Now might be the moment to get a table at Tatiana — because everyone has been stranded in paradise by the Venezuela crisis.
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy closed down airspace around the South American nation Saturday night amid the jaw-dropping operation to seize president Nicolás Maduro, meaning that the commercial flights and private jets that were meant to ferry movie stars, moguls and mega-millionaires back to reality after their New Year’s celebrations were grounded.
We’re told Queen Latifah, Mike Tyson, Ming Lee Simmons, Natalie Portman and party pacha Richie Akiva were among those beached in St. Barts and the surrounding luxury oases.
As Chelsea Handler noted in her monologue at the People’s Choice Awards, Leonardo DiCaprio missed the Palm Springs International Film Awards due to being stuck on St. Barts.
We’re told some celebs and other Jet Setters on St. Barts began taking boats to neighboring islands like Saint Martin and Anguilla, in hopes of flying out from the bigger island.
“Everyone’s been taking the boat to Anguilla, only to be turned away, and sent back [to St. Barts or St. Martin],” a source said.
But, unable to get off the ground, we’re told the One Percent refugees are flooding villas and hotels, and their managers are drowning.
The fancy Belmond properties like Cap Juluca in Anguilla are all booked, as “St. Martin hotels are sold out,” another source said.
The situation is so desperate, New York hospitality and nightlife vets have been posting on social media seeking people to go in on group charter flights.
Comedian Jeff Ross also got stuck in St. Barths after flying down for Beacher’s Madhouse, founded by pal Jeff Beacher. He quipped online: “Planes are grounded. Rowing to New York.” Beacher mangaged to fly out private on Sunday. Meanwhile,the star of Madhouse, Wee Matt McCarthy, was stuck with the others.
New York nightlife king, Richie Akiva, came to the rescue of the abandoned vacationers in a way that only he knows how: A party.
Akiva and David Guetta’s ex, Cathy, hosted “F–k Me We Can’t Fly,” modeled after the international DJ’s infamous “”F–k Me, I’m Famous” parties, at Barry in St. Barts.
Cuba Gooding Jr. and girlfriend Claudine DeNiro were spotted in Anguilla Monday, still waiting on a private plane to rescue them. A source told us Blade is expected to save them Tuesday morning.
DiCaprio fled St. Barts just in time to be roasted by Chelsea Handler at the Critics Choice Awards on Sunday night. “It was just like the Titanic, but worse … because Jeff Bezos was there,” Handler quipped.
Portman, on the other hand, wasn’t so lucky. She’s remains stranded with “lots of work commitments to get back to this week,” an insider shared, adding the biggest being the Golden Globes this weekend, where she’s nominated for “Arco.”
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