out and about
Updated: July 27, 2009, 10:09 pm	Share    Print    Email

Neil Patrick Harris is an adventurous house guest. Photo courtesy of Patrick McMullan.com

Southampton - Last week, you could catch Kelly Ripa singing that old tune, "He flies through the air with the greatest of ease, the daring young man on the flying trapeze". The aerial artist she was crooning about was house guest Neil Patrick Harris star of TV's "How I Met Your Mother". Neil who was visiting Kelly and her husband Mark Consuelo at their Bridgehampton home talked the pair into joining him for a special treat with Trapeze International which comes to the East End once a year. They and a couple of friends took to the air much to Kelly's concern but all went well as they did somersaults and catches mid-air - over a safety net - to everyone's relief.

Neil certainly is not afraid of risky activities. Last year he came out as gay which many thought would blow his career out of the water. Instead, he has won the hearts of millions as a slimy Lothario looking to bed any chick around on "How I Met Your Mother." This year he took on the daunting task of hosting the Tony Awards - usually a ratings stinker but thanks to some great writing and Neil's impeccable comedic timing the show garnered its highest ratings in five years.

Now it's been announced that he will lend his host skills to this fall's prime time EMMY Awards on Sunday, Sept. 20 on CBS. Not only is the young actor emceeing but he might also see his show pick up the award for Outstanding Comedy Series!

Jessica Lange nominated for "Grey Gardens."Images courtesy of Google.com

And, of course, there are quite a number of our East End neighbors up for honors this year beginning with 30 Rock star Alec Baldwin who is nominated once again for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. The show is also vying with Neil's for Outstanding Comedy Series thanks to the brilliant ensemble led by Baldwin and the incredibly witty Tina Fey.

"Grey Gardens" is up for Outstanding Mini-Series or Movie which should please Quogue's Michael Sucsy who directed the tale of the eccentric Big Edie and Little Edie and scored kudos for his brilliant work. The film's leads Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore are competing in the Best Lead Actress in a Mini-Series or Movie. Money is on Drew whose transformation into Little Edie was breathtaking to behold. It would be especially meaningful for Drew who has told us more than once how she had to fight to even be considered for the role.

Interestingly, Hamptonites figure prominently in the arena of Outstanding Reality Competition Show with Top Chef hosted by East Ender Tom Colicchio who will once again be manning the stove for the Great Chefs Dinner to benefit Hayground School in Bridgehampton and Project Runway producing team Harvey Weinstein and brother Bob, along with the brilliant Desiree Gruber.

Drew Barrymore up against her co-star Lange for award.

The race for the prize for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series pits Sag Harbor's Jon Stewartof "The Daily Show" against "Saturday Night Live" creator and producer Lorne Michaels of East Hampton.
At the announcement ceremony this week, Jim Parsons of "The Big Bang Theory" and Chandra Wilson of "Grey's Anatomy" handled the reading of the nominees and were both pleasantly surprised to be included among the glittering circle of nominees - Jim for "Big Bang" and Chandra for a stunning turn in the Hallmark Channel's "Accidental Friendship" which will have Hallmark chief Henry Schleiff of East Hampton positively beaming. Expect lots of celeb laden toasting dinners in the coming weeks at Nick & Toni's the industry's favorite watering hole.

On a much larger scale at least physically, Southampton artist Paton Miller has just been tapped by The Mara Family owners of the New York Giants, the NFL's biggest franchise to create several massive murals for the new Giant Stadium - sort of like painting the Sistine Chapel of sports. Lynn Mara was so impressed by Paton's work she personally reached out to offer him this amazing commission. The artist also had some more good fortune - Guild Hall of East Hampton acquired one of his paintings for its permanent collection.

Artist Paton Miller receives huge commission.

A few weeks ago, I told about Sarah Jessica Parker's new project with Bravo TV - take off on the reality competition series "Top Chef" and "Project Runway" - only this one involving fine artists. Well it seems that the Bravo folks and SJP's Pretty Matches Production Company are pretty serious and held initial casting calls for Untitled Art Project in Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York this weekend.

