Unwed teenage mama Bristol Palin and that together/not-together piggy daddy Levi Johnston definitely af fected Sarah Palin. Sarah was even more upset with Bristol’s playing house than with Obama‘s White House.
After Levi Johnston itched to flash his Johnston to magazine photographers and then to flash that same Johnston to another unmarried female whom he maybe impregnated, Sarah Palin took off. Alone. Minus family members. She went hiking to burn off the stress and get her head and emotions back in line. Unknown to most of civilization, Mme. Palin took off for North America’s highest mountain peak, Mount McKinley. It’s in her neighborhood, Denali National Park in Alaska. It’s 20,320 feet. It’s real cool up there. Wind-chill temperature hits minus 118 Fahrenheit. She didn’t create a political headquarters in a crevasse or anything. She stayed two days.
Also, let it be known she has no interest anymore — zero — in becoming P or VP. She now rakes in $45 mil a year speaking, lecturing and etcetering. Got a new garage. More flat-screen TVs in Wasilla than Sears. Her own R&R tour bus. Beats even free housing on Pennsylvania Avenue.
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OMINIC Carter came to my home to discuss his conviction by the Justice Court in Ramapo, Rockland County. Dominic’s the very bright, smartass, first-ever black host of NY1’s “Inside City Hall.” Or was, until he allegedly — which he and his wife now deny — smacked her physically. His job canned him. He’s now unemployed. Sentenced to 30 days in jail, comes now Act 3: The Appeal. It was filed last week.
His lawyer Julia Kuan‘s court papers list assorted issues. Like:
* The Court agreed to an ACD, which means adjournment in contemplation of dismissal.
* Contemplating dismissal, the adjourned court then “abused its discretion by allowing the People to restore the prosecution.”
* “Conviction for the lesser included offense of attempted assault in the third degree must be reversed because the trial court failed to apprise Mr. Carter of his constitutional rights.”
* Admitting “fabricated statements to hurt her husband because she was angry” and thought he was having an affair, Marilyn Carter now attends weekly therapy sessions. Dominic attends the Domestic Violence Program for Men.
Page 16 of the court papers state he said, “His wife’s false accusation could ruin his broadcasting career.”
Offered p.r. work, journalistic jobs elsewhere and only hopes of returning to NY-1, he has three homes. With no income and legal expenses, he says, “Right now I could lose all three.”
‘WALL Street 2″ premiere: First guest, Warren Buffett. Then Sylvia Miles. Sylvia’s blond head is now white. Buffett, I think, was gray even in the womb. Filled with financier types: Carl Icahn, on whose yacht I’ve been a passenger, introduced himself to me. Magazine owner Jann Wenner, in whose home I’ve been, ignored me. Tyra Banks‘ hair was pulled back in a knot so tight she could barely look down. Spike Lee wore a Yankees cap. His wife, Tonya, is gorgeous. Barbara Walters was looking for popcorn. CNN’s Ali Velshi schlepped in and out of the Ziegfeld’s front door more than once. Maybe so everyone could see him, or so he could create an audience for CNN.
Co-stars: First arrival, Josh Brolin with perfectly tousled hair. After doing Letterman‘s show, Shia LaBeouf came late. Frank Langella worked his cellphone in the lobby. Everyone fussed over frail Eli Wallach. Surrounded by security, on time, quite slim Michael Douglas was whisked through a side door, did the group photo then split. Didn’t socialize when filming this movie. He remained mostly solitary on set. Always gracious Michael, they said, was even “kinder and sweeter” doing press in Toronto.
Most guests were gents in expensive blue suits and ladies with crotch-high skirts.
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ERALDINE Ferraro, after suffering a wheelchair and beating illness into line, went to Lourdes, France . . . ABC News Chief David Westin quitting after 14 years because he wants “to do other things.” Hardly. I knew well in advance that his bosses nudged him out . . . The former Mr. Sandra Bullock telling pals he diddled only one lady whilst married, not that whole chorus line who claims they had him. It’s called semi-celibacy . . . There’s chat Nancy Pelosi‘s future is further behind her than her behind after this election’s GOP rout . . . Caroline Giuliani shoplifting? Not her first time acting out . . . Glamour magazine’s sexual harassment piece quoted my column saying stop suing and just “deal with it.” Thanks . . . Mike Huckabee, on TV, bookshelves, everyplace but the Oval Office, wrote “A Simple Government: Twelve Things We Really Need from Washington (and a Trillion That We Don’t!)” for Sentinel. Stuff like “return to our roots” and “forget a 10,000-page tax code even CPAs can’t understand.” It’s out in February.
SO many guards and guns protecting Britain’s Tony Blair at the Mark Hotel that a lady diner, wanting to use the ladies’ room, snapped: “You mean I can’t even pee here without Secret Service?!”
Only in New York, kids, only in New York.