Legendary singer Tony Bennett may be appearing on TV in September, but before that he appears on September 18th at the Metropolitan Opera House to celebrate his 85th birthday. There’s talk now of Aretha Franklin joining him there, along with special guests. One of them may indeed by Lady Gaga. The egg encased high heeled entertainment spectacle recorded a duet with Tony this past weekend– of “The Lady Is a Tramp.” Clever! Bennett is said to be heartbroken about his other duet-ess, Amy Winehouse, with whom he recorded “Body and Soul.” Amy is a big part of the documentary that accompanies the “Duets II” album. Bennett, who’d had drug problems in the 1970s, sat and talked with Winehouse at length, counseled her and was confident he’d made a good connection with her, I am told. The pair made plans for some appearances together as well….
…Danny Aiello, another good guy, is around a lot lately. He’s starring off Broadway in “The Shoemaker,” set in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen as an Italian Jewish shoemaker. One of his co-stars is Lucy DeVito, daughter of Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman.
Leah Sydney caught up Danny at the premiere. Danny said, “I love theater. The first acting job I ever did was a play called Lampost Reunion at the age of 36. When I was 40 I did my first movie, “Bang The Drum Slowly,” with Robert De Niro . My feet as an actor began on stage and that I’m most proud of. This play allows me the opportunity to use emotions that I haven’t used in years,which you can’t use on screen because they are too big and wild.”
What’s the status of ‘Capone’?
“Capone is the next one coming. It’s a one man show-it’s a musical-written by Robert Mitchell. We haven’t set it yet as if where it’s going to go. We’re thinking first Chicago then New York.”
What about the upcoming Gotti film?
“i have no idea. Gangster pictures are a dime a dozen. I’ve played in lot of them and I’m not too enamoured by them. I know Barry Levinson is directing it now. John Travolta had suggested to them that I play Paul Castellano. But so far I haven’t heard anything or seen any script.”
