DENISE Richards. Divorced single mom of two, star of “It’s Compli cated,” her own E! reality series, and now — ta-da! — the host next month of psychic/medium/ spiritualist/mentalist/metaphysicist/cross-overist John Edward‘s show.
And so I ever so politely said: You who feeds tabloids, who did Playboy, jazzed up “Dancing With the Stars,” married Charlie Sheen, dated Richie Sambora, pronounced John Stamos an all-time great lover, you are into divinity and otherworldliness?
“Well,” she said, “I’ve just become friendly with a psychic medium my mother met shortly before she passed on. I wanted to believe Mom was still around. I wanted a reading. I wanted to believe in some form of reincarnation. I need to think in whatever way I can that my mother is still with us.
“Mother had had a reading with this Natalie, who, without knowing any of our family details, told my mother, ‘Your dad, your dog, your Aunt Birdie are waiting for you on the other side.’ She had knowledge of these people without any of us mentioning them.
“Unknown to me, my mother had given Natalie a book for my two little ones. The book explains death. When she knew she was going, which was before I even knew she wouldn’t be around much longer, she wrote in it: ‘I’ve arrived in heaven and from here I’ll always watch over you as an angel.’ She gave the psychic this book to give to my girls, which Natalie subsequently did. We’re now friends. And I have that book safely locked up.
“I believe all of us on Earth eventually go somewhere and that guardian angels do exist. Raised Catholic, I’ve started church again and taken Lola and Sammy to be baptized. I desperately have wanted a message from my mother, and I want to hold onto anything which will make that happen. I’ve told her to stay in contact with me even if she has to talk to me only through Natalie.”
OK, I got it. But one earthy terrestrial this-world question. Is John Stamos really the greatest lover you ever had?
“No,” laughed Denise. “I never said he was the greatest. I just said, ‘He’s great.’ ”
In the interests of pure disclosure: After talking with Denise, that same night I was on West 44th heading to see “Mary Stuart” at the Broadhurst and bumped into Stamos on his way to see “Rock of Ages,” and I told him, and he said: “Oh, wow! Wonderful information. I’m definitely glad to hear that.”
CNN’s softening ratings plus Time Warner’s garage sale of AOL plus a new rumble that Warner wants away from Time is causing more static than those old rabbit-eared TV sets. While still low on rumor’s Richter scale, the epicenter of the gossip centers on Ted Turner. Like he maybe wants back in action. Like this genius who conceived, created, founded and nurtured CNN — only to see it gobbled into Time Warner and himself bounced like a deflated ball — wants his baby back. He’s bitched and moaned about losing his platform. He’s got his millions. He’s lost his mojo. Ted-watchers are now sitting back waiting, convinced Magician Turner will pull a rabbit out of Time Warner’s hat.
BETHENNY Frankel of “The Real Housewives of New York City”: “Oh, please, I don’t know what TV is doing anymore. And I don’t think they know what they’re doing anymore. We’ve got ‘Real Housewives of Orange County,’ ‘Real Housewives of New York,’ ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta,’ ‘Real Housewives of New Jersey,’ coming up ‘Real Housewives of DC.’ My show is now waiting to hear what’s happening for next season. At this point, I don’t care. I have my book out, my own career going, and you know what they’ll do? If it’s not us, they’ll just go pick up four more Almost Nearly Real Housewives of New York and get them to do the same things. We’re all jellybeans in the Bravo jar.”
SHARON Osbourne frets about an eating disorder. Having had a gastric band fitted onto her tummy years ago to control her food addiction, she newly fears slipping back into a bulimic habit. Says Sharon: “I’ve suffered with weight forever. For me, it’s Brit food like sausage and mash. My whole life I’ve been this way, and I’m into my 50s and not going to change.”
SO this newly divorced man asks, if a husband is totally alone in the forest and makes a statement without his wife being there — is he still wrong?
LAWYER Chris Seeger took an impor tant call on his cellphone in a taxi. At that same moment the cabby, with a thing on his ear, began chattering very loudly, very rapidly, very excitedly on his cell. In Hindi. Seeger asked the cabby to please speak more softly “because I can’t concentrate.” Shouted the cabby: “Be quiet. I’m on a business call.”
Only in New York, kids, only in New York.