Tonya Lewis on husband Spike Lee directing Mike Tyson’s coming one-man show: “A friend saw it in Vegas and told Spike: ‘You must come see it.’ He wasn’t able to get away, so they taped the whole performance. At first I couldn’t get the idea. After we watched, and Tyson was amazing, I agreed totally. Then Spike called Jimmy L. Nederlander to produce it.
“Spike knows Mike over 20 years. They have respect for one another. There’s a relationship. Of course it’ll be readjusted for Broadway, but there’s no doubt Mike’s a disciplined guy. Willing to take direction. Try anything. Eager to work hard. Always ready for rehearsals.”
Opening’s Aug. 2 at the Longacre.
AT some Father of the Year something, Sargent Shriver’s kid Mark was somehow the emcee and introduced John Thain as CEO of Citigroup. At the mike, Thain corrected him publicly. “No. I’m actually the CEO of CIT.” Mark later covered with: “I did that deliberately to be sure you were listening.”
Sargent must be rolling around in his crypt.
WE’ve moved from fatties exercising, chunkies pirouetting, squeakies singing and unreality hausfraus spitting. Comes next “Mob Wives,” “Mobsters” and Henry Hill.
Thief, loan shark, bookmaker Mr. deceased Hill, who just left us, was immortalized in Scorsese’s film “Goodfellas.” Mafia turncoat, he ratted out 46 big bad bums. Before he left, he also pretaped the Biography Channel series “Mobsters” and knocked off “The Lufthansa Heist,” a book about history’s largest cash haul.
The co-author’s Daniel Simone. The agent’s Marianne Strong.
P.S. In New York, 90 is becoming the new 60. Ford Model Agency’s Eileen Ford is 90. Society’s Marguerite McAdoo, whose grandpa married President Woodrow Wilson’s daughter, is 90. And Marianne Strong — 90.
MORE book news. Coming soon from an antique member of the Truman family, “Life With Harry,” an intimate chronicle of President HST. Harry Truman’s wife, Bess, and David Wallace were brother and sister. Living with Bess in Independence, Mo., inhaling every White House aroma, insider Wallace saw, heard and spills all. Including every cold hard day of Truman’s baptism into those Kansas City gangs a neophyte politician had to deal with, plus his subsequent clawing to the nomination, plus Harry’s passion to wash his own socks and underwear.
CATHERINE Oxenberg, beautiful, talented, of noble birth, has a busy background. Star on TV’s “Dynasty.” Mother, Yugoslavian royalty; father a Jewish dress manufacturer. Husband Robert Evans. It lasted 12 days. Not good. About that she reminisces tenderly: “Listen, someone lets you use their tennis court for 20 years, you should marry them.” Another husband New Jersey actor Casper Van Dien. He moved out on her. Not good. But he moved back. Good. And they have children.
So, now, again Catherine Oxenberg. Why? “Because July 14 I think they might release it, but I’m not sure but I think so. It’s my break from TV and it’s the movie ‘Jason and the Necronauts.’ ”
Didn’t sound to me like it’ll play the Ziegfeld.
“We’re into science-fiction. I play Hera, Zeus’ wife, queen of the gods.”
I was now certain it wouldn’t play the Ziegfeld.
“This is a takeoff on an adventure-fantasy film about a mythological hero. Challenged to battle by a jealous god, he and all his might travels to the underworld to recruit an army of the dead.”
Where, in what splendiferous paradise was this filmed?
“Shreveport.”
Could make the coming attractions at the Ziegfeld.
Catherine’s ancestry traces back to Russia’s Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna. Mom HRH Princess Elizabeth is cousin to the Duke of Kent, Queen Sofía of Spain, and Great Britain’s Prince Charles. Catherine plus her husband are co-writing “Royal Exile,” “about my grandfather, His Royal Highness Prince Paul, who in World War II helped save Yugoslavia from Nazi destruction. My mother had classified documents and was held at gunpoint.”
So when’s that movie coming out?
“I don’t know. The financing fell apart.”
NYC realtor Douglas Durst owns some chunk of World Trade Center bricks. With a piece of the site’s ownership, he’s a player. Ten days ago, for Obama’s 800th raid on NYC’s cashiers, it’s down to the site. Every pol alive is there — Cuomo, Christie, whoever. Durst, Democrat from the womb, is forbidden upstairs for the ceremony, photo ops and speechlets. Of all the designated hotshots, he alone was barred from the presidential presence.
You’d think a White House tenant would know who his friends are.
THIS nice Italian gentleman’s nice Italian restaurant didn’t do great. One reason being Patsy’s, doing great since Caesar Augustus, was steps away. Somehow he decided to do Cuban food instead. Plus a live band. Now lines wait to get in. Dinner’s maybe $40. The place, 56th and Eighth, is Guantanamera.
Only in New York, kids, only in New York.