On Tv, Julianna Margulies plays a tough lawyer, Julia Louis-Dreyfus a savvy VP, now Sigourney Weaver’s a smart secretary of state. Is this a wisegals era? Says Sigourney, of USA’s new Sunday night series “Political Animals”:
“It’s a women-in-general era. Something’s afoot in this country. Besides Hillary Clinton and Madeleine Albright, proven is we’re terrific and smart. Ready for women in politics. You can admire Angela Merkel of Germany, but maybe our nation isn’t yet primed for a woman president . . . only . . . why not? We just aren’t getting sufficient support.
“Time to have this conversation. Kick away old thinking. Why’s ambition considered unattractive for us but not for a man? Women speak right out. From the heart, not a prompter. We’re not in this for ego or power. We can work together. Ask questions nobody asks. Roll up our sleeves, don’t intimidate, get things done in a different way. I know. I’m a mother.
“With 50 percent of the population, only 15 percent of us are in Congress. I wouldn’t go into politics myself, but I’m definitely a feminist. Feminism is natural.
“Business as usual isn’t working. A female’s needed to stir things up, get our country moving again. This stalemate in Washington can be broken by a woman.”
So, her show.
“Beginning April we shot in Philadelphia, which can double for DC. I admire Hillary, although we’ve never met. And I believe it’s easier to play secretary of state than be one. It makes you royalty but exacts a price. I based the role on women from Johnson, Kennedy and Roosevelt families. My wardrobe’s feminine, alluring, beautiful suits. And my character deals with a cheating husband.”
In real life, how might she deal with one?
“I don’t know. Life’s so unique and complicated that it’s not for us to make judgements. We all must be kind to one another. I only know Anthony Weiner’s wife handled it with great dignity.”
SOUTHHAMPTON Cheech Marin breakfasting with pals, NJ Housewife Dina Manzo dinnering with girlfriends, Ne-Yo’s mother and Jonathan Cheban at 75 Main . . . ABC-TV now following “Good Morning America” with “Good Afternoon America” soon to be followed with “Good Teatime America.” It’s making their daytime slot all fun-fun-fun and getting ratings . . . The Young Presidents’ Organization, like 170 of them, to convene in Russia.
AUG. 25 to 26 Atlantic City’s Borgata Hotel, followed by Vegas’ Bellagio in September, staging the largest jewelry buying and selling event ever. Circo, whose owner’s David Cornstein, will offer cash or a player’s premium card with X number of points to be redeemed for food or rooms in return for your unused, unwanted gold or silver or stones. It’s never been done before in a casino. So come. Make money on baguettes or blow it on roulette.
ENOUGH with professionally arranged, pre set-up, p.r. posed, orchestrated Tom Cruise daddy shots hugging and lugging Suri. A caravan of fotogs just — wow-ee! — happen to be right there the very instant exact second he barrels out a door schlepping the kid, right? Please. Never one Polaroid of him enveloping his older adoptees. This publicity-hip actor always smiled and clutched Katie and gazed at her when a camera’s around and will still be carrying Suri when she’s 15. On her 16th birthday, his handlers will send out “candid” photographs of him brushing her teeth. I mean, c’mon . . . we’re not all stupid.
ALFONSE D’Amato’s 75th birthday party. Besides mama Antoinette, 97, and son Alfonso, 4, guests were prior previouses. Like from Grover Cleveland’s era, former Senator D’Amato’s crowd included former mayor Ed Koch, former governor George Pataki, former ambassador Charles Gargano, former NY Post owner Peter Kalikow. A nice attendee was Fox-TV chief Roger Ailes, first ever to hire the former senator: “I understood what it must have felt like for him to be out of office. I called that very day and gave him a job as political analyst.”
WITH civilization living longer, word is they’re going to put pictures of missing seniors on the side of Metamucil boxes.
THE Benihana lawsuit. Feuding children inherited millions from father Rocky Aoki, whose will cut them from his restaurant operation and left all to widow Keiko. She says: “The court ruled in my favor. My mission is to take care of worldwide Benihana, which is doing well, expanding, but issues still exist. We now meet Aug. 6 with some of the kids to discuss a final settlement. It’s taken four years and many lawyers.”
‘MADE IN NY” series earned 106 Emmy nominations. Among them:
“SNL” — 14, “30 Rock” — 13, “Boardwalk Empire” — 12, “The Good Wife” — 7, “American Masters” — 5, “Girls” — 5, “Nurse Jackie” — 5, Tonys — 5, “The Colbert Report — 4, “The Daily Show” — 4, “Louis C.K. Live” — 3, “Project Runway” — 4, “Smash” — 4, “Louie” — 3, “Pan Am” — 3, “Letterman” — 2, “Sesame Street” — 12; “Andrea Bocelli, Live in Central Park,” “Actors Studio,” “Jimmy Fallon,” “Memphis (Great Performances),” “New York City Ballet George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker (Live From Lincoln Center),” “Person of Interest,” “Damages” and webisodes 1 per.
Only in New York, kids, only in New York.