Social Diary 8/10/05 - New Rules by Bill Maher

New Rules

The Virgin Mother in the courtyard of the Lever House. Photo: JH.

Warm, overcast day in New York. Not as hot as it’s been; a relief. Down at Michael’s in the garden room, Richard Plepler, the Executive Vice President of HBO, hosted a luncheon for Bill Maher to celebrate his new book: New Rules: Polite Musings from a Timid Observer.

The event was scheduled for 12:30 and I, uncharacteristically, got there early, so early that I stopped to chat with Steve Millington, the restaurant’s general manager and the girls at the reception. Note: When you first walk into Michael’s, as the luncheon hour is just about to begin, before anyone’s arrived, the waitstaff is lined up in front of the bar, in their khakis and pink buttondown shirts, to greet the first of us. That’s Michael’s – they’re waiting to serve you.

Anyway, after enough palaver on my part, I went into the garden room in the back of the restaurant which had been taken over for the occasion. It’s a large airy room, more than half of its walls are floor to ceiling glass overlooking not quite a garden, but a thick bank of ivy. Any time of year it's very refreshing. In wintertime the green is often covered with a thick blanket of white untouched snow. When the weather is perfect, the windows slide away and you’re outdoors. And indoors, of course.

Bill Maher

I was the first, except for Peggy Siegal and her assistant John Medina. Well, not quite; ABC’s Cynthia McFadden came in right behind me. Surprisingly, the next to arrive was the author himself, who came rushing in as if he’d been afraid he’d be late, looking as if he might have just got up not long before.

He ordered some coffee from one of the waiters and immediately autographed a book for him. I was standing there, never having met him, not knowing what to say, so I went over and grabbed a book from a table covered with them, and asked him to sign one for me. Then, with camera handy, I asked him to pose with the book. Really just for something to do. It’s not much of a picture, but you can see the book and you can also see how it looks like the guy had a late night the night before.

He was extremely cooperative and his humor is right there on the edge of any moment. I asked why he wrote the book. “Money,” he said, and laughed. “Why else?”

The subtitle is Polite Musings from a Timid Observer. Musings, yes; timid, no.

Soon the room began filling up. This was a Peggy Siegal production and she always has a guestlist with more than a modicum of boldfaced names, New York style. Jay McInerney came in, and then Kerry Kennedy. Then Maria Bartiromo, then Liz Smith, then Jeff Greenfield, Mort Janklow, then of course the host, Richard Plepler; Stanley Crouch, Frank DiGiacomo, David Hershkovits, Jonathan Alter, Campbell Robertson and Warren St. John of the Times, Rick Hertzberg, Jeffrey Toobin, Jacob Weisberg, George Rush, Lally Weymouth, James Kelly, Paula Zahn, Cristina Greeven Cuomo, Jonathan Durbin, Jennifer Maguire, Jami Floyd, Chris Meigher, Gideon Yago, Jane Sarkin. I know I’ve left some out but that’s close to the guestlist.

I lost track of The Author once the room filled up and he was besieged by friends, well-wishers, viewers, fans. There’s a lot of laughter around Bill Maher, and if he’s not instigating it, he’s sharing in it. I’ve never seen his new show on HBO, “Real Time,” although JH has and he says it’s even better than “Politically Incorrect,” (which I had seen several times), because he’s freer to be himself.

Lunch in the garden room at Michael's

Finally we all sat down to lunch. I was seated next to Liz Smith on my left, Ms. Weymouth on my right and The Author on the other side of Liz, Paula Zahn on the other side of him.

The first course was Grilled Market Vegetables and Goat Cheese Gratin with Baby Greens and Balsamic Vinegar. I’ve eaten a million times at Michael’s and never had that one. It was good. The main course was Poached Wild Alaskan Salmon, Braised Greens, Ginger, Honshimeji Mushrooms, Roasted Plum Tomatoes Soy and Sesame Court Bouillon. Dessert: Lemon Pound Cake with Lemon Chibuste, Stewed Berries and Verbena Ice Cream. Don’t ask what “lemon chibuste” is/was; I haven’t got a clue. The whole thing was a kind of strawberry shortcake; enough but not too much.

The meal aside, from the moment we sat down Liz got us right into conversation and The Author who’s reed-thin anyway, hardly touched his meal, jumping right into the conversation just as he does on his shows. He’s a very likeable person, wiry and energetic, quick to laugh, quick to make the jokes. The topics were current events of course and the asides were sometimes unprintable, although JH told me that the HBO "Real Time" is good because he says what he wants and he’s on point. If you like him on television, you’d like him a million times more off-camera because he’s real and he’s nice. I guess you could say he’s a liberal, no? Although the guest he’s had on more than any other is Ms. Coulter. He likes her feistiness.

About midway through the meal, Richard Plepler, who was also at the table, got up and introduced the guest of honor, after which he got up and made light of Plepler’s myriad compliments, made fun of himself and had the room laughing. Shortly after he sat down again and conversation resumed, he said, “I should probably get up and visit each of the tables, shouldn’t I?” And he did, so that was the last we saw of him, although we could hear his presence in the laughter around the room. What a great way to spend a lunchtime. This is why I always answer yes when people ask me if I love to do what I do.

Cynthia McFadden, Liz Smith, and Bill Maher

Jeff Greenfield, Lally Weymouth, and Mort Janklow

Warren St. John and Campbell Robertson

Chris Meigher and Maria Bartiromo

Rick Hertzberg and Kelly Dilworth

Richard Plepler and Stanley Crouch

Jim Kelly, Jacob Weisberg, and Lally Weymouth

Kerry Kennedy and Chris Meigher

Paula Zahn and Jeanine Pepler

Peggy Siegal and Cristina Cuomo

Cecile Cross-Plummer, DPC, and Nina Rosenstein

David Hershkovits and Jonathan Durbin

George Rush and Jane Sarkin

Jeanine Pepler and Jay McInerney

Gideon Yago and Trent Gegax

The garden room

L. to r.: The guest list and Bill Maher's New Rules. Click to order; Campbell Robertson interviewing Bill Maher.

Today we're taking our first survey of NYSD readership. It was designed to maintain total anonymity while giving us the opportunity to learn some basic facts about you, dear readers. It would be really helpful to us if you would take a minute and fill it out. I don't think it should take more than a minute since I tried it myself. Aside from the importance of this gathering of information, it is also very interesting, even more than interesting, to learn even just a little about those of you who visit NYSD — because even though we don't know and never see you, you are our friends and supporters and are always in our thoughts and considerations. Thanks again.

Click here to take our Reader Poll (it may take a few seconds to load so please be patient) ...

Fitch's Corner Horse Trials celebrated its 11th anniversary this past weekend in Millbrook, NY

Rebecca Guinness, Elisa Lipsky-Karasz, and Tarajia Morrell

Larry and Lorna Graev with Nancy Herze

Penelope Hall and Molly Schaefer

Fitch's Corner Horse Trials have become one of Millbrook's (NY) premier equestrian events attracting over 200 competitors from the tri-state region. The rural setting of Millbrook with it's great expanse of countryside and picturesque farms is the ideal locale for horse, rider and spectator. In addition to the equestrian events (Area 1 Novice Championships) there were 20 specialty shops to choose from for those who wanted to shop and a Spectator Luncheon (for those who wanted to eat) to benefit the Millbrook Fire Department Rescue Squad. A big thanks to Stribling Private Brokerage who helped make it all happen. Bring on the Trials!!