Television Archives

New York, June 8, 2009 – It was a very exclusive event when Kelly Ripa announced the Electroluxe Virtual Lemonade Stand campaign at the Central Park Boathouse.  So exclusive, in fact, that most members of the press were not invited to hear about the fundraising program for ovarian cancer research. 

But the charming Ripa was delighted that some enterprising photographers who were not admitted rented a rowboat and rowed across the lake to snap some photos.  Kelly laughed when she noticed the amphibious cameramen pointing lenses from the boat, and came over to the edge of the dock and posed. 

New York, June 7, 2009 – The 2009 Tony Awards got off to a rollicking start with virtually everyone on Broadway joining in a chorus of Let The Sunshine In, followed shortly thereafter by Rock of Ages’ Bret Michaels getting smacked on the head by a descending stage set.  While Hugh Jackman may be the gold standard of Tony hosts, Neil Patrick Harris did an admirable job, although we kept wondering why his tuxedo was so shiny.  NPH walked the red carpet proudly with his partner David Burtka, as he does every year at the Tony Awards.

The three Billy Elliots David Alvarez, Kiril Kunish and Trent Kowalik won hearts with their tongue-tied acceptance speech, but they were blasé around Sir Elton John, who composed the score – because they’ve met him before.  Their Best Actor in a Musical win was historic, marking the first time that a Tony award has been shared by three people. 

Liza was happy, happy, happy in the press room, mugging with her Tony statuette.

Hollywood types like Dolly Parton and Will Ferrell thrilled the Broadway folks, but despite her lack of Broadway credits, everyone was swooning over Anne Hathaway all evening.  )Perhaps because Nicole Kidman, who was slated to appear, had to cancel.)

Tony Awards viewership was reportedly up this year, and that doesn't count the 1,000 people gathered in Times Square to watch the live simulcast.

New York, May 26, 2009 – Racecar driver Helio Castroneves made the media rounds in Manhattan after winning his third Indy 500 race on Sunday.  The one-time Dancing with the Stars winner showed he’s still got it, kicking his legs with the legendary Rockettes dancers at Radio City Music Hall. 

Castroneves said that his Indy winning strategy was to “save fuel” during whole race, leaving him “clean air” for that final burst. 

The win was especially joyful for the Brazilian-born Castroneves, who just weeks before the Indy 500 was acquitted on tax evasion charges in a Florida trial. 

Atlantic City, April 25-26, 2009 – This weekend Gossip Girl star Jessica Szohr turned into a Jersey girl when she hit Atlantic City’s Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa. 

This was Szohr’s first time in A.C., but she was so busy at the hotel, we doubt she spent much time on the boardwalk.  She got in some retail therapy at the Shoppes at the Water club, and bought a little black dress and matching BCBG heels that she wore to dinner at Izakaya.  Later Szohr hit the dance floor at mur.mur, the Borgata’s nightclub, before hitting the sack. (But where was her guy Ed Westwick?)

On Sunday she again skipped the beach in favor of relaxation at the Water Club Immersion Spa.

New York, April 14, 2009 – A veiled Drew Barrymore delighted attendees at the premiere of HBO’s Grey Gardens, the latest incarnation of the documentary film turned Broadway musical about Jackie O’s real-life relatives.  Barrymore was also delighted with herself, and lingered endlessly, posing in front of the flashbulbs in every direction

Barrymore plays Little Edith Beale in the movie, and Jessica Lange plays her mother, Big Edith. 

Drew’s ex, Justin “I’m a Mac” Long was by her side all evening, causing much gossipy speculation about whether or not they’re on again. 

Security guards apparently did not recognize New York Times Chairman Arthur Sulzberger, Jr., and told him to move away from the entrance to the red carpet where he stood waiting for someone outside the Ziegfeld Theater.  Sulzberger did not play the don’t-you-know-who-I-am game, but someone from HBO seemed to come to his rescue, and he stayed where he was, impatiently checking his watch for ten minutes or so until his date, an older woman, finally arrived.  Hope they enjoyed the movie.

New York, April 13, 2009 – Tween panties were in a bunch when Disney heartthrob Zac Efron arrived to tape the David Letterman show on Monday.  There was a lot of screaming, sighing and sobbing from the many girls gathered outside the midtown Manhattan studio.  Zac tried to avoid cameras when he arrived dressed in jeans and sneakers, but after the taping – when he was all spiffed up in a nice suit – he signed autographs and posed for photos.  Some Letterman staffers brought their lucky children who got to take their pictures with the hunk. 

Russell Crowe, who also appeared on the Letterman show, ignored fans and ran inside with a hoodie covering his bearded face, prompting one bystander to quip that he looked like the Unabomber. 

Tampa, FL, January 31, 2009 – We arrived in Tampa the day before the Super Bowl, in time to catch a couple of the celebrity-packed pre-game parties. 

Blake Lively was the life of the 3rd annual Celebrity Beach Bowl in St. Petersburg on Saturday.  Wearing jeans, she wasn’t dressed properly for playing football, but she did jump into the game half-heartedly for a few minutes towards the end.  Penn Badgley, Chace Crawford and Christian Slater were dressed appropriately for sports, and they did partake.  However, Blake was everywhere, giving interviews with Gossip Girl co-star Chace Crawford, and issuing directions with NY Giants’ Eli Manning. 

Blake also goofed around a lot with her guy, Penn Badgley; and feigned annoyance when Penn towel-snapped her behind with the red fabric strip hanging from his uniform (see photo at left.) 

That evening we headed over to Tampa’s T. Pepin Hospitality Center, where Kevin Costner, Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Michael Strahan and Nicole Murphy were among the celebrities at the 3rd annual Saturday Night Spectacular event. 

Tampa, FL, February 1, 2009 – Jennifer Hudson delivered a flawless rendition of the National Anthem at Super Bowl XLIII, her first public performance since the murder of three members of her family last October.  The thousands of football fans at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa and millions more at home held their collective breath, and Hudson struck just the right mood, and the crowd’s support was palpable.  We caught some exclusive photos of Hudson on the football field, touching up her hair and makeup just before she took the stage. 

Faith Hill, who performed first, hung around on the field with her husband, Tim McGraw, to hear Hudson’s song. 

That was not the audience on the field surrounding the stage during Bruce Springsteen’s half-time performance.  Those people you saw screaming at Bruce’s feet were actually volunteers, who told us they’d been training and rehearsing, even in the rain, for five days before the big game.  So when The Boss told us to “put the chicken fingers down” and get up and boogie, the field wasn’t littered with them. 

We sniffed out Paris Hilton way up in the stands in the end zone, about 20 rows back.  Literally – as someone in a baseball cap passed by, a photographer recognized the scent of Hilton’s perfume wafting in the air, and realized it was, in fact, Paris!  Even though her sears weren’t great, Hilton got to see one very exciting football game.