A not even a cat has as many lives as Debbie Reynolds, of whom you may have heard. Her new William Morrow memoir is “Unsinkable.”
“I’ve had a fruitful life,” she said. “It’s been interesting. Once I had my own stage in a Vegas hotel and lost that through one of my marriages.”
Ex-movie star. Former wife of Eddie Fisher, who left her bed to bed then wed Elizabeth Taylor. One semi-bum spouse did her in financially. Two others did her in generally. She’s been broke. And broker.
“We could all use money, but I’m OK now. Let’s say my husbands had wonderful lives. I’ve been a great partner to them all.” About world-class jerk Eddie? “I always do put-down lines about him. Fortunately, husbands die off.
“Sometimes I try to forget the past and don’t want to remember what I did. Let’s just say I’m glad I’m alive . . . Anyhow, this book took a year to do.
“I’m a frank lady. When I was younger I wouldn’t discuss what I know. But . . . now . . . I’m pushing it. Besides, everyone’s gone. Like really wild Shelley Winters. I was 18. A party in Malibu. Guests like Jennifer Jones, Hugh O’Brian, Shelley wearing a big skirt. As she sat, the thing spread. Two young boys were under it. Servicing her. Making her happy. I couldn’t imagine anyone doing that in the middle of a room.
“I was always with the guys — Sammy Davis, Dean Martin, that whole Frank Sinatra Rat Pack at the Sands in Vegas. We hung out. I knew Frank well. Sammy’s rear was so cute. I’d hold it in one hand. The whole thing fit right in there. Smallest ass in the world.”
About auctioning off her huge memorabilia collection:
“Got rid of it all. Thousands of things. The Maltese Falcon, Streisand outfits, a pair of those ruby red slippers, Audrey Hepburn’s black-and- white ‘My Fair Lady’ gown, Marilyn Monroe’s white subway dress. Everybody thought it’s junk. I knew it wasn’t. It was movie history, and I didn’t want it thrown away, but I couldn’t get people out of martini glasses long enough to build and fund a museum. Anyway, I made $12 million on the sale.”
Ever marry again?
“Never. I’m looking for a peaceful life. Nobody snoring. Nobody saying where to live. My life was wild. I’m now enjoying myself. I don’t have to shop anymore. I’m playing my guitar and taking time for Debbie.
“I have a home in LA on the same property as my daughter, Carrie, and a Vegas condo I’ve had for 65 years. I’m finally at peace.”
MIRA Sorvino waiting for her untitled CBS sitcom to be picked up . . . George Wendt was at the bar in TV’s “Cheers,” is at the bar in Broadway’s “Breakfast at Tifany’s,” was at the bar at Joe Allen.
KNOW where big money for biiiig jewels is coming from? Arabs? No. Russians? Nope. Brazilians? Uh-uh. Americans? Forget it. And don’t think I don’t know. I know. Mexicans! And let’s don’t ask how enough bread to wrap themselves in serapes until Year 2718’s getting earned. It ain’t by peddling immigration papers. These guys are buying serious stones. Like colored diamonds. From Australia. Costing $1 mil a carat.
NEW scam’s a foreign lottery. It says, “You’ve just won a foreign lottery.” No! B.S.! Scammers call, e-mail or notify by letter to send a small amount for taxes and fees to claim your prize. Don’t. Disconnect. Ignore the messages. Never send payment anywhere to anyone who says you won anything. Legit lotteries do not request your money to claim your prize.
NEW York’s Frieze Art Fair previews May 9. The Hugo Boss prize is given the 10th. Chelsea’s galleries remain open after hours the 11th with events, performances, food and drink . . . Marty Markowitz wants it known he’s giving Brooklyn’s 2013 State of the Borough address April 12 . . .
SHERYL Sandberg. Doing more TV than Jay Leno to hustle her book about women in careers. Advocating stay-at-home mommy workers, she says: “Many Facebook employees we’ve never come face-to-face with.”. . . Nicole Richie: “I love rats. They’re great pets. Cute and fun when they nibble and crawl on your shoulders. I once had six.”
FOR gay patients who couldn’t survive a lengthy dinner, infectious-disease specialist Dr. Brian Saltzman threw a drag Seder at Robert’s. Saltzman came as Pharaoh. I watched two “Burning Bushes,” orange and green feathers sticking out of guys’ various parts, slurp chicken soup.
Straights like cake baker Sylvia Weinstock was Baby Moses. Fotog Gideon Lewin a burlapped slave. All-in-black jeweler Beau Bender showed as a Plague. Playwright Philip Himberg, whose “Paper Dolls” is running in London, a fur hat plus long Hasidic side curls. Lanvin designer Alber Elbaz came as himself.
Designer Joanna Mastroianni’s flowing robe featured gold chains and jewels. Asked, “You Cleopatra?” she answered: “You bet your asp.”
Only in New York, kids, only in New York.