I'VE BEEN IN NY FOR ONLY SEVEN HOURS. HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENED......

LOOK OUT, NEW YORK!!!! I'M ONLY HERE FOR LESS THAN 24 HOURS BEFORE

SAILING ON QUEEN MARY 2.

AIRPLANE LANDS----Small verbal altercation with a guy who looked like Big Pussy from "The Sopranos"  in the aisle. In the end, we decide to agree. I make him laugh.

FIRST STOP---Go directly to Papaya King on 86th.  I AM IN HEAVEN

SECOND STOP--Unnamed hotel. Just deposit bags and rush to the seven o' clock curtain of the Carole King musical, "Beautiful." It just won some Tonys last Sunday, and there is no better time to see a show with all the leads in place and the heat of the wins. I love the show. I love Jessie Meuller. I managed Carole at one time and it was incredible to see my own life experiences on the stage.

 

Show over and in the lobby I run into Broadway producer Ken Waissman, who has the new musical, "Josephine," about Josephine Baker on tap to hit Broadway. He is with Judy Collins and her husband, Louis Nelson, an industrial designer who designed the Korean War Memorial in Washington.
 I look at the real Judy Collins having just watched the fake Carole King and we talk about what it was like. She was lovely. Her eyes are extraordinary. Duh.

Ken Waissman

Judy Collins

THIRD STOP--Call Uber to pick me up in the surprise rainstorm and head to the Eastside to have a late Italian dinner with Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue and their friend Phil. Our private converstion ranged from God to Erma Bombeck.

Whew!!!! Leaving at Noon for ship, but first a breakfast at Norma's at the Parker-Meridien with writer Susan Silver.

It's a good thing I was only in NY overnight..........