We’re at Casa Lever for the Observer redesign party, and Richard Johnson is coaching us on what to ask the guests.
“Ask everyone if their name ever appeared in the Observer,” he says.
So we turn to Mr. Johnson and ask: “Has your name ever appeared in the Observer?”
“Of course,” he says. “I worked there for about three weeks in 1991, before I got offered a better job.”
A better job than working at the Observer? Not possible! Page Six is the most seductive of mistresses. But seeing the crowd tonight, he must feel he missed out. There can be very few jobs that allow you to see Roger Waters – yes, Roger Waters – nibble tomato canapés. Regis Philbin is here as well, demanding to know why his favorite Observer columnist, Rex Reed, is not. (We don’t know. We try to talk modern movies, but it frankly doesn’t really compare.) Meanwhile, Matt Lauer suggests we feature his Today co-anchor, Savannah Guthrie, on the cover, a superb idea, perhaps only a tiny bit more obtainable than that of Good Wife star Jess Weixler, who suggests we feature Dolly Parton because “it will make us feel about everything again.”
Jess Weixler (Photo: Patrick McMullan)
She may have a point, although the divine cocktails provided by DeLeon Tequila did their fair share to make everyone feel good about everything. Also, our aim might be more contemporary (not that Ms. Parton doesn’t reign eternally.) Publisher Jared Kushner noted that the Observer’s new non-salmon colored format is an attempt to bring “a classic New York newspaper into the 21st century.” His wife, Ivanka Trump, certainly approved, saying she “loves the articles and tone of the Observer and LOVES the publisher.”
Wendi Deng, Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump
In terms of modern figures, Misshapes DJ Leigh Lezark had a suggestion regarding our cover figure, too. When asked who it should be, she replied, “Me. Me. Am I not allowed to say that?”
Request noted. Whomever we pick for the cover, we know they’ll look stunning against a clean white backdrop.