Padma Lakshmi. Politically fund-raising for her cousin to “lead the charge” for North Hempstead Town Council. One invite — plugging her not him — says she’s an actress, model, Emmy-nominated “worldwide known author heralded for health awareness.” Also the Indian chef who romanced fatwa guy Salman Rushdie.
Last night’s “Memorable Dinner With Padma Lakshmi in Support of Sid Nathan” was on Jericho Turnpike. $500. For a “special volunteer price” you had to “call for details.” VIP seating, $250. Cheapos who’d just spring for plain simple dinner (maybe to stand, not sit), $100.
Cosby’s story
Bill Cosby is getting memorialized. Mark Whitaker, who stepped down from managing CNN so Jeff Zucker could step up, is the biographer.
In 2011, Simon & Schuster put out “My Long Trip Home,” Whitaker’s own story of biracial parentage. They now publish the Cosby bio.
What they’re doing
East Hampton. Goldberg’s Deli. Katie Couric. Iced coffee, skim milk, Splenda and the fiancé . . . Katy Perry: “I’m on a rigorous diet. I’m supposed to eat every two hours, but I take an hour to think what I want to eat. I’m always starving.” . . . Rita Moreno? “West Side Story”? Jan. 18 gets her SAG union’s Lifetime Achievement Award . . . Kanye on BBC: “Gaga? Creative director of Polaroid? I like some of her songs, but what the f – – k does she know about cameras?”
Pilots are older
Making millions off surcharges, airlines now keep pilots longer to keep the money down.
New planes will soon feature cockpits with wheelchair access.
Tax man opines
As NYC and USA slide financially, and the rich wanting to stay rich, a tax attorney specialist says:
“France, gone downhill, imported the poor and exported the rich. Now it’s us.
“My clients are staying outside the US. Why tax territorially if they license, image or brand globally and make profits in other parts of the world? And if born abroad, dwelling abroad, why pay here when they don’t actually live here?
“Some celebrities, paid on a gross basis, forget withholding, W-2s, and that they have to pay 50 percent. It’s spend, gone, and end up broke.
“Although unpatriotic, they’re giving up passports.”
Spy novelist has left us
We lost Tom Clancy. Shakespeare wrote less. Clancy delivered bookshelves of espionage sagas like “The Hunt for Red October,” “Patriot Games,” “Dead or Alive.” Maybe his millionth best seller was “Search and Destroy.” About America’s enemies, Navy SEALs, stolen Army munitions, Mexican smugglers, Middle East baddies, a bounty on a woman, a plan to destroy the CIA — all in 768 pages.
Ben Affleck, playing a lowly spy, and Morgan Freeman co-starred in his “The Sum of All Fears.” Morgan said: “Before shooting even began, I got promoted. An upgrade. In the book, I’m deputy director. In the movie, I’m now director.”
A Tom Clancy quote: “Sex is one of the most beautiful, natural, wholesome things that money can buy.”
So this hoo-hah type planned a very hoo-hah baby shower. To knock everyone on their hoo-hahs, the autumn request was not flowers but pumpkins. White pumpkins. Only white pumpkins. There exists peanut pumpkins, which come with little things hanging on them. Flat-topped Cinderella pumpkins, which can be stacked. But all snow-white pumpkins?
From an upstate farm, Accent on Flowers found them. They’re called Baby Boo Pumpkins. This hostess now has 18 at $100 each.
Only in New York, kids, only in New York.