Lindsay Lohan’s lawyer Mark Jay Heller, who comes from a family of legal practitioners, was once suspended. It began 1994, ended 1999. Alleged violations of a dozen clients between 1989 and 1992. He is now registered to practice. After a five-person poll, LawyerRatingz.com assesses him at a lousy 1.0.
SUNDANCE Film Festival will be big with politics. Next Thursday’s opening night documentary is London Pulse Films’ “Who Is Dayani Cristal?” Co-producer’s Mexican actor Gael García Bernal, who’s also in it. Director’s first timer Marc Silver. Award winner Mark Monroe (“Chasing Ice,” “The Cove,” “The Tillman Story”) wrote it. This real-life drama investigates an anonymous body found in Arizona’s desert and a search for the man’s identity develops. It’s the timely topic of immigration.
Universal’s hotshot global number is Oscar winning Alex Gibney’s doc “We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks.” Julian Assange, Bradley Manning, WikiLeaks’ story explores the upstart Web site that rocked the US government, triggered a new era of transparency and ignited an information war that continues today. World premiere is Monday, Jan. 21.
And Israel’s “The Gatekeepers” screens right before its US theatrical opening Feb. 1 and right after it probably marches in with an Oscar nomination. I’ve already reported Dror Moreh’s tough story of six former heads of security agency Shin Bet, whose secrets stay as closely guarded as which Seal iced bin Laden. Intensely nationalistic and anti Netanyahu, it says, “In terrorism there are no morals.”
REMEMBER 1977’s “Pippin” starring Ben Vereen? Following the legit’s current mantra of re-re-revivals, B’way’s supersuccessful musical got redone and rejuiced. It’s testing in Massachusetts which, following Romney, appears able to deliver some winners. The cast of “A Chorus Line’s” Charlotte d’Amboise, Matthew James Thomas, who on and off was in that “Spider-Man: Turn Off . . . the whatever” and award-winning Andrea Martin is getting big-time reviews and opens here mid-April.
BETTE Midler’s future includes opening in a one-woman show. Bette Midler’s past may also open in the musical of S. Ostrow’s book. In prehistoric time he owned the Continental Baths. Not exactly the Rainbow Room, this 24-hour gay bathhouse in the basement of the West Side’s then Ansonia Hotel served nearly 1,000 gents daily. A sound system warned of impending cops. It had a pool, dance floor, sauna, private rooms, clinic and assorted interesting features.
Specialties included towel-clad piano player Barry Manilow who, by the way, is about to do a concert here with a party afterward at the Copa. The singer nicknamed Bathhouse Betty? Miss Midler.
Ostrow, whom I’ve just met in Australia, lives in Sydney. His memoir did not make No. 1 or even No. 70,000 on the best-seller list, but he is actively hustling the musical.
TAYLOR Swift’s swift ending with Harry Styles will trigger another song. She said, when it swiftly went south, “I probably will write one.”. . . Bobby Van’s Steakhouse proliferated. It’s all over Manhattan. At the really great West 50th one, manager Paul Modica gifted first-timers with steak knives . . . R. Giuliani says he’ll come out for Lhota, who once was his staffer, for mayor.
DR. Ruth’s unrealized Christmas wish? A grandfather clock. “But my same size. Can’t be larger than I am.” A savvy decorator knew exactly where to find one. However, she was looking to receive the thing not purchase it. Instantly realizing her mistake, she said: “But it must be inexpensive.”
THE holiday’s over, but I have thoughts. Laughers at Santa are the same ones who believe in campaign promises . . . Elections should be held Dec. 25. Don’t like who won, the next day exchange them for something else . . . And if the Magi happened today, those Three Wise Men would be guys who got voted out of Congress.
OK, so you’ve New Years’d. So mazel tov. So back to business and returns. Like the wife who got gloves but expected mink. The employee whose envelope had the note: “If this check seems small, don’t return. It doesn’t come in a larger size.” The chick given a “7 1/4 ” bra? Her guy took the measurement with his hat.
Shopping’s a headache. Think it’s the thought that counts? Just try shipping a gift COD. No money has no meaning anymore. A credit card is, basically, a printed IOU. So much plastic’s available today, anyone not in debt just isn’t trying. As one guy put it: “I’ll pay my Amex with my Visa.”
Santa’s no longer unique. Most teenagers wear wild red outfits, boots, beards, shoulder bags, and work only one day a year. But we must re-establish belief. Because you saw him in a different spot every day, don’t lose respect for an old geezer who can’t hold a steady job.
POP music producer Jim Fragale sent a gracious, refined, actually handwritten stamped letter — not e-mail — an old-fashioned real genuine letter — through the US Postal Service. Music giant Pandora’s e-mail reply: “Apologies for the delay in responding. We aren’t set up to deal with postal mail.”
Only in New York, kids, only in New York.