise because my own ladylike-precious grandmother, Sally Ball McCall, often used this absurd expression as the highest praise.

“LINE UP, you tramps!” That was the marvelous character actress Hope Emerson, as a sadistic prison matron getting her “girls” ready for the day, in the movie, “Caged.”

“Caged” remains the most harrowing, heartbreaking, women’s prison movie ever. (The supporting cast, which includes Agnes Moorehead, Ellen Corby, Lee Patrick, Betty Garde, Gertrude Hoffman and Jan Sterling is also stellar — every bitter, crazy, suggestive one liner,
brilliantly uttered.)

The star of that 1950 classic was Eleanor Parker. And how great that Turner Classic Movies is honoring Miss Parker as its “Star of the Month” for June.

Parker was one of Hollywood’s most lustrous beauties and a fine, varied actress. Perhaps too varied. She never quite found a niche, an identifiable image. She always seemed about to explode into major stardom, but somehow remained second tier, despite three Oscar nominations.

The year she was nominated for “Caged,” her competition was Bette Davis and Anne Baxter in “All About Eve” … Gloria Swanson in “Sunset Boulevard” … and Judy Holliday for “Born Yesterday.” (Miss Holiday won, much to Bette Davis disapproval.)

So in June, we’ll get to see all of Eleanor’s most popular films, including “Detective Story,” “Scaramouche” “Interrupted Melody,” and the movie that she is perhaps, oddly, most remembered for — “The Sound of Music,” in which she provided some much-needed acidity to the syrup. (She doesn’t slap Julie Andrews, but you’d like her to!) However, for heaven’s sake, don’t miss “Caged.” You’ll be stunned at just how daring a film made in 1950 could be.

ENDQUOTE: “HIS VOICE was like a Stradivarius violin: one of the greatest instruments ever made.” That’s Merle Haggard in Rolling Stone, writing about the passing and legacy of country legend
George Jones.

And if you don’t know George Jones or his music, download “He Stopped Loving Her Today.” It will stop your heart.

This column originally appeared on NYSocialDiary.com on 5/13/13

“I WILL have to ask you to mind what you say. I am Isis. I am worshipped by millions who believe it.”

So snapped Elizabeth Taylor to Rex Harrison in “Cleopatra,” a movie that pretended to chronicle the life of Egypt’s ancient queen, but was really “All About Liz.”

“CLEOPATRA,” directed in stately style by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, is the film that all but bankrupted 20th Century-Fox. (So hot was Fox to have Taylor, they mounted two productions of the film. After La Liz fell critically ill in London, they began all over again in Rome a year later, and even sold part of the studio’s back lot.)

The movie cost a then-astronomical $40 million. (About $400 million today!) It is referred to always as a “bomb.” But in fact, the public flocked to “Cleopatra” making it one of the top-grossers of 1963. It simply could never make back its then cost. In time, after being sold to TV, it inched into the black.

Now, a restored, pristine version of “Cleopatra” will be shown at the Cannes Film Festival on May 21, partnering with one of Taylor’s favorite jewelers, Bulgari. (Elizabeth’s opulent Bulgari pieces will be on display at the reception following the screening.) Alas, the movie will probably never be fully restored.

Mank shot at least six hours and wanted to break the film in two — the first part centering on Cleo and Caesar, the second on Cleo and Antony (Richard Burton) But Darryl Zanuck had had enough, and cut the movie to 243 minutes. (Which was then further cut during its road-show run.)

Elizabeth said: ”They cut the heart out of the movie — and so many of Richard’s great scenes.” It’s possible the footage is still around, rotting in the Fox vaults, but unlikely at this point.

Still, it is fascinating to watch, because Mank was clearly writing his script to emulate the ups and downs of Elizabeth and Richard’s romance — doomed by too-much-passion, too-much-drink, egos and power-plays. “I want to be free of you, of wanting you!” Richard/Antony announces at one point. And Liz/Cleo weeps, “I should have felt this when I was very young, to know what love is.” It’s romantic and tragic and shiver-inducing.

I’M USUALLY telling you about big Broadway shows, with major stars and (hopefully) long runs.

But once in a while I like to promote something that seems special and is very “New York-ish.” On Monday, May 20th, for one night only, The Gingold Theatrical Group presents Bernard Shaw’s once-shocking play, “Mrs. Warren’s Profession.”

It’s about a genial brothel owner who becomes acquainted with her daughter, fresh from college. This one has it all — sex, women’s rights, religion, the relationships between parent and child.

