There was a lot going on in the Hamptons yesterday.
The main attraction was 80s pop star Paula Abdul. The effervescent former “American Idol” judge brought her dance troupe to the annual Summer Hamptons Evening for the Northwell Health Katz Institute for Women’s Health. The gala, a dazzling night from Lawrence Scott Events, raises millions for the incredible doctors at Northwell whose research breakthroughs are landmark.
Paula looks amazing at age 61, her dancer’s body makes her look around 31. She and her troupe blazed through her hits like “Straight Up,” “Rush Rush” and “Opposites Attract” like it was still 1989! The crowd loved it, too. All those well heeled donors were rocking along on the table tops and under a big gold disco ball. Victoria Moran Furman hosted as usual at her mansion on the water. Our pal, Rosanna Scotto, was the admirable emcee.
EARLIER, in the late afternoon, it was time for the East Hampton Library Authors Book Signing. This happens under a huge, and humid, tent pitched in Herrick Park where hundreds of readers crowded in to meet dozens and dozens of famous writers, buy their books, and get them signed.
The longest lines formed for Robert Caro, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Susan Isaacs, AM Holmes, Marie Brenner, even Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner. Ballerina Misty Copeland is gorgeous in person, CNN’s Jim Acosta was erudite, and there an appearance by Geraldo Rivera, proud as punch about his daughter, Sol, becoming a published poet age 18. A lot of Hamptons scenesters were schitzing and shmoozing including Bill McCuddy, Beverly Camhe, and Neil Rosen. So were Amy Zerner and Monte Farber, whose astrological new wave books are being turned into a documentary.
What book did I buy? “Everything/Nothing/Someone: A Memoir,” by the charming Alice Carrière, daughter of late great artist Jennifer Bartlett. It’s not even being published until August 29th, but Marie Brenner told me to buy it, so I did! Look up Jennifer Bartlett — one of our greatest contemporary artists. Alice looks like she has a winner.
