MARLO THOMAS' NEW BOOK

Beloved Marlo was in LA on one leg of her enormous book tour to promote "Growing Up Laughing." The book is the story of her childhood with all the comics, plus interviews with today's comedians about what makes them really laugh. Marlo, her sister, Terre, plus her nephew Jason and a few other close friends had dinner to celebrate.

BLAKE EDWARDS HONORED AT ACADEMY

I was thrilled when Lesley Ann Warren invited me to accompany her to the Blake Edwards evening at the Academy. I was her manager when she got "Victor, Victoria," and that generates many happy memories. It was fantastic seeing Blake interviewed by Walter Mirisch on stage. What respect they commanded. One was just in awe of the Hollywood history. It was a great night.

Here are Blake and his entire family, Lesley Ann with Frank Gehry, Blake and Julie.

When I met Frank Gehry I was so surprised to meet him that I blurted out, "I like your buildings." Not one of my finer moments, but he was very sweet!

AMERICA'S GOT TALENT--WRONG!!!!!

Michael Grimm is very good, but he's just another Michael Bolton lite. He doesn't deserve $1 million. A talent like Jackie Evancho's comes along once-in-a-lifetime. She'll be better than fine, and her career will last for decades.

THE ADVENTURES OF RUNNING SPRINGS

Leon Schneider and his sister, Susan Fedder, are two of the kindest, most generous people on earth. They hosted Ellen Weston and me at Leon's Running Springs home this weekend. Simply put, Leon's property is like a private national park. It's approximately five acres, and Leon put 70,000 feet (!) of sod on it. He built a gigantic home, a gigantic guest house, a barn, gym and caretaker's building, as well as ponds, a corral, a million bathrooms (very important) and flat screens and fireplaces in every room. Leon is a personal injury attorney in Beverly Hills, who is married to the beautiful Elena, and Susan is a very successful realtor with Coldwell Banker.
Ellen was the former v-p production of CBS Films, is a respected TV writer/producer, and she's written the book for the new Broadway musical "Josephine," based on the life of Josephine Baker.
But we discussed none of those things. This was Kids on Parade (us) with boats, drums, pool tables, a singing deer, pin ball machines, the USC game and BBQs......and multiple meals at the Old Country Diner. What I love about Running Springs is that no one goes there. They're too busy going to Arrowhead and Big Bear. We were totally silly all weekend and in our own world.
What a blessing this respite was. THANK YOU----as for the pictures, they are totally random. It's all at Leon's house or on the lake at Big Bear. Susan Fedder has the long, dark hair. You'll figure out Leon. Ellen is the one who isn't me!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HOPE SMITH AND STAMIE K

It was a wild Girls Night Out to celebrate the birthday of two good friends born on the same day. It seems like we've all known each other 100 years....and the six degrees of separation are more like ONE. The intermingling of our lives is indescribable. So here's to Hope and Sally, and Stamie and Tracy, and Joanna and Michelle, and Julie and Shelly and Karen and the Mazzio family and Glory Smith!

NORMAN BROKAW-CHAIRMAN EMERITUS OF WME

Norman Brokaw, a true gentleman and one of my favorite people ever, has moved his office out of the William Morris building to one across the street in yet another building that had been owned by WM. Norman was the last WM employee to move out of that building. He started at WM in 1943 when he was 18, and made $25 a week (take home $17.50). He lived with a Murphy bed in a place for $65 a week. He's now chairman emeritus and WM sold three buildings in Bev Hills for $43 million. Congratulations Norman. He also just received the Governors Award from the TV Academy, the first agent to ever do so. Because of Danny Thomas and Bill Cosby, Norman packaged legendary TV shows. He has also represented three US presidents, Barbara Walters, Nancy Pelosi, Susan Hayward, Barbara Stanwyck, Clint Eastwood, Natalie Wood, and his long-time client (46 years) Kim Novak. Note her self-portrait on the wall.

His new office is just gorgeous, with big windows overlooking trees, his own conference room, and plenty of room for his signed photos. Now 83, Norman is still a dapper, brilliant gentleman. For cufflinks, he alternates between the gold William Morris cufflinks he got on his 30th anniversary of being an agent, and the sapphire presidential seal cufflinks that he was given by President Ford.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DANIELLE DEL !!!!!

The private room and bar at Soho House were the site of a sensational Girls' Night Out birthday for our friend Danielle Del. Danielle is a talent manager, and is married to the adorable "Ernie the Attorney" Ernie Del. The martinis and Manolos were flowing freely as we partied into the night. Off the top of my head.......Dagny Dubelko, Dede Binder Goldsmith, Donna Antebi, Julie Araskog, Alexandra Dwek, Lisa Franchot (whose photographs you see here), Anne Kopelson, Carrie Wiatt, Joyce Arad, Tracy Danza.....and the beat goes on. The food was terrific, by the way.