New York, March 20, 2006 – How did Jodie Foster get the part in Spike Lee’s new film Inside Man? “Nepotism”, Foster told us at the premiere. “I knew [Spike’s] brother, who went to college with me. So I feel like I know the family”, she joked. Showbiz nepotism may run in Foster’s own family; while a few years ago, she said she would never have encouraged her kids to go into the entertainment industry, she’s reconsidering. “Now, my older son is really getting funny, and I’m kind of seeing…I don’t know. He’s got a future in being funny, and charming the pants off of people. So who knows”.

We looked and looked but couldn’t uncover any nepotism in actress Cassandra Freeman’s lucky break. She told us how she got the part of Denzel Washington’s girlfriend in Inside Man. “I just finished NYU, and I mean really a week out of school, I got this part… Starting off with Denzel and Spike.” So is Denzel a good kisser? “I don’t know. It’s called acting kissing!”

Rev. Al Sharpton agreed with Spike Lee’s recent negative comments about Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Sharpton has had cameo roles in movies, playing himself, but didn’t think Inside Man, a heist story, was the best vehicle for a politician.

Wesley Snipes, who starred as a drag queen in the film To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar, came by. Just the night before, out in Hollywood, we’d met the real Julie Newmar.

Inside Man is Spike Lee’s first “big budget” Hollywood film, but the budget apparently stopped short at sheltering the red carpet premiere. All of these troupers chatted with us al fresco, on a cold, windy night.