By Jonah Wolf 10/09/12 7:51pm

Shindigger

Susan Benedetto and Tony Bennett. (Eugene Mim/Patrick McMullan)

Let Him Sing Forever More: Tony Bennett Explores the Arts

Tony Bennett’s wasn’t the only gala dinner in Manhattan last Thursday, but that’s where Shindigger was, arriving at Cipriani 42nd Street for cocktail hour, just in time to catch a glimpse of Alec Baldwin. “Oh my God, he’s lost so much weight—I didn’t even recognize him!” we heard one guest whisper to another, eyeing the star who would kick off 30 Rock’s final season later that night. Mr. Baldwin’s wife, Hilaria Thomas, flaunted her Hebrew for the night’s honoree, entertainment lawyer Allen Grubman, before the couple headed off to the Norman Mailer Center benefit at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

Mr. Bennett, whose nonprofit Exploring the Arts operates in New York public schools, apparently lacked Ms. Thomas’s linguistic talent. Or so we learned when we asked the 86-year-old crooner, whose third Duets album pairs him with the likes of Marc Anthony and Gloria Estefan, about his Spanish. “No habla Español,” answered his 46-year-old wife, co-host and translator, Susan Benedetto. We changed the subject to Mr. Bennett’s next album, a recently announced full-length collaboration with Lady Gaga. “I know that she’s one of the great singers of all time, but people don’t know that,” Mr. Bennett explained. “They just see another, you know, big new star coming up, but she is one hell of a singer. She can improvise as great as Ella Fitzgerald.”

We stopped at the bar to take in the student artwork, alongside photographs of Mr. Bennett (himself a talented painter) with young dancers and musicians. A disembodied voice urged us to our table, where pink paintbrushes matched the flower arrangement.  Read More

By Drew Grant 8/22/12 9:50am

Morning shows

Mike Strahan on 'Live! With Kelly' (ABC)

Michael Strahan Drafted as Kelly Ripa’s New Co-Host

From the NFL to Fox sports to Live! With Kelly–Michael Strahan must have himself a really good publicist. Rumors abounded on TMZ yesterday that the New York Giants defensive end would finally fill the empty chair left vacant by the departure of Regis Philbin last November.

This morning, WABC, a syndicate of the network that produces the morning show, announced that the 6-foot-5 Fox Sports commentator would be offcially joining the 5-foot-3 human percolator on September 4.

Which leaves just one question: Out of all the 59 hosts that ABC has used as rotating guest hosts, why Mr. Strahan, a name that carries far less cachet than say, NY1′s Pat Kiernan, Mario Lopez, Seth Meyers or Alec Baldwin? Read More

By The Editors 4/12/11 11:31pm

Reflections

Shut It Down! Boehner Blocks Bedlam, Black Bows Out

Well, that was close. The government almost shut down Friday night, but then didn’t, putting an end to weeks of speculation as to which crucial federal operations (disease control? Toxic waste cleanup?? Passport processing?!?) would be suspended while Speaker of the House John Boehner continued to be paid for providing writers across the country with Read More