Some 600 strong turned up for the call at White Columns, the alternative art space in the Meatpacking district. Among the group was internationally renowned sculptor Phyllis Hammond of Springs. Phyllis who serves as president of the Artists Alliance of East Hampton was personally contacted by the producers to audition for one of the coveted spots. Phyllis made it through the first two rounds of inquiry by a panel of respected museum curators, gallery owners and art critics but alas did not make it to the next round. But Phyllis said it was worth it just to be able to show her work to such an esteemed panel of judges. I have yet to hear from the very talented young Southampton artist Clayton Calvert who works at the Mark Humphrey Gallery how he fared but will keep you posted. Can't believe they could do a show about artists without at least one from our neck of the woods.

I just learned that our friend art collector and noted philanthropist Henry Buhl will throw open the gates of his lush Southampton estate "Girasole" for The Bug Bash - an early evening of cocktails and a special presentation by Former Lieutenant Governor Betsy McCaughey who heads up RID, The Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths. Betsy knows plenty about bugs as in the disease type and has been challenging hospitals across the country to adhere to sanitary practices to avoid patient infection. She has the latest on the return of the swine flu this fall and several new "bugs" to be on the lookout for this season. As well, she will be sharing the latest statistics on which hospitals are up to snuff and which are to be avoided.

Betsy McCaughey to make speech.

Last year, she mesmerized the crowd in Henry's garden with her descriptions of dirty hospital lab coats and stethoscopes with more germs than on a toilet seat and the alarming number of deaths resulting from something as simple as a hospital nurse not washing their hands. If you want to get the real skinny from someone who really knows what's happening you will want to be at Henry's on July 31. Go to www.hospitalinfection.org for more information.

This week in another outdoor setting acclaimed author Anne Nelson read from her latest work Red Orchestra, The Story of the Berlin Underground and the Circle of Friends who Resisted Hitler" in the Courtyard Patio of OSO Restaurant at Southampton Inn this past Sunday. Interestingly the date June 20 coincided with the 65th anniversary of the first ill-fated attempt to kill Adolph Hitler.

Longtime friend Dede Gotthelf Moan, the Inn's owner, introduced Nelson to the guests interested in learning more about this extraordinary group of ordinary people - several of them Americans living and working in Berlin - who sought to overthrow Hitler. Many if them were hunted down and executed by Hitler's direct order.

As many of the guests had personal connection through families and friends to the atrocities of the Holocaust, it was a powerful and moving discussion that followed Anne's talk. Among the guests were publisher and author Dan Rattiner and Christine Wasserstein Rattiner, Jean Shafiroff, Teri and Steven Ludsin, Keiko Aoki, Chuck Taylor and Liz Derringer.The early evening reading and discussion continued the Inn's tradition of hosting readings and talks with Hamptons' luminaries.

Tina Fey and her "30 Rock" up for an award.

Billy Joel took time from his record breaking stadium tour with Sir Elton John to repay a favor to an old friend Sir Paul McCartney and turned up at Sir Paul's history making concert at the new Citi Field. It was in 1965 that The Beatles made musical history playing at the old Mets home. So it was more than appropriate that Sir Paul sing out to the bleachers there and christen the new field. Billy had invited Sir Paul to join him at Shea Stadium last year at the final concert and this time around joined the former Beatle for a rousing "I Saw her standing There" at Citi Field. Another brilliant footnote in musical history!

Speaking of local history, long before there were hordes packing Tavern or sitting on a chaise lounge in the sand at The Pink Elephant - way before there was ever Dune, Resort or Jet East, the hottest club in the Hamptons was Club Marrakesh in Westhampton which ruled the nightlife scene from 1976 to 1996. The brainchild of Ned Dougherty, Bob Drennan, John Roca, Paul and Kurt Gaydos, Marrakesh was the place to get down and boogie. Running into Ned and John Roca who is now the top celeb photog for The New York Daily News at Bobby Van's the other night, the pair mentioned they are hosting a reunion with their old partners and all the former waiters, waitresses, bartenders and patrons this Saturday at Tavern Night Club in Southampton. So get out your 1970s-1980s disco ensembles and boogie on over to Tavern where they'll be dancing once again to Gloria Gaynor, The Village People, The Bee Gees, Donna Summer, Vicki Sue Robinson and Barry White. This will be one rockin' party - starts at 8 p.m. and goes on until who knows - hope to see ya there!