David Staller directs, and the play starsMatt Doyle … Richard Easton … Harriet Harris … Amelia Pedlow … Tony Sheldon … Lenny Wolpe … and Roma Torre. Call 212-352-3101 for tickets. Come, on, get yourself some culture on a Monday night.

PLAYWRIGHT, author and activist Larry Kramer will receive The Isabelle Stevenson Award at this year’s Tony Awards on Sunday June 9th.

Kramer has been one of the most controversial and remarkably persistent (and prescient) figures in the arts. His great play, “The Normal Heart” about the early days of the AIDS crisis, still rings true, and breaks your heart. (The 2011 version of this wrenching work received a Tony for Best Revival of a play.)

In the face of extreme criticism, he was one of the few who stood up to suggest that perhaps the gay community should begin to take some measures to save themselves from unprotected sex. (I can only imagine his thoughts and remarks these days as AIDS statistics rise again, and a new generation shrugs off the disease as something “manageable” with the proper “cocktail” of medication.)

Larry, he of the eternal farmer’s over-alls, will be the subject of a cable documentary. This coincides with “The Normal Heart” finally making its way to the screen next year. In the time honored manner of Hollywood, it will not come to the big screen, but rather HBO.

Look, HBO is as big as any studio these days. (The years-long saga of attempting to film “The Normal Heart” would make a movie in itself!)

Anyway, Julia Roberts, Matt Bomer, Jim Parsons, Taylor Kitsch, Mark Ruffalo, Joe Mantello are on board, as well as my old pal, Alec Baldwin.

OUR LESS-THAN-POSITIVE review of Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby” caused us to receive quite a bit of mail, with most people saying, “Thanks, Liz, I knew it wouldn’t be good.”

Well, as I mentioned several times in my “Gatsby” remarks, my opinion was my opinion only. Many might love it, as they did “Les Miserables” — another movie with which I was less-than-enthralled. I’m no film critic. I write what I feel in the moment. I think people should make up their own minds and not take the word of anybody else. (Unless it’s a slasher movie or “torture porn,” I don’t wish failure on any film, certainly not one as ambitious as “Gatsby.”)

You know, a few years back, I went to see Sofia Coppola’s “Marie Antoinette.” I didn’t care for it. But recently it has been on cable a great deal, and I’ve come to appreciate what Ms. Coppola was trying to do with her tale of the tragic Queen of France. I still have some issues with the movie, but I like it much more than I did when I first saw it. (Perhaps the lush old black-and-white version with Norma Shearer and Tyrone Power is still rattling around in my head.)

So, maybe in a few years, I’ll understand what Mr. Luhrmann was up to with “Gatsby?” And if I do, I’ll be the first to say so!

This column originally appeared on NYSocialDiary.com on 5/10/13

Be Well

This will be my last column as Dear Margo. I have been giving advice for 15 years — first as Dear Prudence and then under my own name. I have been writing for newspapers for 45 years. The time feels right to retire from deadline journalism. I plan to write long-form pieces as the spirit moves me.

I am not leaving to spend more time with my family, but rather to spend more time with my inner child … the one who has lunch with girlfriends, shops, sleeps late and plows through decades of files (kind of a jumped-up version of straightening up your sock drawer).

I have greatly enjoyed trying to help a very engaged group of readers. Thank you for your trust, your opinions and for what you have taught me. Be well.

* * *

Dear Margo is written by Margo Howard, Ann Landers’ daughter.

COPYRIGHT 2013 MARGO HOWARD DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS.COM

Click here to follow Margo on Twitter

“DO not join encounter groups. If you enjoy being made to feel inadequate, call your mother!”

I found this in a quote file attributed to one Liz Smith. I can’t believe I wrote that. Perhaps whoever did, will communicate and take credit. I adored my mother.

Here’s what I wrote about her for a recent program for the T. J. Martell Foundation which fights cancer in a big big way. I was recently honored by them and they asked for a remembrance of my mother for their program. Here it is:

My mother used to say if we did good in life there’d “be a lot of stars in your crown in heaven.” We three children were convinced since she died at 95 that she was shining bright in heaven. My mother was a country girl born in Mississippi   to a circuit horse-riding doctor father and a teacher for a mother. Dr. McCall died when she was 13 and he left a drawerful of medical bills, $150,000 unpaid to him.

