Chuck Schumer just helped nail a $15 billion deal to help entertainment, including Broadway.
“COVID be damned, I walk around the senate floor wearing a ‘Save Our Stages’ mask. I love Broadway. I love theater. I love New York. What’s our New York without our theater? What’s going to help it without a Lion’s King share of money?”
He understands that music venues, comedy clubs, movie theaters and small stages don’t have pots of cash and may not survive.
The Save Our Stages Act inserts that relief into a bigger just-negotiated spending bill, a 900-billion- buck bipartisan relief legislation.
“The last show I saw was ‘Hamilton’ for the third time. I was just around my own house singing stuff from ‘The Music Man.’ ”
I’d have asked more questions, but being the senator’s my forever ongoing multitime, multicourse semi-permanent dinner-table guest, all he wanted to know is: “So when am I coming over again for food?”
At the Copa . . .
If the fun and the gin mills are gone, unwrapped are memories of a few Santas ago: Copacabana. Sinatra ringside to hear singer Frank Jr. It was after the kid’s headlined kidnapping terror, and Junior was the opening act for comic Jack E. Leonard, whose first joke was: “Shame they let him out of the trunk.”
During Vietnam, the comedian Rich Little blasted President LBJ. Tough saloonkeeper Jules Podell had his p.r. guy Sy Presten tell him to knock that off. Little: “Tell Podell to f–k himself.” Podell then shut his mike off. Little kept going. Podell then shut his lights off. Little kept going. Next thing Podell shut out was Little.
Even though it officially opened in ’41, the Copa started in the ’30s starring Rudy Vallée. Owners were of a certain jailhouse persuasion. Holiday nights, the faces were Carmen Miranda, Tony Orlando and Dawn, Andy Warhol, Bob Hope, Mick Jagger. Diana Ross’ daughter’s party lasted three days. Bouncers hand-carried Stevie Wonder’s piano to a certain spot. Muhammad Ali sang at dawn. Barry Manilow wrote the Copacabana song. The Copa just now closed. In 2021, it would’ve been 80.
New year, new love
From psychic John Cohan: Drew Barrymore finds bliss in a relationship — not just with her TV show … Prince Harry and me-me-Meghan seek marriage counseling … Savannah Guthrie welcomes another “Today” show co-host … Madonna’s clothing line fab, personal life in the john … Ryan Seacrest gets a movie and splits the daily show … Cher starts a lucky cycle … Gayle King into political arena … Katie Holmes marries new newie Emilio Vitolo Jr.
Pay attention
Foo on fancy foods. I consider PB&J exotic. Lest someone care, “The Truffle Hunters” is a new doc about those mushy mushrooms … For another night in your pajamas, there’s “Land,” Robin Wright’s directorial debut about “the harsh American wilderness.” To me, that’s Madison Avenue … And don’t snivel that I don’t prep you because also coming is Denzel Washington producing the film of August Wilson’s play “The Piano Lesson.” Incidentally, the late Chadwick Boseman of Wilson’s “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” is someone Denzel helped put through college.
Also, Tina Fey and Robert Carlock just knocked off “Mr. Mayor.” He’s Ted Danson. With a young daughter. Cast features Bobby Moynihan and Holly Hunter.
Tina says: “This show is not politics. It’s about people and how scared you can be of your teenager.”
Danson: “I play a full-of-himself billionaire who thinks he’s great.”
Since we have de Blasio and don’t quite know why, maybe he’ll get some pointers.
Premieres on regular old NBC Jan. 7.
Kiddies, Mother’s had 10 months communicating with nobody live but my housekeeper and a Yorkie. Both bark. What the dog contributes might end up in a newspaper, but it’s not really great in terms of column items. And I think the last in-person celebrity I actually sat down with was Doris Day.
And I’m grateful to be only in New York, kids, only in New York. However, my computer’s cranky, my battery of phones don’t always work during any week that has a Tuesday in it. So, I, Madam Adams, am knocking off until Jan. 5. Love you, thank you and happy healthy holiday.
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