This week of May, we had another get-together in the famed Michael’s restaurant, put together by media king Joe Armstrong. We were the envy of everyone because the other people in the restaurant saw us at the big middle table in the window. They didn’t realize we could hardly hear a thing anybody was saying. (After Joe helped make Michael’s famous, the restaurant added another 20 tables!) We had Joe’s famous cowboy boot signed by Willie Nelson sitting on the table filled with the ubiquitous yellow roses. (Yes, yes, a few of us present had been born or raised in Texas.)

The guest of honor was none other than bike champ Lance Armstrong, sandwiched between two of ABC’s hottest babes — Diane Sawyer and Cynthia McFadden. The rest of us were just supernumeraries. There was: the kingpin, Joe himself; your Liz; Newsweek’s perspicacious editor Jon Meacham; “60 Minutes” ace Steve Kroft; Lance’s president in charge of Livestrong, Doug Ulman; and Sports Illustrated editor Terry McDonnell.

Photo by Jimi Celeste

Jon Meacham, Liz Smith, Joe Armstrong, Lance Armstrong, Diane Sawyer, Cynthia McFadden, Terry McDonnell, Doug Ulman and Steve Kroft in Michael’s window

Lance and Doug, who are both cancer survivors, have been traveling like crazy all over the U.S., advancing their big cause, which is to cure cancer on a wholesale scale. They told us that they have sold 72 million of the Livestrong yellow bracelets and editor Meacham notes that he had put the rubber memento on the cover of his magazine as a symbol in the cancer fight.

I will tell you more about this great cause another time because, while I heard most of the gossip exchanged at the table, I couldn’t quite get down all the nuts and bolts of the Livestrong effort. All I know so far is that Lance is a champion guy and Doug seems to be another one and they are smart, dedicated and determined to wipe out cancer in the world, affording equal treatment, time and research to one and all of us. (Believe me — the FDA, which oversees medical outcomes in America, did not come in for good PR at this get-together.)

American politicians who merely give lip service to this enormous needy cause better be careful because I think they “mess” with Lance and Doug at their peril!

P.S. The last time Joe Armstrong arranged a photo in this restaurant, Joe, Diane and I had Bill Clinton, Ann Richards, Billy Crystal and Robin Williams with us. A photographer for the New York Post whizzed in and snapped us without permission and that picture went around the world. This time, we hired our own photographer.

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