Barry Diller’s Senior Picnic: Maureen Dowd Gets Shot Down

Ok. so while the “kids” at the Independent Spirit Awards were handing out statues down on the beach in Santa Monica, Barry Diller was having his annual picnic for Hollywood elders. Oprah and Gayle, Ellen DeGeneres, Valentino, Shirley Maclaine, Anderson Cooper, Jessica Alba, plus all the media heavyweights like Eisner, Katzenerg, Murdoch. Brad Grey, Ron Meyer, Harvey Weinstein everyone was there who wasn’t involved in a current movie. My favorite story, about Dani Janssen, who’s the smartest person in town. Dani gives her annual Oscar party. No press, and you must have won or been nominated for an Academy Award. Penny Marshall is first at the viewing party, Clint Eastwood and Jack Nicholson are usually there, and Dani serves her famous homemade monkey bread. Former superagent Sue Mengers tells Dani she must bring New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd. “Don’t worry,” Sue says, “no one will recognize her.” Says Dani, who once found Andy Warhol’s tape recorder under her couch cushions the morning after she’d allowed him into her party: “You know what, stay home, see you another year!” Dani stands her ground, Hollywood remains safe. We love Dani Janssen!