New York, July 17, 2006 – The universal whine was that there was no water to jump into at the Lady in the Water premiere at New York’s Museum of Natural History. The azure-colored carpet did nothing to relieve the near-100 degree temperatures.

Everyone tried to cope in their own way. Paul Giamatti had shaved off his beard, although when asked how he’s dealing with the heat wave, he said, “I’m not. Look at me; I’m wearing a black suit. I’m an idiot!” Freddy Rodriguez, also wearing a suit, told us that he wished he could have worn a t-shirt.

Like many of us, members of the band Silvertide carried cold drinks. However, theirs were beers, and one of them reached into his bag and handed us a can of Pabst Blue Ribbon. The group is based in Philadelphia, where, one cigarette-puffing rocker taunted, a pack of smokes still costs $3. These guys weren’t just there to smoke and drink; they appear in the movie, and have just signed with J Records.

Director M. Night Shyamalan is also from Philadelphia, but said that when he attended NYU, Avenue A was a scary place. Two reporters immediately volunteered that they live there now. “You just scared my parents”, one of them told Night.

Shyamalan’s movies may be scary to viewers, but Bob Balaban, who is in Lady in the Water, said that he’s terrified that film critics will say really mean things about him.