Elizabeth McCall was a good Southern Baptist Christian. She always did the right thing and expected us to. I am still trying to be more like her. My father always said, “After I met your mother I never looked at another woman again!” So, I guess they were ideal.

I wrote her some kind of letter or note every single day after I left Texas. I still miss my mother, although I am now almost her age when she died suddenly, watching “Ås The World Turns” and playing solitaire in her chair. My brother assured me when he called, “It’s OK, she had just had her hair done and she looks beautiful.”

THE T.J. Martell Foundation is made up of numbers of ladies who were all gorgeous at lunch in their hats. (This was at the Riverpark on the East River. The honorees were Marcie Allen of Mac Presents where she is large as a music industry VIP … JoAnn Camuti of American Airlines … Lori Stokes of ABC’s Eyewitness News … and Dr. Margaret I. Cuomo who has written “A World Without Cancer.”

(Her famous parents, Matilde and Mario Cuomo, once residents of the governor’s mansion in Albany made it very special indeed and the onetime Gov. of New York told me a story about his 12 grand-daughters and his one grandson) … and also with us was the Martell CEO Laura Heatherly of Nashville, Dallas and points elsewhere where big beautiful ladies hats abound … (Best teeth I’ve ever seen!) … we had entertainment by Grammy Nominee Elle Varnerwho actually played guitar and sang a song I could understand.

Everybody saluted the excellent Dr. James Holland who shapes great research for this important organization. But my own speech was mostly about another Dr. Jimmie Holland (his wife) and a famous psychiatrist in her own right.

It isn’t unusual in Texas, where she hails from, for girls to be given boy’s names. Dr. Jimmie, research notwithstanding, is the best chicken fried steak maker in the entire world! Maybe I brought down the tone of the T. J. Martell Foundation, but we all had a very good time!

OH YES, Jenna Wolfe was an exuberant emcee in the same way she scores mornings on the “Today Show.” She worked against holding her stomach in, as she says she does all the time professionally on NBC, because she is expecting a baby girl in a few months. I’ve seldom seen a better, funnier, wittier emcee in such a “serious” fundraiser. Jenna speaks French, Spanish, Creole. She developed her savoir faire from covering sports before the “Today Show” found her. I wish I could recruit her to enliven some of my charities.

THE COMEBACK girls! You haters or dislikers of Anne Hathaway andGwyneth Paltrow might have to re-think. Both of these actresses have paid the price in public “dissing” for their having won the Academy Award. But I thought Anne was the most fascinating, most interesting looking of all the women we saw photos of at the Metropolitan Museum’s Anna Wintour fashion bash of the year! Her new cropped blonde locks were an antidote to all that has been said about her. (And she remains one of the best actresses I’ve seen in a lifetime of movies. Both in “The Devil Wears Prada” and Jenny Lumet‘s “Rachel Getting Married.”)

As for Gwyneth — she just goes gravely on, ignoring her critics and now she is part and parcel of a large comeback team with Robert Downey, Jr. in “Iron Man 3.” Association with this success will go a long way for the public’s forgiving her for People mag naming her the most beautiful woman in the world.

Neither of these women has made the “fashion” impact of Sarah Jessica Parker that same Museum night. Sarah was more for just plain show and I can’t believe anybody would seriously wear such a get-up twice.

But as the brilliant Anna Wintour has said in the past about the ultra fashion ofVogue … “These clothes are not for people to buy. They are aspirational!”

HERE’S the New York Timesyesterday under the headline “Rap, Both Good and Bad for Business.” They examine the current fad, or whatever it is. “Three times in recent weeks large companies … have … learned the hard way, severing ties with rappers they had previously happily paid to endorse their products …”

(They were talking Reebok’s dropping Rick Ross over objectionable lyrics … PepsiCo’s Mountain Dew doing the same to Lil Wayne …. This is a neon-bright sign of corporate retrenchment in the face of protest, bad press and flashes of moral rectitude …”

But the real sum up to this is theTimes statement: “These reactions are a signal of how expendable hip-hop culture … and, by extension, black culture and youth culture — is to mainstream, predominantly white-owner corporations …” Reporter Jon Caramanica goes on to examine the hypocrisy and usefulness of these attitudes. (May 8th The Arts edition of the Times.)

Maybe it is just the out-size publicity granted success stories like Beyonce and Jay-Z and Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, who are choice morsels for the tabloids and the Internet gossip press to seize on. They are the newnoveau riche and they more than act like it!

This column originally appeared on NYSocialDiary.com on 5/9/13