The Play
Last Friday, September 9th, was the concluding performance to the compelling tribute play 110 Stories by Sarah Tuft. Produced by Broadway genius Jennifer Maloney (Spring Awakening and Legally Blonde), this collection of vignettes, breached time and space to bring you, safely, back to the tragic day the World Trade Center collapsed.
After an hour delay, due to a box office mess-up, we were seated with only a minute before the performance started. Heartbreakingly, actors like Stephen Baldwin, Tony Shalhoub, and Samuel L. Jackson began reading people’s accounts of the day, just before the attack. Jackson played a man who took work off that day to teach his daughter how to ride her bike without training wheels. “It was the most beautiful day," he read in that solemn voice. “Why is it always that something tragic happens on what you think is the perfect day?”
Last week, I finally met Justin Ross Lee at the Murray Hill W Hotel, after several weeks of back-and-forth re-scheduling as I tried to pin down some time with the elusive Facebook persona. It was perhaps the most surreal interview I have conducted to date. While researching to prepare for the interview, my impression of Justin was one of pretension and self-importance, a man who spent his existence whoring himself out for the limelight in any way possible.
A diva fight took place recently, and it was not between Whitney and Aretha, but Jeremy Piven and Chris Kattan. I know, what? Really? Why?
Both were appearing on Alexa Chung’s MTV talk show. They were backstage when Kattan asked Piven, “So, what are you here to promote, your Broadway play?” You may wonder why this innocent question/joke would unleash such a spazzed-out tirade from Piven. This is because “Piven left Speed the Plow last December after suffering mercury poisoning from bad sushi and is now in a legal battle with the show’s producers who believe the actor made up the plan to get out of his contract,” reports MSNBC.
Jeremy Piven has been leeching the New York club scene for his newest romantic flings. The Entourage actor, who is in Bangkok recovering from mercury poisoning from eating sushi for apparently every meal for a year, has been picking up women all over the city.
First there was Ashley Chontos, a 23-year old bottle-host cum "model" who works at Mansion. The SUNY Binghamton drop out met the fishy star at Britney Spear's birthday party at Tenjune. The actor seems to be infatuated with the blonde waitress now, but that night she was merely the runner up in the actor's choice of bed partners.
Entourage’s Jeremy Piven has dropped out of Broadway hit Speed the Plow due to a a high mercury count. After missing performances for the past two days, Piven was diagnosed with a high mercury count by doctors at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York.
David Mamet’s satirical look at Hollywood opened on Oct. 23. Piven was meant to lead the show through its limited run lasting until late February. Piven’s publicist stated he wished to continue but that, “…doctors advised him that he should end his run immediately.”
Mr. Mamet was not so sympathetic. He told Variety he spoke with Piven, who explained his high mercury count, and continued to tease, “So my understanding is that he is leaving show business to pursue a career as a thermometer.” Mamet also said the show would go on but did not reveal Piven’s replacement. Some showbiz blogs have hinted at suspicions of cocaine use affecting the actor’s health. We simply think that after playing a soulless Hollywooder for so long, Piven was loathe to leave L.A. and just wants to get back to the land of Pretty People.
Piven Speeds Away from 'Plow' Play [Variety.com]
Britney Spears transformed the Meatpacking hot spot Tenjune into a Circus the other night to celebrate her 27th birthday and the launch of her highly anticipated CD. Brit arrived in a skin tight, Roberto Cavalli cocktail dress that left little to the imagination. To be truthful, Brit's nips were on display.
The pop tart had the subterranean club outfitted with a giant tent, as well as hot dog and popcorn stands and a cotton candy machine. In line, party goers were entertained by jugglers and a man on stilts, which did little to distract them from the fact that they weren't getting inside the very private event.